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Tsvetan Tsvetanov. Photo by BGNES
Former Bulgarian Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov has emerged from the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office after close to 5 hours of interrogations.
Tsvetanov confirmed that the questioning related to the activities of police anti-mafia unit director Stanimir Florov who end of last week was charged with having accepted bribes to facilitate drug trafficking through Bulgaria.
An ironic Tsvetanov came out saying that prosecutors questioned him regarding many details relating to his "childhood," as well as to family ties with Florov, reports the Bulgarian National Radio.
He further confirmed his trust in Florov's professionalism and innocence.
"Florov is a worthy officer and Bulgarian. He has a considerable contribution to the fight against organized crime in the last four years," said Tsvetanov.
He said that as a minister, he did not learn of any ongoing internal police investigations against Florov.
The prosecution was alerted against the anti-mafia head by receiving an anonymous e-mail with police documentation of such investigations.
According to the former minister, the charges against the anti-mafia head are part of a political plot by Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergey Stanishev ahead of May 12 early general elections.
Tsvetanov also said that prosecutors questioned him regarding campaign remarks linking Stanishev and his alleged plot to the interests of organized crime.
However, he told journalists he must remain silent on some matters, as they concern classified information.
In past weeks, Tsvetanov's name has also been implicated in the so-called "wiretapping scandal," after prosecutors found out that police under the former minister engaged in massive use of special surveillance devices in violation of legal requirements.
After emerging from the Sofia Prosecution, Tuesday Tsvetanov faces another interrogation at Bulgaria's Specialized Prosecutor's Office, the prosecution authority devoted to organized crime cases.
Tsvetanov is vice-chair of former Bulgarian ruling party GERB, and currently is their campaing leader for the upcoming elections.
He had to interrupt a campaign trip to the Blagoevgrad region to answer prosecutors on Tuesday.
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