Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said that very soon the deputies will receive the full list of persons and connections compiled by the General Directorate of Investigation and Investigation of the Delyan Peevski flights case, Nova TV reports.
The full list that the General Directorate of Investigation and Investigation of the Peevski flights has been presented to the Bulgarian deputies very soon, so each of you will be able to assess who these people are, what their connections are with Peevski and whether there is anything unhealthy in these connections Is there anything unhealthy in these connections, whether some of these people have participated in public procurement procedures, whether others are known to us from the "Corporation Bank Case", while others call it "Corporation Bank Affair", etc. But the list will be accessible, so everyone will be able to draw their own conclusions", added Minister Demerdzhiev.
He defined Kalin Stoyanov's signal as an attempt to divert attention from the investigation and stated that the main issue remains the origin of the funds for the hundreds of flights by private jet.
Kalin Stoyanov's signal is to the acting prosecutor general and to the leadership of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office in connection with information to which he received access in the case, which became known as "PNR-gate". The Interior Minister pointed out that “he does not have time to read Kalin Stoyanov's fruitless signals and none of them contained anything relevant”.
“The filing of a signal by Stoyanov is for me an indication of Peevski pressing a button”, the Interior Minister also said.
Regarding the flights of the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, he said that there are different systems with different records. An investigation is underway into the case, assigned to the “Internal Security” Directorate. According to Demerdzhiev, an attempt is being made to divert attention from the important topic – „how a person like Peevski manages to pay millions for hundreds of flights on a private jet and how he manages to circumvent the „Magnitsky” sanctions.
Demerdzhiev also said that during his upcoming visit to the United States, talks will be held with representatives of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The topic will be what measures can be taken with regard to individuals and legal entities that helped those sanctioned under „Magnitsky” to evade sanctions through various actions.
The Minister of the Interior also said that „the sanctions are proof that this person is involved in massive corruption and should be the focus of attention of law enforcement agencies”. He added that when he took office as minister, he was surprised that Peevski was not in this focus of attention.
Demerdzhiev also commented on Desislava Atanasova's claims that she did not travel to another country when she visited Turkey. “There are many things you do not know. Someone misinterpreted my words to Atanasova. They were not a threat, but an attempt to prevent her from helping to distract attention. This issue is secondary to us. But by bringing it into the focus of attention, Atanasova is making facts come out that, in principle, are not that important in the course of the proceedings we are conducting”, the Minister of the Interior also stated. He added that all questions raised by Atanasova will find an answer. “There are quite strange circumstances related to her actions, but I don't want that to be the focus”, he emphasized.
The Minister of Law and Order once again stated that the focus of the work in this case is Peevski - whether he has the funds spent on the flights and where they come from.
Demerdzhiev also commented that he is working “difficult” with the new acting Prosecutor General Vanya Stefanova. However, he expressed hope that the direction of breaking away from political influences is correct and that there is a “break” in the prosecutor's office.