Patrol cars of police officers are to have GPS devices installed by the end of 2014, Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov has said.

Vuchkov has also admitted the previous GERB government (2009-2013) had indulged in creating "media fuss" out of police operations, a move that "was counter-productive" in his words.

In an interview with private TV station NOVA he asserted that from now on the Interior Ministry would work closely only with the Prosecutor's Office, avoiding any steps to turn police activities into a media campaign.

The current Interior Minister accused his GERB predecessor Tsvetan Tsvetanov of having had "a very strong presence" at the ministry, but denied to comment on allegations Tsvetanov, who is facing trials on various charges, was involved in eavesdropping.

Commenting on the recent scandal involving a police officer filmed while taking a bribe from a driver, Vuchkov made clear his institution had already approved tough measures, equipping police vehicles with GPS devices as a first step to increase control on officers.

He vowed a total of 20 cars will have GPS systems by the end of 2014, but added at least two hundred cars would be deployed across the country in the near future.

The move will allow for tracking cars of Automotive Transport Control (KAT) and knowing their exact location at any given time.  
KAT is the Interior Ministry agency in charge of monitoring road traffic, vehicles and drivers and overseeing the observance of the Traffic Law.

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