“The feeling is of a slight chaos, however, it seems to me that not only the direction, but also many specific decisions are correct”, this is what former Interior Minister Prof. Veselin Vuchkov commented on the start of the judicial reform in the program “The Day Live” on NOVA NEWS. He discussed the adopted changes to the Judiciary Act, the management style in the Ministry of Interior and the personnel problems in the system.
Vuchkov categorically disagrees with the decision for the bar and the judges of the supreme courts to appoint commissioners to the Commission for Combating Corruption. “Is this your constitutional role of the bar and the judges? The historical role, how did the courts and the bar arise? Is this the theoretical role of the bar and the judges of the highest instances to elect heads of other commissions that have no bearing on their work?”, asked rhetorically Prof. Vuchkov.
Regarding the Ministry of Interior, he shared positive first impressions of Minister Demerdzhiev, defining him as a leader with ambitions and professional knowledge. “However, one can only talk about management style after six months or a year. The system needs serious administrative reforms by 2027 at the latest, which would eliminate permanent business trips and temporary appointments to positions”, the expert emphasized.
The former Minister of Interior paid special attention to a unit to support the Minister, consisting of 50 people. "Everyone who is out of use, as they say, goes there, gets a general's salary and does nothing," Vuchkov was indignant, describing the structure as a "state-owned Diyarbakir."
Regarding pensioners in the system, he is more radical. "If you work and receive a salary, you cannot receive a pension at the same time," Vuchkov pointed out, adding that the appointing authority should have the opportunity to dismiss people who have exercised their right to a pension.
On the topic of Georgi Kandev's departure, Vuchkov said: "In my opinion, the only logical explanation, without having specific information, is that he really took a political path," assessing Kandev's activities as acting secretary general during the caretaker government very positively.
As for what shocked him the most in the "Baba Alidno" case, he said that the letter of the law turns out to be absolutely powerless where hundreds of millions of euros have flown. “What shocks me the most is that there is no forgiveness for a chicken, and major criminal acts very often go unpunished”, summarized Prof. Veselin Vuchkov.