site.btaDemocratic Bulgaria Calls for Parliamentary Hearing of Bulgarian Journalist Wanted by Russia 

Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MPs Ivaylo Mirchev and Atanas Atanassov demanded that investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who is wanted by the Russian authorities, to be heard by the Parliamentary Committee for Control of the Security Services, DB told BTA Saturday, explaining that a letter to that effect has been sent to the Committee’s Chair, Daniel Mitov.   

DB want Grozev to be heard via video conference on January 5, which falls on a Thursday – the day the Committee meets. If that is not possible, an extraordinary meeting should be scheduled for another day, DB argued. 

Mirchev and Atanassov also insist that caretaker Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov and representatives of the security services be invited to the meeting, because the President’s administration claims that actions have been taken by the Bulgarian institutions, including cooperation with partner security services. 

The reason for DB’s demands for Grozev to be heard is that “declaring a Bulgarian citizen wanted by a State that sponsors terrorism, as per a resolution of the European Parliament, constitutes a national security threat,” the two MPs say in their letter to Daniel Mitov. 

Christo Grozev from the Bellingcat investigative journalism website, was declared wanted by Russia. The Russian Interior Ministry says he is wanted for violating an article of the Russian Federation’s Criminal Code.