Beirut blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar is expected to appear today (Thursday) before Investigating Judge Habib Rizkallah on charges of abuse of authority, following a lawsuit filed by Lebanon’s former Public Prosecutor. The case could determine whether Bitar will finally be able to resume his suspended probe into the 2020 port explosion.

The hearing, initially set for Tuesday, was postponed due to a procedural delay in notifying the plaintiff, even though the Public Prosecution is not normally required to attend such sessions.

Judicial sources told Annahar that Judge Rizkallah is expected to issue a ruling soon, with strong indications that the case will be dismissed and Bitar fully acquitted. Such a decision would also lift the travel ban imposed on him, allowing Bitar to continue his investigation and proceed with a planned trip to Bulgaria to question the owner of the Rhosus ship, who is currently detained in Sofia.

Lebanese authorities are pressing for the suspect’s extradition to Beirut, rather than limiting the process to an interrogation in Bulgaria. According to Annahar, the Bulgarian government has shown initial openness to the request. Judicial sources argued that questioning the suspect in Lebanon would be “more effective and precise” for both legal and linguistic reasons.

They explained that translation in Beirut could be conducted directly from Arabic to Russian, the suspect’s native language, while in Bulgaria the process would involve several stages, from Arabic to English, then Bulgarian, and finally Russian. This, they said, could affect the accuracy of testimonies and records.

The same sources noted that Lebanon’s judicial system allows for longer and more flexible interrogation sessions than Bulgarian law, which strictly limits their duration. They added that allowing relatives of victims and their lawyers to attend hearings in Bulgaria would require multiple layers of official and syndicate approval, adding logistical and procedural complications.

In a related development, President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to visit Bulgaria between November 10 and 12, a trip that coincides with the next Bulgarian court hearing for the Rhosus ship owner, set for November 10.

Earlier this week, families of Beirut port blast victims visited the Bulgarian Embassy in Beirut to thank the Bulgarian government for arresting the ship owner. They delivered a letter through the ambassador expressing their pain and their hope for justice, urging Sofia to hand the suspect over to Lebanon.

The families are also expected to meet President Aoun before his departure to deliver a similar appeal, calling on him to step up diplomatic efforts to secure the extradition and revive Lebanon’s long-delayed pursuit of justice in the 2020 explosion.