Boyko Borisov Gets Rid Of Police Chief For Inefficiency

Boyko Borisov, Bulgaria’s new number one, is certainly pulling some weight here in what I could describe as inefficient Bulgarian fat cats. The reason given was inadequate preparation for Bulgaria to join the new Schengen visa zone. I think there is also a conflict in personality going on there and Mister Petrov was not considered one of “the lads” in Boyko’s ream. All said and done, a replacement will be made no doubt one of Boyko’s lads this time. Lots of positive things are happening here and that’s good news, but many still think that this will wear off after a while and political compliancy will set in again – That’s what’s going out here at ground level.

Bulgarian Border Police commissioner Krassimir Petrov was fired on August 20 2009, the latest in a series of senior officials to get the chop under Prime Minister Boiko Borissov’s Government.

Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that the reasons for Petrov being fired included shortcomings in preparations for Bulgaria to join the Schengen visa zone.

Bulgarian National Television (BNT) said that Petrov left Interior Ministry headquarters after meeting Tsvetanov with the words, "I am now a former director".

Petrov rejected the allegation of inadequacies in preparations for Schengen, saying that checks had shown progress to be not just good but "very good".

The same day, Tsvetanov met the heads of the Prosecutor-General’s office and the State Agency for National Security (SANS) to discuss the setting up of permanent joint teams of prosecutors, SANS agents and Interior Ministry criminologists to investigate serious economic crimes against Bulgaria’s financial system, specifically abuse of European Union funds.

BNT said that legislative changes were expected to clarify the roles of SANS and the Interior Ministry, and the teams would operate in secrecy.

Source: www.sofiaecho.com