Sofia, February 8 (Dimiter Abrashev of BTA) - Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev has given explanations to a prosecutor of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office about a list of persons who, according to Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, have committed serious criminal and economic offences. Interviewed by BTA, Geshev said that at a meeting convened by Petkov last week the Prime Minister read out a list of names, some of whom were again mentioned by Petkov during a news conference at the Council of Ministers on Monday.

Geshev noted in the BTA interview that the reason for his Monday meeting with the Prime Minister was the desire of the prosecution service for interaction between the judicial system and the executive government. "This is the only way to achieve the results the public wants in the fight against crime," Geshev said. "Therefore, the war which the Ministries of Interior and Justice are fighting against the prosecution service is not only contrary to fundamental constitutional principles but is also counterproductive and not in the best interests of Bulgarian citizens."

Geshev thanked Petkov for meeting with him and for giving the above-mentioned news conference. He recalled that late last month he travelled to Brussels in connection with a meeting of a European Parliament group monitoring the rule of law. Prime Minister Petkov was there at the same time. Geshev said he expressed the apprehensions of the Bulgarian prosecution service about the rule-of-law situation in the country and "the actual regression which has taken us back to the levels before we joined the EU."

"We have seen with concern how political and personal pressure and attacks against the judiciary and individual magistrates, circumventions and violations of the law, a lack of interaction and interrupted dialogue between the institutions have brought back some categories of crime against which we think we had achieved visibly good results."

The Prosecutor General went on to say that the information he received from Petkov about the list of persons who are said to have committed serious criminal and economic offences was referred to the competent authorities. He also provided explanations to a prosecutor of the Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office. He said that if more information is received, the supervising prosecutors will conduct checks. "The work of the Specialized Prosecution Office is particularly important here. I told the Prime Minister so. I hope that the potential of these well-trained people will be utilized. It should be stated clearly that their work is appreciated and highly approved of by our international partners and institutions," he said.

Geshev said Petkov is adamant that the specialized jurisdictions must be closed down, but he (Geshev) and the prosecution service are opposed to the idea. The Prosecutor General expressed hope that the proposed closure of the specialized jurisdictions and of the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission is not a way to give 3 billion leva in frozen assets back to the oligarchs. "I hope for a broad professional debate involving European institutions, rather than changes in the dark."

Geshev believes that the ongoing push to bring him down is aimed against him personally, rather than being an element of the judicial reform. RY/VE