Bulgarian President refuses to appear at probe committee

Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev has refused to appear in front of the parliamentary committee set up to probe his meeting with international energy and environmental services company EVN’s officials, which took place in Vienna earlier this year, according to Bulgarian newswire Novitne May 20.

“I will not legitimate any anti-democratic and anti-constitutional activities,” said Plevneliev, as cited by the newswire. “I believe in this manner I work for government of law.”

In May the Bulgarian Parliament set up a temporary committee to investigate unauthorized contracts of concession applicants with politicians, which is believed to be mostly aimed at Plevneliev.

“The Bulgarian Parliament has no legal grounds to investigate into President Rosen Plevneliev’s actions,” said Georgi Markov, a former constitutional judge, as cited by the newswire.

Markov also added that lawmakers have only a right to debate whether the president had committed an act of high treason or infringed the constitution and should the two-thirds of MPs agree, then the allegations could be introduced to the constitutional court.