Iliana Yotova’s Pardon Commission Reviewed 110 Cases Without Quorum

A total of 110 pardon applications were reviewed and decided by a committee that lacked the required quorum between November 1, 2017, and January 15, 2018, operating with only three members instead of the mandated five-member structure, according to an investigation published by the Bulgarian newspaper Sega and corroborated by reporting from EraNova.bg and BGNES. The decisions occurred while the vice president’s post was held by Iliana Yotova, who is now the incumbent president and a candidate for a new term.

The Deficit of Quorum and Unlawful Committee Decisions

The operational crisis within the presidential pardon committee began after the departure of Ralica Ilkova on October 20, 2017, which reduced the sitting membership to three: Yulia Boyadzhieva, Ivan Bukarev, and Valentina Karaganova, as reported by Sega and EraNova.bg. Ten days later, the committee’s chair, Iva Pushkarova, stepped down, leaving the body entirely without leadership or the legally required four-member quorum to hold valid meetings and issue decisions under the presidential decree regulating its status. Public records show the three-member panel still convened six times and processed 110 applications during this unauthorized window.

Legal experts interviewed by Sega and cited by EraNova.bg noted that reports produced by the three remaining individuals represented private opinions rather than legitimate committee resolutions. Because no chair was present to manage institutional communication, responsibility for decree compliance fell to the chief secretary of the presidency, while Yotova ultimately reviewed and acted upon the disputed panel reports.

BGNES noted that the findings bring the legality of the broader clemency procedure into serious question. While legal specialists confirm that the final presidential decrees granting pardons remain legally valid, the absence of a legitimate, functioning collective expert body places a heavier administrative and political burden on Yotova.

The composition was restored on January 15, 2018, when Румен Радев issued decrees appointing Lidia Руменова as chair and Momyana Гунева as a member, followed by the addition of Lyubomir Божков on July 20, 2018. Rumenova brought prosecutorial experience spanning 1981 to 1986, while Guneva, a criminal law professor, previously served on the pardon commission during Georgi Parvanov and Angel Marin’s dual presidential terms.

The Political Fallout Over the Clemency of Ognyan Atanasov

The scrutiny surrounding Yotova’s pardon workflow intensified due to a separate public controversy involving the convicted drug trafficker Ognyan Atanasov, widely known as the “Petrich Escobar.” Yotova announced on BNT that the presidency would formally ask the prosecutor’s office to examine all documents tied to Atanasov’s clemency file.

The controversy deepened after a planned parliamentary hearing on the Atanasov case was canceled when legislators from the Progressive Bulgaria party deliberately broke quorum, as detailed by EraNova.bg. Public access requests for the pardon files submitted under the Access to Public Information Act have been rejected by the presidency, citing ongoing prosecutorial reviews that restrict the release of information to the public interest.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Pardon Committee Investigation

Why did the pardon committee operate below its quorum requirement?

The committee dropped to three members following the consecutive departures of Ralica Ilkova and chair Iva Pushkarova in October 2017. Operating rules mandated a minimum attendance of four members to hold valid meetings and make decisions, a threshold the three remaining members failed to meet during six separate sessions.

Do the committee procedural errors invalidate the actual pardons granted?

Legal experts consulted by Sega and EraNova.bg confirmed that the procedural flaws do not automatically invalidate the final presidential decrees signed by Yotova. However, the absence of a legitimate collective advisory body means the mandatory professional expertise and statutory vetting steps were bypassed.

What is the status of the investigation into the Ognyan Atanasov case?

State institutions have declined to release documents to civic organizations under public information laws, citing restrictions enforced by the supervising prosecutor.

Who served on the committee during the period it lacked a quorum?

From November 1, 2017, to January 15, 2018, the active members were Yulia Boyadzhieva, Ivan Bukarev, and Valentina Karaganova, none of whom held legal qualifications. The panel lacked both a designated chair and the required statutory quorum of four individuals.