The procedure for pardoning convicted persons goes through numerous checks and committees, and the opposition is using the cases of "Petrich Escobar" and "Sliven Escobar" for election purposes. This was stated by the MP from "Progressive Bulgaria" and former acting Minister of Agriculture Yavor Gechev on the show "Denyat ON AIR".
He stressed that nearly 30 deputies from the party were in the plenary hall during the attempt to hold an extraordinary session on the topic.
"We gave much more than 10 votes so that they could gather a quorum", Gechev emphasized on the air of Bulgaria ON AIR.
He assured that his party would provide deputies next week if there was a new attempt for an extraordinary session on the issue. According to him, the topic is being used for media consumption, and parliament should not become part of the election campaign.
Gechev explained that the pardon procedure includes checks by numerous specialists and committees, including medical ones.
"You can't lie to all these people. What exactly is unclear in the whole story? The law is the same for everyone. If it's not good, let's change it."
The guest of the show admitted that he had not even heard of the case of the "Sliven Escobar". The MP also commented on the protests against the government's reaction after the incident with a ship in the Black Sea. He emphasized that the right to protest is inherent, but he does not accept some of the accusations made.
"Everyone has the right to protest when they need to. I do not agree with the things I heard from this protest," Gechev explained.
According to him, Bulgaria has requested international assistance, held consultations with allies and taken the necessary actions to establish responsibility.
"We have done everything under Article 4, without activating it," Gechev summarized, referring to the North Atlantic Treaty.
The MP emphasized that the country cannot make official accusations against Russia or Ukraine without categorical evidence. If such evidence is established, appropriate diplomatic actions will follow. According to him, at the moment, Bulgarian territorial waters are not threatened, and shipping continues despite the tension in the region.
"There was a week of stress, but shipping has not stopped", commented the MP.
Gechev warned that the tension in the Black Sea already has a serious economic cost, including due to shipping insurance. He emphasized the strategic importance of the region for global food supplies, but assured that Bulgarian ports continue to operate.
According to him, alternative routes through Bulgarian territorial waters are significantly safer. The MP also defended the need for some of the diplomatic talks to remain out of the public domain.
"If diplomacy is on television, then it is not working", Gechev pointed out. Gechev admitted that there has been an increase in prices in the last month and that the measures taken so far are not sufficient.
He explained that the government discussed the practices of Greece, Hungary and Croatia, but preferred a model that preserves free trade.
According to him, the government tried to reach a voluntary agreement with the retail chains to maintain certain prices, but the approach did not yield the expected result.
"What happened was a mockery from the chains themselves, a mockery of the state," Gechev said.
He warned that traders should not complain when the state begins to exercise its control powers.