Ad-hoc Committee in Bulgarian Parliament Agrees to Lift Siderov's Immunity

An ad hoc enquiry committee in Bulgaria's parliament on Tuesday granted the Chief Prosecutor's request to lift the immunity of two lawmakers from nationalist Ataka party to face charges of hooliganism.

Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov asked Parliament on October 26 to allow the arrest of Volen Siderov, leader of Ataka party and member of Parliament, and Desislav Chukolov, a MP from Ataka, on charges of hooliganism committed during their intrusion into the building of the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia two days earlier, on the evening before the first round of Bulgaria's local elections.

Both Siderov and Chukolov were absent from Tuesday's session of the enquiry committee although they had been notified about it by other MPs from Ataka, the committee chairman Dimitar Glavchev said.

The decision of the ad hoc parliamentary committee will now go before full parliament which has the right to uphold or reject it. Siderov has said he doesn't agree to have his immunity lifted upon Chief Prosecutor's request . 

Siderov and Chukolov face November 9 deadline to give up on their immunity from criminal prosecution.