Bulgarian Prosecutor Ivan Geshev was rebuked by a deputy for not quickly addressing media misinformation about a roadside explosion last week involving the nation's top lawman.
Bulgarian media had been reporting that Geshev was traveling in his car with his family on May 1 when a roadside bomb went off as his vehicle passed. Geshev later admitted on May 7 that his family had not been traveling with him at the time of the explosion.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has been investigating the incident -- in which no one was hurt -- as an act of terrorism.
The incident comes as Geshev faces increasing heat at home and abroad for his failure to tackle high-level corruption.
Opponents have speculated that the May 1 explosion could have been staged to create an image of Geshev as a tough lawman facing threats from entrenched mafia figures.
Borislav Sarafov, a deputy prosecutor general and head of the National Investigation Service, said Geshev had indicated to him during a phone call last week that his family was in the car.
In a May 8 statement to media, he said Geshev should have addressed the false media narrative sooner.
"Why is the chief prosecutor silent for a whole week?" Sarafov asked.
The authorities have given other misleading information about the incident, including whether there were any forensic tests and suspects.
Geshev has been prosecutor general since 2019 and has yet to convict any high-profile individuals with crimes.
His nomination to the post triggered street protests at the time.
Geshev has been criticized by members of the U.S. Congress for his failure to tackle endemic corruption. Bulgaria is ranked at or near the bottom of corruption perception in the European Union, according to Transparency International.
Bulgaria’s prosecutor general has broad power with few checks and is hard to fire or investigate.
Many Bulgarians want to reduce the power of the Prosecutor General’s Office and bring it in more line with European norms.
Geshev is currently in the United States, and it is unclear if he will meet with U.S. officials.