European Prosecutor Faces Scrutiny Amid Threat Allegations and Political Tensions
European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi has announced an administrative inquiry into possible misconduct by European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva. The decision follows Bulgarian media reports suggesting ties between Georgieva and an alleged criminal. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) declined to comment further on the situation.
In response to the allegations, Georgieva argued that she is being targeted in retaliation for her role in a high-profile case investigating the expansion of Bulgaria’s state-owned Chiren gas storage facility.
Georgieva has also publicly accused Bulgarian lawmaker Delyan Peevski of trying to derail her investigation. According to her statements on Bulgarian TV outlet bTV, Peevski allegedly threatened her to prevent the indictment of a former energy minister connected to the Chiren project.
“They are threatening me, and they are succeeding. I feel threatened by Peevski. First, there was the fire in my family’s home where my mother died,” Georgieva said during the interview.
The fire, currently under investigation as a potential arson, claimed her mother’s life. In light of the incident, EPPO recently increased Georgieva’s security measures.
Responding to her claims, Peevski dismissed the allegations, accusing Georgieva of lying and urging EPPO to address the matter.
Both the United States and the United Kingdom have previously sanctioned Peevski, citing his involvement in corruption in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, local authorities in Sofia launched an anti-corruption review of Georgieva in 2023. According to Bulgarian media outlet Capital, that investigation found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. However, a separate review by Bulgaria’s anti-corruption commission is still ongoing.
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