site.btaCourt Suspends Case against MECh Party Leader Vasilev

The Sofia City Court on Wednesday suspended a case against MECh party leader Radostin Vasilev because, as a member of the new National Assembly, he has acquired immunity from prosecution.

Vasilev has been charged with attempting to exert pressure on former MP Hristinka Ivanova, who represented the There Is Such a People (TISP) party at the time. According to the prosecution, he was trying to force Ivanova to leave her parliamentary group. The indictment was submitted on July 4.

Vasilev did not turn up at the court sitting on Wednesday. Prosecutor Yordan Petrov noted that the case should be suspended on account of Vasilev’s immunity, and steps should be taken to lift his immunity, with the court making a request to this effect.

Lawyer Ina Lulcheva said the court is not supposed to make such a request because this is the Prosecutor General’s job.