The Sofia Regional Prosecutor’s Office (SRPO) today refused to initiate pre-trial proceedings regarding the dual citizenship of Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, prosecutor Nevena Zartova told reporters.
Prosecutors found that Petkov had provided untrue information in his citizenship statement, but this information has no probative value.
Zartova explained that those who informed the prosecutor could appeal her decision.
The head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) Valentina Matzarova commented that the legal framework is outdated and needs to be updated, clarifying that criminal liability can not be justified in these circumstances and with the current legislation.
The SPO referred the case to the SRPO in August, which launched an investigation into Petkov’s allegedly untrue statement before taking office as finance minister on May 10, 2021. Under the Constitution, a formal condition for a minister to take up government post is to have only Bulgarian citizenship. But a document from the Canadian authorities shows that Petkov ceased to be a Canadian citizen on August 20, 2021.
For his part, Kirill Petkov argues that his application to renounce Canadian citizenship dates back to April 21 and is sufficient evidence that when he was appointed minister he no longer had two nationalities.
Following an appeal by 55 members of the GERB party, the Constitutional Court ruled that the decree by President Rumen Radev appointing Petkov to the caretaker government was unconstitutional. The Court held that the prohibition of dual citizenship of ministers is related to state sovereignty because “it is doubtful that the exercise of power by foreign nationals guarantees the independence of that power”, since foreign citizenship implies a public law relationship with another state and presupposes rights. and obligations that may conflict with the obligations to the Bulgarian state.
SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
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Source From: Capital
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