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Dimo Drenchev in front of FACTS: BNB transfers the responsibility for Andrey Gyurov to the anti-corruption commission

I also received a report from citizens of Blagoevgrad who claim that Andrey Gyurov is the actual owner of OOD, which trades in precious metals, says the MP from "Vazrazhdane"

Jul 16, 2024 09:02 155

Dimo Drenchev in front of FACTS: BNB transfers the responsibility for Andrey Gyurov to the anti-corruption commission  - 1

The Commission for Countering Corruption (KPK) has established the incompatibility of Andrey Gyurov with his position as Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB). This was announced by the institution's press center some time ago. After that, Gyurov went on unpaid leave in order "to avoid any doubts regarding compliance with the legal framework". Lyubomir Karimanski will soon speak to the media about the topic. Now the MP from "Vazrazhdane" is speaking to FACTS. Dimo Drenchev, who filed one of the reports on Andrey Gyurov with the Anti-Corruption Commission.

- Mr. Drenchev, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has established an incompatibility with regard to the Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank Andrey Gyurov, who heads the "Issue" department. PDA is based on your signal. Tell the history of the report you filed. When you received information, when you submitted it…
- The reason for filing the report is Andrey Gyurov's participation in pre-election meetings of “We continue the Change” during the campaign for the local elections on 29.10.23. Something that was also widely covered in the media, and is unacceptable given that the BNB must not tie itself to a certain political party. In addition to practicality, Gyurov also violates the law formally, because he was in the Board of the PP at least until the beginning of October, although he was obliged to leave there and not later than 27.08.23. I became interested in the case and found out , that the candidate elected by the votes of the DPS and GERB is also in the management of the NGO, whose statute states that it can carry out economic and business analyzes and trade with them. Something that I perceive as a conflict of interest, because the BNB also performs macroeconomic analyses.

- What is the incompatibility?
- I also received a signal from citizens of Blagoevgrad who claim that Andrey Gyurov is the actual owner of OOD, which trades in precious metals! This is already completely unacceptable for a sub-manager of management “Emission” in BNB! That is why, on December 12, I filed a report with both the BNB Board of Directors and the KPK in order to investigate the case, and I held a briefing in the parliament, at which I disclosed to the media the facts known to me. The answer from the BNB came first, but in it they transfer the responsibility to the KPK as a body that can make an inspection, make a decision to notify them, after which the BNB will comply.
Later, I asked the same questions from the parliamentary rostrum to the governor of the BNB, Dimitar Radev, during his hearing.

I am paraphrasing his words from memory, but they were something like: “I did not appoint him! The NC chose him, let the NC take care of him!”

Now - on 27.06.2024, almost eight months after the signal and with a three-month legal deadline, even after the collapse of the “assembly” a reply came from the KPK, from which it was understood that Andrey Gyurov is incompatible with the public position he holds. It is confirmed that he has a stake in a commercial company and is on the board of directors of not one but two NGOs. This is a violation of the law on the BNB, Article 12 para. 5, which states that a deputy governor of the BNB can participate in an NGO or carry out teaching activities only after notifying the BNB Board and receiving unanimous permission to do so. A deputy governor of the BNB may not participate in companies other than those in which the BNB has a stake or international organizations in connection with its activities.

- In what period should one leave the participation in political parties, commercial and non-commercial companies, when occupying a high state position?
- These circumstances were not declared by him in his declaration under Art. 35, paragraph 1, item 1 of the Law on Combating Corruption and Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Property and the consequences of this must be serious, because this is equivalent to submitting a document with false content, for which criminal liability must be borne . Especially considering the material benefit that the position he occupied brought him.

- What did Gyurov not observe?
- Regarding his participation in the Board of Directors of the PP, the commission considers that his declaration of resignation was submitted in time, but although he was not deleted in a timely manner, there is no violation and will not take measures. The case of Andrei Gyurov's false declarations casts a serious stain on the reputation of the BNB and the institutions in Bulgaria as a whole, and at a very delicate moment for the country. After the final court decision, a new deputy governor of the BNB will probably have to be elected.

- Andrey Gyurov is currently on unpaid leave, and at the same time he is appealing the decision. Is the work of the BNB difficult?
- What worries me is also

the possibility of attacks in court on the decisions already taken by the BNB with the participation of Gyurov and on those signed by him alone.

This would lead to legal and economic uncertainty in an entire sector of government!