site.btaUPDATED CC-DB's Lena Borislavova Gives Up Her Immunity as MP

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Deputy Floor Leader Lena Borislavova gave up her immunity as an MP on Wednesday morning. Her immunity was claimed in connection with a case involving an environmental protection group. 

On Tuesday, National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova submitted a draft decision on lifting the immunity of three MPs: Lena Borislavova, Dzheyhan Ibryamov, and Mario Rangelov of Democracy, Rights and Freedoms. The draft decision follows a request made by acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov on December 19, 2024, seeking Parliament's consent to prosecute six MPs, three of whom have already given up their immunity.

"The prosecution service is now free to investigate with my full cooperation," Borislavova said, speaking to reporters in Parliament on Wednesday morning.

Asked why it took her a month to take this step, Borislavova said that the time between Sarafov request was made and its submission to Parliament could serve as an example of the "vigilance with which the Prosecutor General was looking into what exactly I am being accused of". "It's important to note that during this month, Prosecutor General Sarafov has been constantly asking about the status of my immunity. I do not see him investigating other cases with the same level of urgency," she added.

"The good thing is that he will not be the prosecutor general for the next seven years," Borislavova said.

The request for Borislavova’s immunity is tied to an assessment from the Sofia Regional Prosecution Office, which concluded that there is enough evidence gathered during pre-trial proceedings to hold her criminally liable for documentary offence.

In April 2024, it transpired that environmental organization Save Koral was under investigation, with dozens of witnesses having been questioned. The probe was initiated after a tip-off about false information that Lena Borislavova allegedly sent by email to the Registry Agency, concerning the discharge of CC co-leader Kiril Petkov from the Managing Board of the organization. The investigation found that in May 2021, Borislavova "knowingly used forged private documents, which were made to appear as if the signatures on them had been affixed by members of the Save Koral organization, when in fact they had not been," a statement made by the prosecution service said, adding that she cannot be held criminally liable for the actual drafting of the documents.