site.btaProsecution Leadership Holds Meeting with MEPs from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group 

Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev and Deputy Prosecutors Daniela Masheva, Desislava Pironeva, Krasimira Filipova and Borislav Sarafov held a meeting on Thursday with a delegation from the group of European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament, the prosecuting magistracy said. The meeting was held at the initiative of the MEPs in the Sofia Courthouse.

Current challenges to the rule of law in the countries of the European Union and security in the region in the context of the war in Ukraine were discussed. A main topic in the talks were  efforts of the Bulgarian law enforcement authorities to reduce migration pressure and the need for joint efforts in the protection of the external borders of the EU to counter the illegal trafficking of people and goods. "We are part of the same house. There is no way that the problems in one part of the house do not create a danger for their spread in the whole house", pointed out Ivan Geshev.

Geshev expressed concern about the state of the judicial power in Bulgaria due to the political pressure exerted on it, which reduces the potential of law enforcement bodies and hinders their normal functioning. The European Conservatives and Reformists  supported the independence of the Bulgarian prosecution service and pointed out that Bulgaria is not the only EU member state where attempts were made for political interference in the activities of judicial bodies.

The MEPs were also interested in the uncovered cases of espionage in favour of Russia and welcomed the efforts of the Bulgarian prosecution to counteract the malicious Russian influence on the territory of the country and in the region. Prosecutor General Geshev stressed that Russian hybrid attacks in Bulgaria also manifest in the form of cyber attacks, political and media influence.

The leadership of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Bulgaria confirmed its readiness to continue the bilateral dialogue with representatives of the European Parliament on issues related to upholding of rule of law.