Novinite.com exclusive interview with Jurgen Roth, a top German investigative journalist and a thorough analyst of organized crime and the mafia in the countries from Central and Eastern Europe. Author of bestsellers like The Red Bosses, The Grid of Terror, The Oligarch, Gangsters of the East, The Germany Clan and The New Bulgarian Demons, which deals with the situation in Bulgaria.

Following a few trips to the country and based on personal contacts and carefully researched sources, Jurgen Roth lays out the point of view of an independent observer on crime, corruption, "the business rings" and the lack of law and order that have represented the Bulgarian political reality for the last two decades.

A Bulgarian court cleared at the end of last week Jurgen Roth, who was sued by Bulgaria's former Interior Minister Rumen Petkov over alleged slanders in his book about organized crime in Bulgaria.

Milena Hristova spoke with Jurgen Roth in the wake of the court ruling.

A Bulgarian court cleared you last week after former Interior Minister Rumen Petkov sued you over alleged slanders in your book about organized crime in Bulgaria, entitled "The New Bulgarian Demons". Did the court ruling surprise you? Why?

No. Any other decision would have surprised me after the testimony of former head of Unit for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) Vanyo Tanov. I was only surprised that parts of his statement and those from other witnesses were so secret, that only the lawyers could participate and the public remained outside the court room. This demonstrates that the judicial system in Bulgaria is, in some parts, far from European standards. I understand that witnesses like Tanov could discredit the political elite and parts of the police. In a democratic system the public must know those statements and they should not be a secret.

The information Bulgarian media have does not make clear the court motives. Can you shed more light on this? Does the court say that the published information is true and Rumen Petkov has committed what you have accused him of?

No, because the court-meeting was held behind closed doors this day and the public and journalists were not allowed to participate. All what I know is that THREE lawyers on behalf of Mr. Petkov were present and it was a very turbulent session. But the court decision, that I did not slander Mr. Petkov, is clear.

If your claims are not slander, they represent serious accusations. Should the prosecutor's office launch a probe?

In my book, and what I wrote on my blog, I never slandered Mr. Petkov. I only quoted serious people who doubt the reputation of Mr. Petkov. And be sure, that Vanyo Tanov describes very exactly his experience with Mr. Petkov, how the meeting with the so called Galevi-Brothers happened and about the Interference of Rumen Petkov in criminal investigations. It would be also interesting to know what Budemir Milosav Kujovich said about a visit of DANS in prison, to get Vanyo Tanov discredited. And I am sure, if a prosecutor gets this document from the court, he must start an investigation. In Germany this is what would happen. But in Bulgaria?

How do you explain the fact that after so many clues against him, Rumen Petkov continues to be a member of parliament?

That's the burden of the Bulgarian history over the last years. The power of the old-nomenklatura which still exist, this network of friends in which transparency did not exist. The knowledge about dubious activities in the past is also a weapon.

Two years ago you described as "a joke" the warning that Rumen Petkov will sue you. Why?

I am a very optimistic political journalist. I know what I have written and therefore I could not believe that he will dare sue me. But it seems that for some politicians like Mr. Petkov it is very difficult to read exactly what was really written and what my personal comments are. Freedom of expression is a central part of our constitution. I forgot the situation in Bulgaria. Also I remember that Boyko Borisov, who was mayor of Sofia at this time, told me that Rumen Petkov is a "dangerous man". And I know Petkov's threats to beat me. So it was a learning-process.

Do you expect Rumen Petkov to appeal the court decision?

It is not in his interest to appeal. I believe in this case the secret statements from Vanyo Tanov in front of the court will be published. And believe me this really could not be in his interest.

People in Bulgaria rejoiced at the news for your victory in court, while the media just broke the news with no comments or follow-up afterward. Why do you think is that?

I have no idea about this. One reason might be that you have in Bulgaria stronger problems than the case of Petkov versus Roth.

This is the first trial in a long time that proves guilty of links with the mafia a Bulgarian politician. All the other trials have reached a dead end. Does this make Prime Minister Boyko Borisov more a maverick populist than a reformer?

I am convinced that the structural changes, which Boyko Borisov and the Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov promised, will take time. But they are on the right way. And in this moment it's for both a very dangerous situation, because the old nomenklatura and powerful economic crime managers will use every instrument, also killing, to stop these reforms.

The Bulgarian people hope that there will be more disclosures about the links between politics and the mafia. Can they rely on you for more revelations?

Please, all serious journalists in Bulgaria know more about this poisonous relationship. Why don't they publish anything about it? They are confronted with different problems, including beating or paying, which stop their investigations. And you see in the case of Mr. Petkov what happens if you write about these suspicious relations, based on serious sources. So it would be also interesting to know how Michael Chernoy, a leader of the criminal structure Ismailovskaja, has still contacts with whom in Bulgaria.

Are the investigations of Bulgarian journalists good enough? Are Bulgarian journalists afraid?

Yes, there are excellent, courageous journalists in Bulgaria but their influence and possibilities are small. And you have also journalists and publishers who are only the voice of propaganda for this or that political power. Objectivity seems very difficult. Look at Kevork Kevorkian from Trud daily. That is the best example. He wrote in Trud that I am a manipulator and a liar. Why? In my new book "Gangsterwirtschaft" I quote Albena Simeonova, who told me that representatives of Atomstroyexport come to the municipality of Svishtov with machine-guns to force the project Belene nuclear power plant. The fact is that I quoted in my book an interview with her, which was published in Germany. And if Kevorkian could read German he must only goggle. But his only aim was to discredit. This is the way in which some journalists in Bulgaria also work. And nobody criticized this. That's the problem. There is no solidarity and a very small network of investigating journalists.

You have published journalistic investigations about other Bulgarian politicians as well. Do you think they do not make any comments in the hope that what a foreigner has written will not reach many Bulgarians?

Yes, I believe so. But I know that European politicians and other people with influence read it and it's part of their decisions in the future concerning Bulgaria.

Are you happy with the execution of the all-out war on organized crime that the new government promised after its election?

Sure. But I am missing the fight also against economic organized crime. The mafia today are the economic organized crimes.

Do you believe in the promises of the current government to investigate alleged crimes of the previous government, in which Rumen Petkov was a minister?

I hope so. Let's see what happens in the next months. I am optimistic, that they will start in the near future. Otherwise it will end in a disaster. I know from young people and NGOs from Varna that they are not happy with the lack of reaction about what happened there. They only want transparency. They wrote to Mr. Boyko Borisov – but got no reply. Now they are frustrated. And Varna is only one city. These people from Varna are the representatives of a civil-society. They need support otherwise a civil society; a society of legality could not exist.

While demonstrating resolve to crush crime and corruption, Mr Borisov has been wobbling on a list of tough economic and political issues. Do you think he will prove to be the magician it takes to squeeze the country out of this situation?

If he does not want to lose and disappoint the people who voted for him – he must start now. Not as a magician but as a politician who knows well the economic and social abuses in your wonderful country. If he and his government turn out to be a failure, who could do this job? The old parties, which are discredited?

Why do you fear to come to Bulgaria? Have you ever received threats?

I will come to Bulgaria next month for the presentation of the book "Gangsterwirtschaft" and I have the official statement from your Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov that he will secure my visit in Bulgaria. And I also hope that Mr. Rumen Petkov will not order gangsters to do what he said two years ago – to beat me on every part of my body. We will see what will happen.

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