Prosecutor's Office: The Decision of Supreme Court of Cassation Has No Consequences for Acting Prosecutor General

The decision of the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) has no consequences for acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov as there is a deliberate decision by the Prosecutors’ College of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which can be overturned by the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), not by the SCC, the Prosecutor's Office said on October 2.

However, the decision of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Cassation negatively impacts victims in criminal cases where the Acting Prosecutor General has requested case reopenings.

While the ruling does not harm Sarafov, it does affect victims in criminal cases, including the Acting Prosecutor General’s decisions regarding the transfer of the investigation into the death of Siyana to Sofia, and the National Investigation Service’s takeover of the probe into the ATV accident in Sunny Beach, the Prosecutor's Office said.

• Supreme Court of Cassation: Acting Prosecutor General Sarafov No Longer Has Authority to Request Reopening of Criminal Cases

This information from the Supreme Court of Cassation comes at a time when the acting Prosecutor General is participating in the Annual Forum of EU Chief Prosecutors and, on Monday, will host the Balkan Forum of Chief Prosecutors from Southeast Europe.

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The first case refers to the tragic death of 12-year-old Siyana Popova on 31st of March in a car crash near the village of Telish, North Central Bulgaria. The second case concerns an accident, in which on August 14, an 18-year-old drove an ATV into a pedestrian area in the Black Sea resort of Sunny Beach, injuring five people, one of whom later died.