site.btaActing Prosecutor General Asks Parliament to Strip MP Dzheyhan Ibryamov of Immunity to Be Sued for Influence Peddling

Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov asked the National Assembly to strip MP Dzheyhan Ibryamov (Alliance for Rights and Freedoms) of immunity in order to be sued for influence peddling, the prosecution service reported on Wednesday. The proposal for Sarafov’s request came from the Sofia City Prosecution Office on Monday.

Ibryamov is to face trial in connection with two cases under the Penal Code. In October 2019, in Sofia, he asked for, and received, a bribe of BGN 20,000 to influence a decision by a Health Ministry official in favour of permitting the release of a group of biocidal products into the market. Describing the second case, the prosecution service said that on September 26, 2024, also in Sofia, Ibryamov asked a man, identified with the initials M. T., for a bribe of BGN 400,000 to influence a decision of Defence Ministry officials concerning public procurement contracts. On October 2, 2024, Ibryamov tried to inflict major property damage on M. T. in the parking area of a store, but the attempt was interrupted by factors beyond Ibryamov’s control. He was arrested by the police immediately after receiving BGN 100,000 from M. T.

Available evidence, including such collected by special intelligence devices, has been provided to the National Assembly.

The criminal proceedings against Ibryamov were suspended on November 11 after he acquired immunity as a member of the new, 51st National Assembly. Under the Bulgarian Constitution, a resumption of criminal proceedings and a continuation of an investigation require a decision by the National Assembly or the consent of the MP concerned to be stripped of immunity.