EU condemns attempt to assassinate Bulgarian prosecutor general

ATHENS

The EU on Tuesday condemned a recent attempt to assassinate Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor.

The attempt on the life of Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev was a “senseless and cowardly act of violence that has no place in our society,” European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper told reporters in Brussels.

Reiterating that they expect Bulgarian authorities to bring the perpetrators of the attempt to justice, she added: “At this stage, we are in no position to speculate on any motives behind the attack."

Similarly, in a statement, European Chief Prosecutor Laura Koves condemned the attempt “in the strongest possible terms.”

"In the European Union, criminals who dare to target any member of the judiciary should be considered extremely dangerous and combatted with utmost determination,” she said, adding that she trusts Bulgarian authorities to take all the necessary measures to protect the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.​​​​​​​

Borislav Sarafov, the head of the Bulgarian National Investigation Service, said on Monday that Geshev was targeted for assassination when a bomb exploded on a motorway as his motorcade drove past.