EditMagnitsky-sanctioned oligarch seeks to strip leading MEP of immunity
A leading MEP is suffering reprisals from a Magnitsky-sanctioned oligarch described as the most powerful man in Bulgaria, with EU institutions in the crossfire
Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew, Bulgaria), chair of the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, confirmed on Monday that he is facing a procedure to have its immunities lifted.
In a statement, Kyuchyuk said that to his “great astonishment”, he was informed that during the plenary week, a request will be made to waive his parliamentary immunity.
“The reason for this is a signal which, I have no doubt, aims to tarnish my name, my reputation, and the trust I have earned over the years from both citizens and colleagues”, he said.
Indeed, Kyuchyuk, who serves as an MEP since 2014 and has been the co-chair of the ALDE group from 2021 to 2024 and is now chair of the powerful Legal Committee, enjoys excellent reputation among his Brussels colleagues.
However, in Bulgaria, he has a powerful enemy, and Kyuchyuk didn’t shy from naming him.
“Throughout the last year, after the sanctioned under the US Magnitsky regime – Delyan Peevski – showed his true colors and the MRF (DPS) split, I took it as my duty to spearhead the efforts to counteract his influence, which was growing like a metastasis in the prosecution, security and law enforcement institutions ever since.”
Indeed, Kyuchyuk has inflicted what is probably the biggest blow Peevski has suffered on the international scene.
In Bulgaria in September 2024, Peevski engineered a de facto “hostile takeover” of the historic DPS party (Movement for Rights and Freedoms, ALDE-affiliated), by ousting its founder Ahmed Dogan, by eliminating critical voices, dismantling collective decision-making, and acting as the party’s only leader. As a result, the party split.
But in Brussels, in December 2024, Kuychyuk rallied support to have Peevski’s party kicked out of ALDE, while the party including Dogan’s supporters retained its ALDE-affiliated status.
In the meantime, Kyuchyuk has been the target of smear campaign typical of Peevski, with media controlled by him accusing Kyuchuyk of corruption involving European funding, of receiving bribes from North Macedonia, and of having amassed a personal fortune which doesn’t correspond to his income.
There have been many cases when Peevski, who largely controls the prosecution and the secret services in Bulgaria, has stepped up similar campaigns against political opponents, the result usually being that those under attack end up becoming his allies.
Peevski Über Alles: Bulgaria’s descent into political turmoil
“I have been subjected to an unprecedented pressure – political and institutional back home. And despite the many “friendly warnings”, I was adamant to continuing to inform both society and the European institutions, Commission and EPPO about the deteriorations of the state of the rule of law and influence peddling in Bulgaria”, Kyuchyuk writes.
The same tactic has been applied against the mayor of Varna Blagomir Kotsev, who also resisted the pressure.
Protests escalate in Bulgaria over judicial abuse against Varna mayor
Kyuchyuk presumes that the signal against him has been sent by the Bulgarian prosecution to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), despite the fact that the Bulgarian authorities have not approached him. He says that he is eager to cooperate fully with all competent authorities to clarify the facts, and has nothing to hide.
Now Kyuchyuk is now facing the same procedure of lifting parliamentary immunity he is responsible for overseeing, as chair of the Legal Committee. To avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, he said he would recuse himself from all procedural oversight of his own case, temporarily handing the gavel to a vice-chair.
In this conflict, the bigger picture seems to favour Kyuchyuk. Hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians have been protesting against the corrupt political model symbolised by Peevski and Boyko Borissov, the long-serving prime minister. The cabinet, led by Borissov’s party GERB and supported by Peevski’s partyрwas forced to resign on 11 December and early elections are expected in spring.
Borissov triggers government resignation as mass protests shake Bulgaria
Political analysts say that both Borissov and Peevksi should be well-advised to seek a future outside politics – and outside Bulgaria. Peevski reportedly often flies to Dubai where many oligarchs have chosen their safe haven.
Caption: Delyan Peevski in the Bulgarian parliament [Anton Chalakov, Dnevnik]
Updated: December 15, 2025 - 11:19
