Colonel Georgi Raykov, who was fired from Bulgaria's National Security Services, NSO, over the attack on the country's ethnic Turkish leader, Ahmed Dogan, says he has been used as a scape goat.

Raykov commented his sacking came in order to keep the NSO leadership clean and intact.

Zanev was one of two people fired after being sent to provide security for the Eight Annual Conference of the of the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, at the National Palace of Culture in the capital Sofia last Saturday.

Security is blamed for letting the attacker reach all the way to Dogan, brandishing a gun, which later turned out to have been a gas pistol, and pointing it at the politician's head.

Zanev was in avant-garde that controlled access to the politician and admitted that he expected a sanction, but not to be fired.

The Colonel was present at the special press conference Thursday when NSO Chief, General Todor Kodzheykov, announced the sanctions.

The sacked officer stressed the NSO leadership refused to take into account his request for certain security measures and acted in a hurry after the incident in providing them when it has been already too late.

Raykov explained he has asked for maximum security and strict checks of people attending, but his supervisors have denied the request. The request, he says, has been lodged 2 days before the conference because he knew Dogan was going to make headlines by resigning as DPS leader and that over 1 500 would attend.

The Colonel added he still hoped he would be able to clean his name, even though the above requests were made verbally and not in writing.

"I will seek legal ways to deal with this. There were enough witnesses, and if they have any dignity in them, they will testify," said he.

Raykov also informed of chaos raining at NSO after January 19 due to changes in some normative acts.

He explained he did not feel guilt over the incident because everyone, even in the services, can make a mistake. The Colonel said he was one of the security people who protected the attacker from the kicks of delegates of the DPS conference.

Raykov blamed the private security company "Kron" for allowing inside an armed man since "Kron" were in charge of controlling access.

"Why he was allowed to come so close to Dogan and why Dogan reacted so quickly is another issue, but this is only within the competence of his personal bodyguards, who are also people from his closest circle. Regretfully, only I and one other person were punished while they are many others to be blamed and they hold the most senior security positions," he pointed out.

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