European Parliament Committee Rejects Request to Lift Ilhan Kyuchyuk's Immunity

The European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs has rejected a request to lift the parliamentary immunity of Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, who was elected on the list of Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and is a member of the Renew Europe group. The decision is due to be put to a vote during next week's plenary session in Strasbourg.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office requested the lifting of Kyuchyuk's immunity at the end of 2025 in connection with an investigation in Bulgaria into the appointment of parliamentary assistants who had worked for a party organisation in Sofia. Kyuchyuk firmly denied any wrongdoing but said he had no intention of hiding behind his parliamentary immunity. However, members of the Legal Affairs Committee concluded that the request submitted by the European Public Prosecutor's Office was unfounded.

Brussels-based publication Politico Europe noted in a report today, July 2, that, at the time the request to lift Kyuchyuk's immunity was made, Bulgaria's representative at the European Public Prosecutor's Office was Teodora Georgieva, who has since been found guilty of serious misconduct by the supervisory body of the Prosecutor's Office and is currently suspended from office. Members of the European Parliament have expressed concerns that the proceedings against Kyuchyuk in Bulgaria may have been politically motivated.