site.btaCalls for Police Hearings in Plovdiv Smuggling Case Clash with Legal Boundaries, Says Parliament Chair Kiselova

Commenting on the cigarette smuggling ring case in Plovdiv in a Bulgarian National Television interview on Thursday, National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova said that earlier in April there were requests for parliamentary hearings of Interior Minister Daniel Mitov and the eight rank-and-file police officers from Plovdiv who allegedly went ahead with the raid against the smugglers.

Mitov had informed Parliament that he could not attend, and this was communicated to the MPs, but they insisted on proceeding anyway, Kiselova explained. She added that she had voted against the requests, arguing that such hearings in the plenary hall are for political control and that Interior Ministry employees should not be put on the spot in this way. Kiselova said that after sending a letter to the prosecutor general, she was informed that pre-trial proceedings had been initiated.

The Parliament Chair recalled a Constitutional Court ruling saying that investigation confidentiality applies when pre-trial proceedings are ongoing. She suggested that the Interior Minister could be heard by a parliamentary committee if needed, and if the matter is a more serious one, then it should be addressed in plenary.