The “Customs” agency, as well as the conflict in the Ministry of Internal Affairs between Kalin Stoyanov and Zhivko Kotsev, are the leading topics of the political scene for another day. Accusations continue between the ruling majority as to whose the interior minister is and whether he should remain in his post, summarizes NOVA.
Until recently, the governing partners PP-DB and GERB-SDS entered into a new sharp dispute. This time he is for the Ministry of Interior – the retention of the ministerial post of Kalin Stoyanov and the withdrawn resignation of the chief secretary Zhivko Kotsev. The two formations have different opinions on whether there was any pressure exerted in the security department and from whom to whom. As well as whether this has anything to do with the arrest of the director of the “Customs” Agency. Petya Bankova. The opposition defined the entire conflict in the Ministry of Internal Affairs as an attempt to interfere in the elections.
The GERB defended Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov, who will remain in his post and in the office, and attacked Chief Secretary Zhivko Kotsev. After withdrawing his resignation, he will also continue to be part of the Ministry of the Interior. “The only thing I am very surprised by is the way in which “We Continue the Change” stood behind this man. In no way are there any facts and circumstances that disprove the fact that Mr. Stoyanov is simply doing his job and his replacement is only a hostage to the fact that he did not obey a political leader," said Georgi Georgiev from GERB- SDS.
After Zhivko Kotsev appeared together with the resigned Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov on Friday and talked about putting pressure on him, PP-DB replied that no evidence of his participation in irregularities has been presented so far. “The information that Mr. Kotsev presented, that he was threatened to give up the post of General Secretary, is absolutely inadmissible in a normal European country. If someone has real evidence against Mr. Kotsev, this evidence should be presented to a court and the court should remove him”, said PP co-chairman Asen Vassilev.
The opposition sees the battle in the Ministry of Internal Affairs differently because of the upcoming early vote. “There was pressure on the chief secretary. Some circuses are playing – he first tenders his resignation, then withdraws it after consultation. What is this chief secretary who is bowing to pressure? What should the heads of regional offices and ordinary employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs think?”, commented Rumen Gechev from BSP.
Pavela Mitova from “There is such a people” defined as complete absurdity that once again ministers complain of pressure from Petkov. "First Iolovski complained, then Kalin Stoyanov. I hope the elections will be relatively fair," she added.