Nikolay Vassilev, Deputy Prime Minister is not fit for the position and should quit, former Finance Minister Muravey Radev stated in parliament on December 12. He disclosed an order by Nikolay Vasilev according to which the National Electric Company /NEC/ and the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company /BTC/ should pay amounts to the budget before the fiscal year is over. The amounts in question are due as a dividend to the state for
fiscal year 2001. According to the order, dated November 8, NEC should pay BGN 100 M and BTC, BGN 20 M in two equal instalments by December 20. A working group should prepare a list of the companies with more than 50% state equity and with 100% state equity, which have bank deposits. For the purpose, information from the information
servicing and technologies directorate should be used. The document orders the working group to suggest options how these amounts can be paid to the budget. Before the governmental regular meeting on December 13, Vassilev commented Radev’s statement in Parliament. According to him, Radev’s words were “ incompetent and showing lack of knowledge on the Trade Act and the Accounting Act. He underlined that the state enterprises like the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company and the National Electric Company can allot dividends and can allot profit that was not distributed from passed years. This type of enterprises, according to Vassilev.