Bulgaria's former Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov has claimed he resigned his post over "personal reasons" and was not ousted due to failed policies and lobbyist deals.

As Tsvetkov somewhat surprisingly resigned his position on Wednesday, various statements and media reports suggested that the reasons for his dismissal have to do with the bad performance over the absorption of EU funds from Operational Program "Transport", the delayed reforms in state transport companies, and the technically bankrupt Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) Holding.

"Things are going well in BDZ, a reform is being carried out there for the first time in 20 years," Tsvetkov told the Dnevnik daily. He declared none of his actions as Minister would be found "interesting" for the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office.

Tsvetkov was appointed Transport Minister at the end of July 2009 right after the new center-right government of Boyko Borisov stepped into office.

Prior to that he was in charge of the transport sector in Sofia municipality during Borisov's term as mayor of the Bulgarian capital.

Tsvetkov will be replaced by his Deputy, Ivaylo Moskovski.

Also on Wednesday, the country's Deputy Energy Minister, Mariy Kosev, also stepped down of office. He will be replaced by Delyan Dobrev, member of parliament from the ruling GERB party, who has so far served as deputy chair of the energy commission.

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