Prosecutors allege Bulgarian lawmaker used parliamentary assistant funds to employ party officials in Sofia.
Max Griera
Prosecutors alleged that Kyuchyuk hired parliamentary assistants who worked for the national party in Sofia rather than for him as an MEP, in breach of Parliament’s rules, according to two of the people, who were all granted anonymity to speak freely.
The allegations are similar to those at the heart of the case against France’s Marine Le Pen, who was convicted of misuse of European Parliament funds for employing assistants who prosecutors said worked for her party rather than carrying out parliamentary duties.
The decision by the legal affairs committee needs to be ratified by the plenary in July.
“I have removed myself from any deliberations touching on the matter,” Kyuchyuk told POLITICO. “I trust the professional assessment of the Committee and the Parliament, so out of respect for the ongoing legal proceedings and the institutions involved, I have nothing to add at this stage.”
Kyuchyuk has denied wrongdoing in previous comments.
