site.btaJudge Selected to Investigate Prosecutor General Takes Office

Daniela Taleva, the first magistrate to be randomly selected to investigate the Prosecutor General and their deputies, took office on Thursday. Approached for comment, she said that if she is subjected to pressure, such actions should be made public and the society should be informed. 

Taleva is a judge at the Sofia City Court. On July 7, she was selected by the drawing of lots from among 22 judges approved for the position under a new legal procedure, aimed at holding the prosecutor general and his deputies accountable. On October 18, Taleva was appointed to the post by the Prosecutors Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Taleva explained that in her work, she will be supported by two employees as well as three investigative police officers from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime. She said she had met with acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov and that he had made effort to provide her with working conditions that would make her feel independent. 

She expects the Supreme Court of Cassation to refer to her any existing alerts against the prosecutor general and his deputies on Friday or Monday, so that she can begin working on them. The first alert, submitted on June 7, is against Sarafov in his capacity as deputy prosecutor general. The alert by the head of the prosecution service's press centre  is about property deals made by Sarafov's family.