Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov has asked Parliament to strip 5 MPs of their immunity from prosecution, including Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Volen Siderov, Georgi Svilenski, Iliya Iliev, Dimitar Dimitrov, and MEP Sergey Stanishev.

The move aims to pave the way for criminal proceedings against MPs with immunity from prosecution.

The lifting of the immunity of Tsvetan Tsvetanov from center-right party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) is sought over 3 criminal proceedings against him during his term in office as Interior Minister, including embezzlement charges, malfeasance in office, and crimes against justice, according to the press office of the prosecuting authority.

The request for the lifting of the immunity of Volen Siderov from nationalist party Ataka is based on an indictment for hooliganism.

The lifting of the immunity of Georgi Svilenski from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is sought because of the fact that he is a defendant in a case for intentionally inflicted considerable economic damage.

Tsatsarov asks for the lifting of the immunity of Iliya Iliev from liberal party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) over pre-trial proceedings for tax crimes against him.

Dimitar Dimitrov from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is to be stripped of his MP immunity because he is defendant in a case for causing damage to mortgaged property.

Tsatsarov has sent a letter to the President of the European Parliament to ask that the immunity of MEP Sergey Stanishev be lifted over a case involving the loss of documents containing classified information.