"We continue the change-Democratic Bulgaria" demanded that two members of the nomination committee for the Anti-Corruption Commission be removed.
"Who works where - we know each other, there are several paradoxes, but I don't want to get into them. So, the security council was almost closed because a colleague - Boyan Chukov, who is a very correct person, worked under Alexei. And what about working under Alexei Petrov? That was years ago, he was there for 10-15 years, an abnormal job. But when we talk about the Anti-Corruption Commission, the topic is much deeper," said the former head of the National Security Service, Gen. Rumen Milanov in the studio of "Denyat ON AIR".
He also gave a historical overview of anti-corruption policy in the country - from the creation of the first law on confiscation of property in 2005 to the broader provisions of 2018, including corruption as a basis.
According to him, the initial idea of these laws was inspired by foreign experience and aimed at organized crime, but subsequently became a tool that can be used against inconvenient figures, without clear criteria and often before the court has ruled.
"These commissions are ultimately a product of the political system. Who elects them? The parties elect them. And that immediately gives rise to all this. I cannot find the division between political and expert management", Milanov commented to Bulgaria ON AIR.
He is categorical that laws should be written in such a way that they protect not only in a moment of power, but above all - when a person is outside of it. The law should be an objective instrument, not a means of confrontation. When asked whether the commission should be closed or reformed, the general did not commit to an unambiguous answer.
"The most correct thing for me is for someone to try to analyze this entire system: countering organized crime, corruption and to see where it is effective and where it is not. Because we do everything under some emotions. Almost our entire system for protecting national security currently functions on emotional factors," Milanov said.
He also criticized the possibility of working on anonymous signals. This, he said, opens the door wide for abuse, manipulation and paralyzing the system through false alarms. Instead of maintaining efficiency, the system can be overloaded and easily manipulated.
According to Milanov, corruption can be fought, but not with spells or temporary commissions, but through a stable legal framework, clear control mechanisms and with political will, which is currently clearly lacking. He pointed out that the idea of a center for combating corruption was once aimed precisely at coordination and prevention, but in practice it did not work.