January 27 (BTA) - Prime Minister Kiril Petkov is on a working visit to Brussels on Thursday. He participated in a meeting dedicated to monitoring democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Bulgaria, organized by the LIBE Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group at the European Parliament.

Bulgarian Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev was heard separately by the Group.

Petkov said, speaking to reporters, that the ruling coalition in Bulgaria favours a complete makeover of the role of the country's prosecutor general so that he becomes an administrator. "The prosecutor general will no longer have only God above him if we manage to carry out what we intend to do," he noted. He added that for the first time in a very long time Bulgaria has a real political will to tackle corruption.

Commenting on Prosecutor General Geshev's remark that EU monitoring on the rule of law in Bulgaria should be strengthened, the Prime Minister said: "I will be very glad if this monitoring of the rule of law is strengthened as much as possible. This is our priority too. The more, the better."

Petkov told the media that during the meeting of the LIBE Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, which discussed the situation in Bulgaria, he suggested that his answers to the Group's questions could be posted on the Internet site of the European Parliament to make them public. He said he was not asked any direct questions about the US sanctions imposed on Bulgarians, including MP Delyan Peevski, under the Global Magnitsky Act. "Those who are at the core of corruption in Bulgaria are about 20 people. No one will be above the law anymore," Petkov said.

Speaking separately to journalists in Brussels, Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev said that the Bulgarian prosecuting magistracy wants an enhanced dialogue with the European institutions, including more serious monitoring using the rule of law mechanism or other acceptable adjustments, "because in Bulgaria the rule of law, the separation of powers and human rights are in serious danger."

Regarding the hearing, the Prosecutor General noted that MEPs were interested in specific pre-trial proceedings, such as Barcelonagate (GERB leader and former prime minister Boyko Borissov's potential involvement in international money laundering, with Barcelona as the destination) and the gold ingots case (a set of photos showing then prime minister Boyko Borissov asleep in his bedroom with a gun on his nightstand and a drawer full of euro wads and gold bars).

According to Geshev, when it comes to judicial reform, the focus is always on the prosecution service, whereas in his view the problem has various facets. "The problem is in the Ministry of Interior, which needs to be reformed. The problem is in the courts, which also need to be reformed. The problem is in the procedures. The problem is in the responsibility of magistrates because the Bulgarian magistrate, believe me, is almost entirely beyond punishment," Geshev said.

He added that the prosecution service is willing to participate in the judicial reform, and over the years there have been many attempts to make it happen. However, the old Criminal Code cannot fight crime today. He noted that there is a lack of cooperation between the institutions in Bulgaria and attempts are being made to wage war with the judiciary. According to him, the Ministry of Interior is trying to seize the powers of the judiciary.

In connection with the filed claim for compensation in the amount of 60,000 leva against him and his five deputies from the defendants Nikolay and Evgenia Banevi for violating the presumption of innocence, the Prosecutor General commented that he was not worried and noted that other interests than legal ones are at stake.

In response to a journalist's question, Ivan Geshev also said that he and the woman next to him do not own undeclared property abroad.

Speaking to Bulgarian journalists after the hearings of Petkov and Geshev, MEP Elena Yoncheva, who took part in the meetings of the Rule of Law Group, said that people believe that the new Bulgarian government has what it takes to fully complete the reforms. MEPs have big expectations of the Bulgarian Government, for the first time there is an open dialogue between MEPs, Bulgarian government representatives, and the Prosecutor General, Yoncheva noted.

She added that during the closed session questions were asked about the upcoming judicial reform in Bulgaria, the fight against high-level corruption and corruption in the road construction industry. Yoncheva cited data according to which 11 billion euro have been lost each year to corruption and missed benefits. ZH/MT/VE/YV

PICTURED: Prime Minister Kiril Petkov

Source: Brussels