"Immunity in question": Prosecution requests removal of protection for "Vazrazhdane" MP

The acting Prosecutor General "Vanya Stefanova" has submitted an official request to the National Assembly's registry for the removal of the immunity of Member of Parliament "Angel Georgiev" from the "Vazrazhdane" party. The proposal was prepared by the "Sofia District Prosecutor's Office" and is related to a suspended criminal proceeding in which Georgiev is a defendant.

The trial against him was suspended by a ruling of the "Sofia District Court" on "April 24", after the court determined that as a sitting MP, he enjoys parliamentary immunity. It is specifically to resume the case that the prosecution insists the National Assembly grant permission to continue the criminal prosecution.

The charge: bodily harm to a police officer out of hooligan motives

Angel Georgiev was brought to court as a "defendant" for inflicting "bodily harm" on a police officer, with the charge stating that the act was committed "out of hooligan motives". The case dates back to "January 2020", when Georgiev and his party colleague "Veselin Veshev" were detained during a protest in front of the "European Commission" building in Sofia.

The criminal case regarding the matter has been heard in the "Sofia District Court" for "five years" now. During this period, the proceedings went through various phases, and after Georgiev's election as an MP and the acquisition of immunity, the court was forced to suspend the case until a decision by parliament.

From protester to MP: when immunity is activated

By a decision of the "Central Election Commission" (CEC), Angel Georgiev was declared a Member of Parliament. After taking the oath in the National Assembly, he acquired the status of a person with "parliamentary immunity", which protects him from criminal prosecution without the permission of parliament.

The acts for which the charges against Georgiev were brought are classified as "crimes of a general nature". This means that in order for the already initiated criminal proceeding to continue, either an "express decision" by the National Assembly to remove the immunity or the "written consent" of the MP himself is required.

Next steps: the ball is in parliament's court

The prosecution's request has already arrived at the National Assembly and was reported at the beginning of today's plenary session. From this moment on, it is up to parliament to rule – whether to authorize the continuation of the case against Angel Georgiev or to keep his immunity in effect.

The case once again brings to the agenda the question of the balance between "immunity as protection for the institution" and "responsibility for the actions of individual MPs", especially when the charges involve violence against law enforcement and are classified as crimes of a general nature.