Delyan Peevski, a controversial Bulgarian lawmaker and media mogul. Photo by BGNES
Controversial Bulgarian media mogul Delyan Peevski was granted access to the highest level of classified information in the country three days before he was even appointed as head of the State Agency for National Security (DANS), according to a local paper.
Boris Dimitrov, chair of the State Commission on Information Security, told the Sega daily that Peevski was granted access to top secret information on June 11.
The access was granted by DANS just three weeks after Peevski was sworn in as lawmaker, even though the normal procedure takes at least a month, Dimitrov noted.
Dimitrov said it was unclear what prompted the move.
Local media have reported that there were two investigations launched by DANS against Peevski. The current status of the alleged investigations is unclear.
Peevski, who runs Bulgaria's biggest newspaper and television group, was investigated for alleged corruption while serving as a Deputy Minister in the Socialist-led three-way coalition government (2005-2009), but was reinstated after the charges were dropped.
Bulgaria’s Parliament is expected to retract on Wednesday the appointment of Delyan Peevski as head of DANS.
The election of Peevski, a 32-year-old MP from the predominantly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms party (DPS), stirred a wave of massive protests across the country, with tens of thousands of Bulgarians taking to the streets for five days now.
Protesters have demanded the resignation of the Socialist-led government of PM Plamen Oresharski over the scandalous appointment.
New anti-government rallies are to be held on Wednesday.