Ex-Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov detained after EU probes
Boyko Borissov, the previous prime minister of Bulgaria, was detained late Thursday amid a wide-sweeping police investigation linked to probes by the European Public Prosecutor’s Workplace.
Based on the inside ministry, former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov, former chair of the parliamentary budgetary fee Menda Stoyanova and Borissov’s media adviser Sevdalina Arnaudova had been additionally detained, Bulgaria’s Dnevnik newspaper reported.
In a transfer that threatens to be an enormous second of reckoning for Bulgaria, the ministry mentioned {that a} large-scale operation was underway in reference to 120 instances of potential fraud being investigated by the European Prosecutor’s Workplace. The prosector herself, Laura Codruța Kövesi, visited Bulgaria prior to now days, elevating the prospect of motion towards the widespread abuse of EU funds in sectors similar to agriculture, development and public works — an issue that has plagued Bulgaria for years.
“There isn’t any one above the regulation,” Prime Minister Kiril Petkov wrote on his Fb web page Thursday.
Borissov’s lawyer Menko Menkov instructed reporters the previous prime minister “has not been charged in the intervening time. The police have carried out a search at his residence. He has been taken to the headquarters of the nationwide police the place he almost definitely will likely be detained for twenty-four hours.”
Menkov later mentioned that Borissov’s case associated to extortion, slightly than to abuse of EU funds.
Borissov, who dominated Bulgaria’s politics for greater than a decade, was pressured out of energy in April final 12 months amid a rule-of-law disaster.
