Protesters are blocking the main building of the Bulgarian court and are speaking out against corruption.

Several tents set up by dozens of protesters in front of the Palace of Justice in Sofia carried slogans calling Geshev a "mafioso" and a "shame." They also reached out for help from European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi, reading "Laura Kovesi, Bulgaria needs your help." "Ivan Geshev has turned the prosecutor's office into a baseball bat for the mafia and a shield protecting its interests," said protest organizer Georgi Georgiev from the NGO "Fighter" to AFP. The powerful chief prosecutor of Bulgaria controls the work of all other prosecutors and can influence their decisions to initiate or drop investigations. Geshev, whose term lasts until 2026, has been specifically accused of turning a blind eye to the activities of former lawmaker Peevski. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Peevski for "using influence and bribes to shield himself from public scrutiny and exert control over key institutions and sectors of Bulgarian society." The sanctions, which the department stated are its largest single action against corruption under the Magnitsky Act to date, have reignited debates about corruption in Bulgaria. Having joined the EU in 2007, Bulgaria remains the poorest and most corruption-prone member of the union, according to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.