site.btaDeputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov Resigns

November 16 (BTA) - At an extraordinary news briefing at
the Council of Ministers on Friday evening, Valeri Simeonov
announced his "personal decision" to resign as Deputy Prime
Minister in Bulgaria's GERB/United Patriots coalition Cabinet.

He specified that his decision was not made under pressure from
Prime Minister Borissov and was coordinated with the United
Patriots coalition.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has accepted Simeonov's
resignation, the Government Information Service confirmed to
BTA.

Defiant, unrepentant and sarcastic, he blamed his departure on
what he called an ongoing media campaign, especially over the
last two days, which came as a sequel to a campaign carried out
against him in connection with his statement about protests in
front of the Government building. "The sequel to this campaign,
though, already does not focus on me personally in my official
capacity but on MPs of the NFSB," Simeonov said, referring to
the National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria party, of which he
is a leader and which is part of the power-sharing United
Patriots coalition.

He argued that certain political forces are taking advantage of
this campaign, which deals a blow to the Government and impedes
its normal operation. "This is something I can't afford," the
outgoing Deputy PM said, describing the incumbent Government as
"exceedingly successful". "I can't weigh as a millstone and
create prerequisites for protests and attacks," he pointed out.

His move comes after 26 days of daily countrywide protests,
staged by disabled children's mothers and their supporters to
press for his resignation. The protests were sparked by
Simeonov' remarks on SKAT Television on October 16, in which he
described them as "a group of loud-mouthed women who speculated
with their children, manipulated the public, exhibiting
allegedly sick children in scorching heat and heavy rain without
 a modicum of motherly feelings and care for them." Simeonov
apologized for his words on October 24 but has so far adamantly
refused to go. RY/LG