The meeting of the Monitoring Group on Democracy, Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law in the European Parliament, at which the situation in Bulgaria will once again be discussed, will take place on 8 January, MEP Elena Yoncheva wrote on her Facebook page.

 "The first debate, which had to be attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, was on August 28, 2020.  He did not come, something that none of prime ministers have ever allowed themselves before. The group has heard out the Prime Minister of Malta, as well as the Prime Minister of Slovakia.

However, in August Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in sent in his stead Deputy Prime Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva and other representatives of state institutions. Their hearing was not satisfactory and therefore 29 additional specific questions were sent to Bulgaria related to investigations of the prosecutor general, problems of the judiciary, freedom of the media, respect of citizens fundamental rights, etc.

The monitoring group was not satisfied with the answers of the Bulgarian representatives and invited them again to the next meeting on 8 January 2021.

 The Group is a kind of "rapid response" tool of the European Parliament which has to react to suspected problems with democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law in the Member States. Only 14 European MEPs are its members and the only representative of Bulgaria is me", Elena Yoncheva wrote.