Kyoveshi Georgieva Pepi Euro
- The suspension is reportedly temporary, lasting approximately three months, and stems from concerns about potential compromise of ongoing investigations.
- Bulgaria is without a representative at the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Luxembourg after the suspension of Teodora Georgieva, just four years after the office's establishment.
- The suspension, enacted by Chief European Prosecutor Laura Kövesi, marks the first time such a measure has been applied to any of the 24 European prosecutors within the...
European Public Prosecutor’s Office Suspends Bulgarian prosecutor
Table of Contents
- European Public Prosecutor’s Office Suspends Bulgarian prosecutor
- European Public Prosecutor’s Office Suspends Bulgarian Prosecutor: A Q&A
- Why Was the Bulgarian prosecutor, Teodora Georgieva, Suspended?
- What is the Duration of the Suspension?
- Who Made the Decision to Suspend Georgieva?
- What Does the EPPO Say About the Suspension?
- What is the Role of Teodora Georgieva?
- What Are the Allegations Against georgieva?
- who is Involved in the Chiren gas Storage Facility Issue?
- What Reactions Have There Been to the Suspension?
- Key Points and timeline
The suspension is reportedly temporary, lasting approximately three months, and stems from concerns about potential compromise of ongoing investigations.
Bulgaria is without a representative at the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Luxembourg after the suspension of Teodora Georgieva, just four years after the office’s establishment.
The suspension, enacted by Chief European Prosecutor Laura Kövesi, marks the first time such a measure has been applied to any of the 24 European prosecutors within the EPPO. It occurred one day after an administrative investigation was launched against Georgieva.
Georgieva is one of 24 prosecutors selected by EU member states in 2020 to assist Kövesi in investigating fraud involving EU funds. All 24 work at the EPPO headquarters in Luxembourg.
Bulgaria also has 12 delegated prosecutors in the Sofia office of the EPPO. However, georgieva’s role is within Kövesi’s central structure. Reportedly, three vacancies remain, as candidates offered by Bulgaria have been rejected in recent years.
The specific reason for Georgieva’s temporary removal remains undisclosed. An initial statement indicated a review of her independence, a core requirement for the position.
A subsequent statement confirmed Georgieva’s temporary removal from the College of European Prosecutors,with an unofficial duration of three months.
The EPPO emphasized that the suspension aims to prevent any risk to the impartiality of ongoing investigations.
The European Prosecutor’s Office stresses that it has implemented the full spectrum of internal measures to protect its investigations. As the strongest measure against a real risk of or perceiving that there is a risk of compromising the impartiality of investigations, the Bulgarian European prosecutor has been temporarily removed from office. This does not foretell the outcome of the administrative investigation. At this stage, no further details will be announced and no interview requests will be satisfied.Any news will be reported in a timely manner.
Georgieva contends that the investigation relates to the expansion of the Chiren gas storage facility, though the EPPO has not confirmed this.
The EPPO has also not confirmed whether the investigation is connected to a video purportedly showing Petio Petrov, also known as Pepi Euro, in his office at the “Eight Dwarfs” resturant, speaking with a woman alleged to be Georgieva.
Vice President Iliana Iotova commented on the situation, saying:
The scandal is great and questioned the work of the Bulgarian and the European Prosecutor’s Office. I believe that competent national and European authorities will do their job and get to the truth.
According to Georgieva, she recused herself from the Chiren investigation due to alleged threats from Delyan Peevski, leader of MRF-New Beginning. She accused Peevski of pressuring subcontractors involved in the gas storage expansion,prompting him to announce legal action against her for abuse.
peevski reportedly stated he would file a complaint against Georgieva with the Bulgarian prosecutor’s office. In response, representatives from “We Continue the Change” stated they would report Peevski to Laura Kövesi.
the situation also involves Vladimir Malinov, former Energy Minister, who, as director of Bulgartransgaz, signed the contract for the gas storage expansion. Georgieva claims she faced threats of media attacks if she charged him.
Malinov, while reportedly ill, stated in writing that there was no pressure related to Chiren and that he appeared as a witness before the EPPO when requested. He asserted that there were no irregularities or misuse of European funds in the public procurement process, with payments sourced from a loan from NEK taken by Bulgartransgaz.
European Public Prosecutor’s Office Suspends Bulgarian Prosecutor: A Q&A
An in-depth look at the suspension of Teodora Georgieva and its implications.
Why Was the Bulgarian prosecutor, Teodora Georgieva, Suspended?
Teodora Georgieva, the Bulgarian representative at the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), has been temporarily suspended. The primary reason cited for her suspension is to prevent any potential risk to the impartiality of ongoing investigations.The EPPO is taking this measure to protect the integrity of their investigations.
What is the Duration of the Suspension?
the suspension is reportedly temporary, with an unofficial duration of approximately three months.
Who Made the Decision to Suspend Georgieva?
Chief European Prosecutor Laura Kövesi enacted the suspension.
What Does the EPPO Say About the Suspension?
The EPPO has emphasized that the suspension is a precautionary measure to ensure the integrity of its investigations. They stated, “The European Prosecutor’s Office stresses that it has implemented the full spectrum of internal measures to protect its investigations.” The EPPO has also stated that they will not be releasing any further details at this stage to protect the impartiality of the examination.
What is the Role of Teodora Georgieva?
Teodora Georgieva is one of 24 European prosecutors selected in 2020 by EU member states to investigate fraud involving EU funds. All 24 prosecutors work at the EPPO headquarters in Luxembourg.
What Are the Allegations Against georgieva?
The specific reasons for Georgieva’s temporary removal remain undisclosed. An initial statement pointed to a review of her independence,a core requirement for the position. Georgieva contends that the investigation is tied to the expansion of the Chiren gas storage facility. There are also reports about the investigation being perhaps connected to a video that purportedly shows Georgieva in a restaurant.
who is Involved in the Chiren gas Storage Facility Issue?
Besides Georgieva the situation also involves:
- Delyan Peevski: Leader of MRF-New Beginning, who Georgieva claims threatened subcontractors.
- Vladimir Malinov: Former energy Minister who signed the contract for the gas storage expansion.
What Reactions Have There Been to the Suspension?
Vice President Iliana Iotova commented on the situation, stating, “The scandal is great and questioned the work of the Bulgarian and the European Prosecutor’s office.” She expressed a belief that competent authorities will get to the truth.
Key Points and timeline
To summarize the crucial information, here’s a timeline of the key events:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Teodora Georgieva selected as one of the European prosecutors. |
| March 2025 | Administrative investigation launched against Georgieva. |
| March 2025 | Georgieva is placed on temporary suspension. |
| Ongoing | EPPO continues its administrative investigation. |