Prosecution Pressed Charges against BSP MP Manol Genov over Vote-Buying

The Prosecutor's Office pressed charges against the MP from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Manol Genov, for vote-buying in March 2017 parliamentary elections.

Genov appeared shortly after 10 am on 12 July in the new building of the Specialised Anti-Corruption unit in Sofia. He was accompanied by his lawyer Ina Lulcheva. He had to wait about half an hour, then his meeting with the prosecutor was quick.

Upon leaving, Genov commented that the allegations were unsubstantiated and hoped the court would soon establish that. He refused to give explanations at this stage of the case.

According to the prosecution, the MP from BSP aranged payment of 20-25 BGN to nearly 70 persons each, mostly from the Roma neighbourhood in the town of Assenovgrad, South Bulgaria. For the sum of money, the people were supposed to vote for him.

The investigation has found voter lists, gathered evidence, including by the means of Special Surveillance Devices and witnesses have testified.

Genov’s immunity from prosecution was lifted based on a request by Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor to the National Assembly on 20th of June. Genov said then he would give up his immunity.