„Peevski quite often promises our common money from the budget, as well as Borisov, as happened with the Whatmans. Borisov should not take these 15 million out of his own account. Someone appeared on TV, promised and finally the Council of Ministers made a decision with our common money.“ This was said in the program „This Morning“ on bTV by the MP from the PP-DB PG and former Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev.
„The rally in support of Mr. Terziev quite shocked both Borisov and Peevski and they started giving back quite quickly and started giving these 15 million leva directly from the money of all citizens. Currently, Haskovo and Lukovit are subsidizing Sofia through these 15 million, is that right“, he added.
According to Vassilev, Vasil Terziev should not resign as mayor of Sofia and his reaction was completely adequate.
„If these people want higher salaries, their bosses can provide them. Their bosses are appointed by the Sofia Municipal Council, by GERB. A problem was seen, created by the Sofia Municipal Council – GERB, BSP, ITN and several breakaway parties. There are unions and management of these companies, which are not controlled by the mayor, but by the municipal council. This thing is being used to exert political pressure not on the mayor, but on all citizens of Sofia“, said Asen Vassilev.
According to him, the situation with public transport is similar to the money under the programs for some municipalities.
“We are currently seeing that payments to municipalities are being stopped so that Peevski can go take a picture with the mayor and then the payments start. For several municipalities, we are already seeing how many photos and mayors have been added to “New Beginning. All municipalities where there are photos, if you look to see if there have been payments in the last 6 months, you will see that there have been none“, said Vassilev.
Those sanctioned under the “Magnitsky“
According to the former Finance Minister, legislative changes are needed to protect the Bulgarian banking system from individuals and their companies sanctioned under the “Magnitsky“ Act. In his words, every bank that works with sanctioned individuals is at risk of secondary sanctions.
“They should not be able to work with state structures and enterprises, public procurement, etc. There should be clear declarations that they are sanctioned so that banking systems and institutions are aware that if they work with these individuals, they could fall under the relevant sanction regime. In Bulgaria, this sanction regime has not been introduced by law. That is why we are proposing legislative changes to ensure that no bank goes bankrupt because it serves sanctioned individuals,“ he said.
According to him, there are no indications that the “Magnitsky“ Act sanctions against Delyan Peevski to fall.
„To get on this list, the American president must sign. To get off it, the American president must sign again. Whether the sanctions will be lifted, I don't think, depends on either Borisov or Peevski. I entered politics as Finance Minister and two weeks later the sanctions came. The thesis that Peevski was almost incorruptible and was an absolutely immaculate virgin - come on, let's get a little further away from these things“, commented Asen Vassilev.
„We have not been shoulder to shoulder with someone sanctioned under “Magnitsky“. We were in our government with Mrs. Gabriel, supported by GERB. It has always been a topic for us to have judicial reform, which is precisely why there was no rotation. If we had decided that these problems are not problems and that the regulators should be filled in the way they are currently being filled, there would be a rotation“, he added.
The Scandal with „Huawei“ and Nikola Minchev
„Nikola Minchev went to a football match with „Ludogorets“ and since the box was paid for by „Huawei“ they want to question everyone who was in the box. In order to question you, your immunity must be lifted. There is absolutely no documentation and lobbying on the part of Nikola“, commented Vassilev.
Assen Vassilev stated that the PP-DB will absolutely not support the candidacy of Rosen Karadimov for head of the Commission for Protection of Competition.
“This is a person whom we can hardly believe will be a neutral arbitrator in the CPC. He says that there is no problem with the contract that BDB awarded to “Bulgartabac“. Some over 100 million leva and then it was unable to recover them. Everything was fine with him and there were no violations“, commented the MP.