The acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior, Georgi Kandev, stated on Friday that he faced pressure following an incident reported in a Facebook video. Kandev recounted receiving multiple calls on Thursday from unidentified numbers via a mobile application. During these calls, he was informed that an individual known as “Kartofa” and his associates were presenting false testimony against him at the Sofia City Prosecution Office (SCPO).
Kandev alleged that this setup was orchestrated by a former Interior Ministry official named “Svetlyo.” He questioned the SCPO regarding the testimony of “convicted and criminally charged individuals” and the motives behind the alleged pressure. Prime Minister Andrey Gurov publicly backed Kandev, asserting that the entire caretaker government and “every honest Bulgarian citizen” support him. Gurov characterized the alleged pressure as a “vendetta” occurring at the SCPO under prosecutor Emilia Rusinova.
He further criticized Rusinova, calling her the “prosecutor of the caretaker government,” and linked her to Petyo “The Euro” Petrov, a fugitive accused of influencing the judiciary. Gurov suggested the conspiracy arose after efforts to curb attacks on democracy and seize funds used to undermine elections. Interior Minister Emil Dechev supported Kandev, claiming that “old cops” were employing deceptive tactics to undermine the Ministry.
Assen Vassilev described the threats against Kandev as scandalous, advocating for judicial reform. Meanwhile, the Yes, Bulgaria party accused prosecutors of being utilized to target officials involved in institutional reform, referencing the “Borissov-Peevski model.”
Topics: #kandev #ministry #secretary
The details about outside pressure suggest the political climate remains highly volatile.
What specific actions or pressures are being cited by the Ministry Secretary General regarding the crackdown on electoral crime?