What happened in Pazardzhik is a dress rehearsal for the next elections. This was the assessment made to the Bulgarian National Radio by Ivan Demerdzhiev, former Minister of Internal Affairs.
"The negative expectations were fully confirmed. I and some other colleagues who held this position raised the alarm about what was happening in the Ministry of Internal Affairs - what the changes related to the appointment of almost all regional directors by Kalin Stoyanov - an activist in the ranks of Peevski's party, as well as the replacement of police chiefs, would lead to. We saw the fruits of what was prepared in the elections in Pazardzhik. We saw the so-called "MVR-New Beginning" in action – a system that, instead of counteracting the bought vote, either turned a blind eye or cooperated - where silently, where actively.
The question is where was the chief secretary. We did not see him on the ground.
When elections are held in only one regional city, the entire system must find a way to counteract these phenomena that we have been fighting on a national scale. People who are usually engaged in other criminal activities during the rest of the time are engaged in buying votes. They are identified early enough, provided with events, and their movements are monitored so that we can be sure that we have done everything necessary to prevent their involvement in the vote-buying process.
When we talk about elections, both the professional and political leadership must always be responsible - neither the chief secretary nor the minister took responsibility. Daniel Mitov is not a suitable figure for the Minister of the Interior. But in the end, everything depends on Peevski. I think Peevski is not allowing Mitov to leave this post".
Demerdzhiev also commented on the actions of the Sofia City Court, which overturned the refusal of the special ad hoc prosecutor Daniela Taleva to investigate the interim chief prosecutor Borislav Sarafov upon a signal from the civil association BOETS. The signal is related to documents from the archive of the former investigator Petyo Petrov - Euroto.
A few days ago, Sarafov requested the disqualification of the judge in the Miroslava Todorova case. The chief prosecutor criticized her for delaying the ruling on BOETS's appeal. In addition, he doubts her impartiality in the case.
"What is happening in the judicial system is a mirror and similar to what is happening in the state. A process is underway in the judicial system to save Sarafov. This person does not have the authority to perform the function of chief prosecutor at the moment. In order to save him, and to keep the prosecutor's office he leads under Peevski's care, everything possible is being done for Sarafov to survive.
For Sarafov and Peevski, it is vital that Sarafov continues to be the chief prosecutor. But for all who want a rule of law, it is crucial that Sarafov leaves this post as soon as possible.
There is potential in this investigation. Judge Taleva is quite casual about the signals about this chief prosecutor. But I see more potential in civil discontent.
Ivan Demerdzhiev is already a defendant. The prosecutor's office changed his charge from "mismanagement" of "intentionally concluding an unprofitable deal".
"At a time when the prosecution is dominated by Peevski, it is a kind of dignity to be accused.
I have repeatedly raised the alarm that this accusation of mismanagement is unfit. No one pointed out what legal text I had violated with my actions. The accusation formulated in this way should have led to the criminal liability of Kalin Stoyanov, who made all payments under this contract after notifying the prosecution that there was something wrong with it. The prosecutors changed the accusation to another absurd accusation.
There is no document or data that a deal that was intentionally unprofitable for the Ministry of Interior was concluded. I believe that the Bulgarian court will react and judge adequately".
Demerdzhiev explained in the program "Nedelya 150" that, in his opinion, the planned reformatting of the government aims to remove the ITN from power and the legal inclusion of "DPS-New Beginning".