“I would not draw a direct parallel between the current situation and the events of 21 years ago, when I was Minister of Interior and the Secretary General was Boyko Borisov. It is not appropriate for such a professional position to be on TikTok and Facebook for three hours a day. When one confuses the building of the Ministry of Interior with the stage of the National Theater, sooner or later separation is inevitable”. This was stated in “Offensive with Lyubo Ognyanov“ on NOVA NEWS by former Minister of Interior Rumen Petkov, commenting on the resignation of Georgi Kandev as Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior.
According to him, this resignation is both expected and surprising. But according to him, the society deserves clear answers about the motives behind this decision. "Kandev's decision to leave will help the Ministry of Interior, but the way he did it raises serious questions. On Monday, he participated in an operation, reported on completed tasks, took on new commitments and nowhere mentioned such reasons for leaving. This casts a very heavy shadow over his name, because this is about integrity and decency", Petkov is categorical.
According to him, Kandev must clearly and publicly answer a number of questions, including why certain actions were not taken in specific cases and whether he was prevented from fulfilling his duties. "He must say who made him silent, who made him inaction and who prevented him from working. As the chief secretary, he had exceptional trust and support. That is why these words seem incorrect to me, not to say indecent“, commented Petkov.
He also indicated that he does not question the actions of the Ministry of Interior related to the election process, but expressed hope that Bulgaria will not be condemned for exceeding the powers of a certain department and exerting unacceptable pressure on citizens. Regarding Kandev's work, Petkov admitted that during his mandate, actions were taken against vote buying and drug trafficking, but according to him, professionalism should not turn into a public demonstration. “When actions against drug trafficking turn into campaigning and ostentation, professionalism remains in the background“, he stated.
Petkov also commented on the assumptions that Kandev's departure could be the beginning of his political career. “When a person treats an institution to which he has dedicated nearly 20 years of his life in this way, I would hardly wish him success in politics. If he is not responsible to the institution that built him, he cannot be responsible to the state“, he pointed out.
As for the current leadership of the Ministry of Interior, Rumen Petkov said that it is too early to make any definitive assessments, but according to him, both the political and professional leadership of the ministry should pay special attention to the atmosphere in the system. “This does not mean distancing oneself from the media, but it does not mean a constant presence in them either. The Ministry of Interior is a specific institution and excessive media life can only do harm“, the former Minister of Interior is categorical.