site.btaUPDATED Three Key Figures of Continue the Change Appear Voluntarily at Anti-Corruption Commission, Not Questioned

Continue the Change (CC) Chairman Assen Vassilev, former prime minister and former CC co-leader Kiril Petkov and MP Lena Borislavova on Monday appeared voluntarily at the Anti-Corruption Commission to give statements in all cases in which their names are mentioned. They were not questioned.

Kiril Petkov has been charged with exceeding his authority as prime minister by ordering the arrest of his predecessor Boyko Borissov on March 17, 2022. Petkov was also indicted on October 1 for attempted coercion of former electronic governance minister Alexander Yolovski. Assen Vassilev's name cropped up in testimony given by a former Customs Agency director about a public procurement scandal; Vassilev has denied the allegations about his tenure as finance minister. Lena Borislavova was indicted for knowingly producing documents with forged signatures on May 13-14, 2021.

Upon leaving the Anti-Corruption Commission, Assen Vassilev said there had been no progress on their request for questioning. "They told us they had more important things to do than questioning us and that it was no problem for the mayor of Varna to remain in custody," he added. "Although both the prosecution service and the court have instructed them to question us, the Anti-Corruption Commission has 'more important things to do'. Despite drawing their salaries, the commission refuses to do its job."

"We came here to tell the truth. It must be known - political prisoners must be released," said Kiril Petkov, adding that four people have been held in custody for three months now without being called to testify.

Vassilev was referring to Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, who was arrested on July 7 under a police order tied to an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Sofia City Prosecution Office, based on a tipoff from a failed public procurement tenderer. The other three persons in custody cited by Petkov are municipal councillors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliev, who were arrested in Varna along with Kotsev, and former Sofia deputy mayor Nikola Barbutov, who was charged with bribery in late June.

Lena Borislavova said: We asked on October 1 to be formally summoned so that we can be questioned and tell the truth." She noted that the prosecution service has instructed twice that the questioning should take place, yet the Anti-Corruption Commission still refuses to collect these statements.

The Continue the Change representatives were met by activists from MRF-New Beginning. "We want the Anti-Corruption Commission closed because it acts as a bludgeon of the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria coalition," Belitsa Mayor Radoslav Revanski told reporters.

After the three CC representatives came out, Revanski commented, apparently referring to them: "We saw the bosses of the Anti-Corruption Commission arrive. If they are attempting to target another mayor, they cannot intimidate us." Revanski said that three years ago, the same people tried to target Mehmed Vaklyov, Mayor of Yakoruda (Southwestern Bulgaria).

Vaklyov, who was also present, said: "We were not afraid of them in 2021, and we are not afraid now."