Prosecutors’ College of SJC opened disciplinary proceedings against Sofia city prosecutor Rusinova, but refused to initiate such proceedings against former acting Prosecutor General Sarafov

The Prosecutors’ College of the Supreme Judicial Council has refused to open disciplinary proceedings against former acting Prosecutor General, Borislav Sarafov, citing an expired statute of limitations for part of the alleged facts, and insufficient evidence for the remaining claims.

However, the college has initiated disciplinary proceedings against acting Sofia City Prosecutor, Emilia Rusinova.

Justice Minister, Nikolay Naydenov, commented that he will consider whether to appeal the refusal regarding Sarafov, or to revise the proposal and submit it again.

The proposals for intitiation of disciplinary proceedings aginast the two were submitted in late March and early April respectively by then caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov. According to him, Rusinova allegedly violated the professional code of ethics for Bulgarian prosecutors through trips abroad in the company of Petyo Petrov, known as “Pepi the Euro”.

Caretaker Justice Minister Proposes that Prosecutors' College of SJC Dismiss Acting Prosecutor General Sarafov over Alleged Disciplinary Violations

The Proposal for Dismissal of Borislav Sarafov as Acting Prosecutor General - Reaction from the Prosecutors' College of SJC

Disciplinary Proceedings Proposed Against Sofia City Prosecutor

At the end of April, the Prosecutors’ College requested additional clarifications from Yankulov regarding his proposal for disciplinary proceedings against Borislav Sarafov. In March, the former justice minister cited five grounds for Sarafov’s removal from office, including a lack of investigative action regarding the Bulgarian European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva, public statements on the “Petrohan” case at an early stage of the investigation, and the prosecution service’s position opposing the Supreme Court of Cassation’s interpretation regarding the mandate of an acting Prosecutor General.

Sarafov resigned as acting Prosecutor General on 22 April, after which the Prosecutors’ College appointed Vanya Stefanova to the post for a six-month term.