site.btaInterior Ministry, Customs Agency Able to Alert European Public Prosecutor's Office about Investigations

November 19 (BTA) - Bulgaria has notified its Interior
Ministry and Customs Agency to submit alerts to the European
Public Prosecutor Office (EPPO) about criminal proceedings, the
Justice Ministry here reported Friday.

The two institutions will be able to inform EPPO, so it can
decide whether to start its own investigation. Until now, only
the Supreme Prosecutor Office of Cassation (SPOC) could do this.
 

After the notification, EPPO will be able to directly interact
with the law enforcement and customs authorities, without this
having to go through SPOC. This was requested by the European
Chief Prosecutor, Laura Kovesi, with the goal of enhancing
cooperation and the effectiveness of investigations, the
Bulgarian Justice Ministry said.

The Interior Ministry and the Customs Agency will also function
as units that re-direct alerts received by the national
authorities to EPPO's central office in Luxembourg, if the
national authorities choose this channel of communication.

The scope of institutions that are able to submit alerts to EPPO
 has been broadened to include all Bulgarian authorities that
have received, as part of their work, information about a crime
that falls under EPPO's competence.

The Justice Ministry said it will continue to work actively on
facilitating the process of submitting alerts, recalling that
all citizens can submit alerts. Detailed information and the
relevant forms can be found at https://www.eppo.europa.eu/bg/
signal-za-prestplenie-do-evropeyskata-prokuratura. RY/MY


/МЙ/