Bulgarian President Slams Controversial Election of National Security Chief

Politics » DOMESTIC | June 14, 2013, Friday // 16:03
Bulgaria: Bulgarian President Slams Controversial Election of National Security Chief Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has strongly criticized the country’s Socialist-led government after the election of controversial media mogul Delyan Peevski as head of the State Agency for National Security (DANS).

“After this appointment, and taking into consideration the way it was made, my credit of trust is over,” Plevneliev said in an ad hoc statement after the election.

The President urged Parliament to “immediately” retract its decision.

“This decision will have long-term negative consequences on Bulgaria,” he warned.

Plevneliev was particularly critical of the lack of transparency and debates surrounding the election of the controversial businessman and lawmaker.

The President reminded that the head of DANS should have a very clean reputation. He said that Bulgaria will otherwise end up in an international isolation.

Plevneliev canceled his participation in the inauguration of the second Danube Bridge linking Bulgaria and Romania after the Parliament shockingly elected Peevski as head of DANS.

The President summoned an emergency sitting of the Consultative National Security Council on the matter. The sitting is to take place on Thursday, June 20.

Delyan Peevski, son of former lottery head Irena Krasteva, is currently a lawmaker from the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms party.

The Bulgarian Parliament voted Friday to approve the nomination of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, who proposed to have Peevski to lead DANS.

In a move stunning both MPs from the opposition center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, of former Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and parliamentary reporters, Oresharski proposed at the beginning of the sitting to have a new item on the agenda – election of new DANS Director.

The request caused outraged GERB MPs to leave plenary hall. Oresharski then proceeded to nominate Peevski. The controversial MP was then quickly elected as the new head of the agency.

More about Delyan Peevski can be read HERE.

The move stirred outrage in Bulgaria, with over 30 000 people joining a Facebook page calling for protests against the election.

Protest rallies are to take place across the country at 6:30 pm Friday.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Domestic » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Bulgarian Socialist Party, Sergey Stanishev, Ataka, Volen Siderov, Plamen Oresharski, GERB, DANS, Boyko Borisov, Delyan Peevski, Rosen Plevneliev, State Agency for National Security

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria