Prosecutors allege Bulgarian lawmaker used parliamentary assistant funds to employ party officials in Sofia.
EU lawmakers are expected on Thursday to vote against lifting the immunity of the chair of the Parliament’s legal affairs committee, Renew MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.
Kyuchyuk is under investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which has a network of European prosecutors, including in Bulgaria. However, the prosecutor overseeing the country’s EPPO office has been found guilty of “serious misconduct” by the EPPO supervisory board and is currently suspended, pending possible dismissal.
Citing these circumstances, lawmakers on the legal affairs committee — which makes decisions on immunity — argue that the proceedings against Kyuchyuk may be politically motivated, noting that he and his party have long been targeted by political opponents in Bulgaria.
Prosecutors alleged that Kyuchyuk hired parliamentary assistants who worked for the national party in Sofia rather than for him as an MEP, in breach of Parliament’s rules, according to two of the people, who were all granted anonymity to speak freely.
The allegations are similar to those at the heart of the case against France’s Marine Le Pen, who was convicted of misuse of European Parliament funds for employing assistants who prosecutors said worked for her party rather than carrying out parliamentary duties.
The decision by the legal affairs committee needs to be ratified by the plenary in July.
“I have removed myself from any deliberations touching on the matter,” Kyuchyuk told POLITICO. “I trust the professional assessment of the Committee and the Parliament, so out of respect for the ongoing legal proceedings and the institutions involved, I have nothing to add at this stage.”
Kyuchyuk has denied wrongdoing in previous comments.