Two things make a very strong impression - total underestimation of the situation and lack of coordination for the state to deal with these fires. The early warning system was not developed and adequately finalized.
This assessment was given by the former Minister of Internal Affairs and Justice Ivan Demerdzhiev to the state's reaction to the fires in the country.
"For several days, the fires were left to be fought by different groups in places, but there was a lack of national coordination,", he takes stock.
Hours before the fire engulfed the houses in the village of Voden, the interior minister explained in the parliament that everything was fine, Demerdzhiev commented to BNR.
"While they were trying to put out the political fires, people were suffering. Hours later, the fire entered the village of Voden."
"On the ground, instead of the helicopters being directed to put out the first house fires, they were putting out the hills. When help arrived from Turkey, these people were released, sent on their way back, and it was subsequently realized that the fire was still going on. Such a lack of coordination is absolutely unacceptable!"
The main responsibility lies with the Minister of Internal Affairs, he is categorical. In his words, instead, we have observed the actions of Prime Minister Glavchev, who "equally unsuccessfully" handles both foreign and domestic politics.
The early warning system was not developed and adequately finalized, the former interior minister said.
"It's just one of the things that wasn't moved and completed. Kalin Stoyanov owes and answers to other questions – who allowed the burning of key communication infrastructure in the area of the fires. (…) I have data that there is such infrastructure affected."
The current official cabinet continues the downward trend that started with the assembly cabinet, Ivan Demerdzhiev expressed his opinion.
"The country is not on autopilot. Something worse: no pilot."
Once again "the worthy backs" of the Bulgarian policemen, firefighters, soldiers and many volunteers are used as a screen by the executive power, Demerdzhiev believes.
He criticized the parliament for "staggering" in search of solutions without relying on the experience of professionals. According to him, in its attempt to react to the situation with the fires, the NS acted in a chaotic and populist manner.
A coordination center was envisaged in the PSU to monitor the overall situation in the country and such disasters to be managed by a national headquarters in real time. We are not working on this, simply because it is an initiative of the president, commented Ivan Demerdzhiev.
"Instead, they are looking for, to put it mildly, controversial solutions, unfit for the result they aim for,", he pointed out and gave an example of the idea of buying helicopters for the police.