Allegations against Bulgarian Constitutional Court judge Desislava Atanassova have sparked significant controversy after claims emerged that she traveled on a private flight with Delyan Peevski, a politician facing international sanctions. The purported trip, which reportedly took place in April 2024, has led to calls for Atanassova’s resignation from both the ruling party and opposition lawmakers. They argue that stepping down would demonstrate a commitment to moral standards as investigations into the allegations progress. The situation intensified following Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev’s disclosure to Parliament, revealing that Atanassova was said to have accompanied Peevski on a private aircraft from Sofia to Dubai.
Lawmakers are pressing for a comprehensive investigation into the financial arrangements behind Peevski’s private flights, given his status under U.S. and U.K. sanctions due to corruption accusations. Demerdzhiev informed Parliament that over the past eight years, Peevski has embarked on hundreds of flights abroad, many utilizing chartered planes. This has raised concerns about the transparency and legality of the funding mechanisms for these flights, prompting further scrutiny of Atanassova’s alleged involvement.
In her defense, Atanassova has categorically refuted the allegations, asserting that during the specified timeframe, she traveled solely on commercial Turkish Airlines flights between Sofia and Istanbul, and did not fly to Dubai. To support her claims, she has provided official travel documents and passport information, labeling the accusations as baseless. Her stance highlights the need for a detailed investigation to ascertain the veracity of the allegations, while also addressing the potential for misinformation impacting her judicial position.
The Constitutional Court is currently evaluating the details surrounding the case but acknowledges the lack of a legal framework to remove a judge under these circumstances. The absence of such a mechanism underscores the complexity of addressing allegations against high-ranking judicial officials. Concurrently, authorities are probing whether any official travel records may have been tampered with as part of the ongoing investigation, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding situation.