Constitutional Court Judge Desislava Atanasova Provided Additional Documents Showing that She Did Not Leave Turkey between April 5 and 8, 2024

Constitutional Court Judge Desislava Atanasova has issued a statement in response to allegations that she travelled to Dubai together with Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Delyan Peevski.

In her statement, she describes the claims made by Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev as false and has provided additional documents which, she says, prove that she was only in Türkiye between 5 and 8 April 2024.

Atanasova has attached an official certificate issued by the Directorate of Security of the Istanbul District Directorate in the Republic of Türkiye, stating that she remained solely within the territory of Türkiye and did not leave the country between her two flights on the Sofia–Istanbul–Sofia route.

Constitutional Judge Desislava Atanasova Denies Claims of Travel to Dubai

She also clarified that she was not on an official business trip to Türkiye and was not on paid leave during that period. She noted that the Constitutional Court did not hold any sittings between 5 and 8 April 2024.

Below is the full text of Judge Atanasova's statement:

"In connection with the publicly made false claims by Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev concerning my travels abroad, and in view of the significant public interest, I am providing additional documents and information regarding the manner, location and timing of my travel outside the Republic of Bulgaria between 5 and 8 April 2024.

In addition to my previously published statement, to which I attached documents confirming that I travelled on the Sofia–Istanbul–Sofia route aboard scheduled Turkish Airlines flights between 5 and 8 April 2024, I am also attaching an official certificate issued by the Directorate of Security of the Istanbul District Directorate in the Republic of Türkiye. The document confirms that I remained solely within the territory of the Republic of Türkiye and did not leave the country between the two flights on the Sofia–Istanbul–Sofia route.

In response to media interest and questions addressed to the Constitutional Court, I would like to clarify the following:

A diplomatic passport is a type of Bulgarian identity document.

I hold a diplomatic passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pursuant to Article 38(1)(d) of the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act. The rules governing the use of this document are determined by its issuing authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Between 5 and 8 April 2024, I was not on an official assignment in the Republic of Türkiye.

During that period, I did not submit notification of taking leave, and the Constitutional Court did not hold any sittings.

I consider the facts presented and the attached documents sufficient to clarify the circumstances. The attached documents form an integral part of this statement."