Bulgarian Constitutional Court judge Desislava Atanassova is facing increasing pressure amid allegations of traveling with sanctioned politician Delyan Peevski on a private flight in April 2024. The situation has prompted calls from both ruling and opposition party lawmakers for Atanassova to resign, suggesting that stepping down would demonstrate a moral responsibility as investigations into the alleged trip proceed. This controversy emerged after Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev informed Parliament that Atanassova had accompanied Peevski on a private flight from Sofia to Dubai.
The allegations against Atanassova have led lawmakers to demand a thorough investigation into the financial aspects of Peevski’s private flights, given that he is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for corruption allegations. Demerdzhiev reported to Parliament that Peevski has made numerous outbound flights, numbering in the hundreds over an eight-year span, often utilizing chartered aircraft for his travels.
In response to the allegations, Atanassova has firmly denied any involvement in the private flight with Peevski. She claims to have traveled exclusively on commercial flights operated by Turkish Airlines between Sofia and Istanbul during the timeframe in question, asserting she never visited Dubai. To substantiate her claims, Atanassova presented official travel records and passport data, dismissing the accusations as unfounded.
The Constitutional Court has acknowledged the situation, stating it is reviewing the information. However, the court noted it lacks any legal authority to remove a judge under the current circumstances. Meanwhile, there is an ongoing investigation to ascertain whether any official travel records have been tampered with, as authorities continue to scrutinize the details surrounding the alleged trip.