For the second time, the National Assembly did not gather a quorum for the extraordinary session dedicated to the pardon of Ognyan Atanasov, known as the “Petrich Escobar“. At the first registration, 107 deputies registered, and at the second check - 109, out of the required minimum of 121.
At the second attempt, 21 deputies from “Progressive Bulgaria“ registered, 34 from GERB-SDF, 18 from DPS, 19 from “Democratic Bulgaria“, 15 from “Continuing the Change“ and two from “Vazrazhdane“. After the re-registration, the meeting was closed.
What needed to be clarified
The agenda included a hearing of the Chief Director of the General Directorate “Execution of Sentences“ Ivaylo Yordanov, the head of the Sofia Prison Svetoslav Penov, and Vasil Kordev, who headed the prison in November and December 2022.
The deputies were also to receive information from leaders and representatives of the National Security Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Directorate for the Prevention and Punishment of Crime, the prison hospital, and the Presidential Pardons Commission. Among the questions are the medical report used in the pardon of Atanasov in December 2022, as well as the way in which the fight in the prison hospital on November 16 of that year was covered. It was also planned to discuss data on possible pressure or threats against doctors.
The opposition insists on a new meeting
The topic was submitted at the request of Asen Vassilev and a group of MPs. This is the second failed attempt to hear the case, after the meeting on October 13 did not start due to lack of a quorum.
„Democratic Bulgaria“ stated that they would collect signatures for a new extraordinary meeting. Previously, the chairman of the parliamentary group of „Continuing the Change“ Nikolay Denkov said:
„We cannot understand what information the medical commission provided. We do not know what recommendations the Pardons Commission gave. It is also unclear on what basis the decision was made.“Denkov also stated that in his opinion the case is part of a broader problem with the transparency of pardon procedures.
Sources: bnrnews.bg, btvnovinite.bg, nova.bg