European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi is launching an administrative investigation into possible violations committed by Bulgaria’s European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva within the framework of an ongoing investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission have been informed of the decision.

“The independence of all our prosecutors is one of the core values of the EPPO, which is essential to the discharge of our mission” the official statement reads, without specifying what the violations were.

Recently, hidden camera recordings showing Petyo Velkov Petrov, known by his nickname Pepi the Euro, reached the Bulgarian media. The footage, which shows the former investigator talking to a woman in the office of his restaurant, is from January 13, 2020, when the country was supposed to send proposals for a European prosecutor. In the footage it is claimed that two competitors of Teodora Georgieva should be removed with the help of Pepi the Euro.

A month ago, Teodora Georgieva was assigned security at the request of Laura Kövesi due to a fire on February 15 in the village of Beglezh, in which the mother of the Bulgarian European Prosecutor died.