Let us accept that the principles essential to the functioning of a democracy include the prevention of abuse of prosecution for political ends, and the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven.

As to the first, it must be borne in mind that given its past, Bulgaria wanted to avoid the risk of election candidates being hamstrung by politically-driven prosecutions.
Few democracies would forbid someone from being an elected representative solely because there are charges against them.

Much attention has been given, understandably, to candidates in Bulgaria’s elections who are the subject of pending prosecutions. However, it must be remembered that should they be elected, there is a mechanism for their immunity from prosecution to be lifted.

Further, if the Bulgarian electorate believes that the allegations laid against such candidates are likely to have substance, they could well decide to remove the formal requirement of an application to lift immunity by simply not giving their votes to these candidates.

The fact of alleged criminals being seen as exploiting the law to delay justice may be an embarrassment for Bulgaria, but on questions of principle, it is one with which everyone has to live.