site.btaPM Borissov Urges PFC Levski's Fans to Take Club's Ownership in Own Hands

January 24 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov told PFC Levski's fans here on Friday that they should take over the club's ownership and management, if they want the team to be what they believe it should be. Borissov met with Levski fans after the club's owner, business mogus Vassil Bozhkov warned them that he would be unable to further finance the club if proposed amendments to the gambling legislation go through.

The proposed amendments aim to ban private lotteries and Bozhkov owns two private lotteries, including Bulgaria's biggest National Lottery.

The head of the Levski fan club, Stepan Hindliyan, said at the start of the meeting that the fans were not there to speak up for the club owner. "We are not here to defend corporate, private interests and licenses, and we don't care about the Gambling Act. The only thing we're concerned about is what is happening with Levski and what your views are about how we'll fare from now on."

After the meeting, Daniel Strezov, who heads one of the Levski fan organizations, Blue Bulgaria Trust, said that they are not ready to take over the club's management and that such a step would take time. Levski's current management is doing well and building the right structure, but is held back by old debts caused by by poor management. "We are unanimous that in recent years Levski has been a hostage to political interests and its management model is innately wrong," he said.

The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov and Youth and Sports Minister Krassen Kralev. RI/MY

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