Bulgarian ultranationalist party Ataka (Attack) has urged former Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov to step down from the political scene over the growing wiretapping scandal in the country.

In a statement, Ataka has noted that Tsvetanov “bears the main responsibility” for the alleged illegal wiretapping of key politicians and businesspeople.

The ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) has also called upon Tsvetanov to quit the ongoing general election race, with DPS leader Lyutvi Mestan demanding pre-trial proceedings against Tsvetanov.

Earlier on Monday, Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergey Stanishev declared that Tsvetanov should quit his political career.

Bulgaria’s prosecuting authority announced Monday that it had uncovered a series of violations at the country’s Interior Ministry allowing unregulated wiretapping.
Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov announced that the prosecuotors’probe had revealed numerous violations related to the deployment of surveillance equipment and the oversight of such operations.

On March 28, Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergey Stanishev submitted a tip-off to Tsatsarov about illegal wiretapping of politicians, businessmen and magistrates which had taken place during Tsvetan Tsvetanov's term in office as Interior Minister.

According to the tipoff, the list of wiretapped people includes former President Georgi Parvanov, current President Rosen Plevneliev, right-wing leader and former PM Ivan Kostov, honorary ethnic Turkish leader Ahmed Dogan, nationalist leader Volen Siderov, former Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, when on visits to Bulgaria, Tsvetelina Borislavova - banker and ex-girlfriend of former PM Boyko Borisov, businessmen Ivo Prokopiev, Grisha Ganchev, Georgi Gergov, and a number of magistrates, among others.

Tsvetanov is currently heading the election headquarters of his center-right GERB party and is running for Parliament.