Media scandal hinders political change in Bulgaria

The deputy speaker of the Bulgarian parliament Lachezar Ivanov on Wednesday resigned his post after it was revealed that he attempted to prevent the airing of an investigative TV report on corruption among customs officers to protect a friend of his who is himself a customs officer. The daily 24 Chasa calls for further action from the politician: "If he values his honour, simply resigning won't be enough. Lachezar Ivanov must give up his immunity as an MP because there is serious evidence that he abused his office. If he doesn't take his honour so seriously the public prosecutor must intervene and revoke his immunity, as he has done with other MPs. It's not about using Ivanov as a scapegoat. But [his party] Gerb has no alternative but to rise up against him if it wants to defend its main goal thanks to which it rose to power - bringing about total [political] change."

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