President blocks appointment of Bulgaria's next chief prosecutor

FILE PHOTO: Ivan Geshev, nominee for Bulgaria's new chief prosecutor, arrives to attend a sitting of the Supreme Judicial Council in Sofia, Bulgaria, October 24, 2019. Picture taken through a glass window. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov/File Photo

SOFIA (Reuters) - President Rumen Radev on Thursday blocked the appointment of Bulgaria's next chief prosecutor whose selection as the sole candidate for the powerful post sparked street protests.

The chief prosecutor's role is key to combating graft in Bulgaria, ranked as the most corrupt member state in the European Union by the watchdog Transparency International. He or she has wide powers to launch and halt investigations.