site.btaAnti-Corruption Commission's Building Blocked on Day 43 of Anti-Government Protests

August 20 (BTA) - On the 43rd day of anti-government protests in Bulgaria, the building of the Counter-Corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission was blocked by protestors. A group of citizens led by BOEC civil movement leader Georgi Georgiev blocked the access to the employee entrance for about an hour on Thursday morning.

The protestors demanded a meeting with Counter-Corruption Commission Chairman Sotir Tsatsarov and entry to the building to present him with his resignation. "Every person who hands in an alert becomes a target and a victim of the mafia," they said, preventing employees from entering the building. No clashes occurred and once the blockade was lifted at 9:30 am, the protestors headed to the tent camp on Eagles Bridge.

Later on Thursday, the Counter-Corruption Commission said in a position to the media that the blockade was a violation of the Meetings, Rallies and Manifestations Act. Since the start of 2020, the BOEC movement has submitted two alerts to the Commission: one has led to the corresponding operative actions currently being carried out, and the check launched following the other alert has been terminated because the listed sender (BOEC) has denied having sent the alert.

The Anti-Corruption Commission's position also reads that Tsatsarov refused to meet with Georgiev not only because the blockade was illegal, but also because of a photo available on the Internet of Georgiev standing next to defendant Tsvetan Vassilev. Vassilev, owner of the failed Corpbank, was charged in 2016 with syphoning off 7 billion leva from the bank and has been evading justice in Belgrade ever since.

RI/DS
/ДЛ/