site.btaDeputy PM Simeonov, GERB MP Todorov Threaten TV Journalist during Live Broadcast - Nova TV

Sofia, October 6 (BTA) - GERB MP Anton Todorov and Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov allowed themselves on Friday morning to evaluate the work of TV morning show host Viktor Nikolaev, who
asked them questions about the purchase of new fighter aircraft for the Bulgarian Air Force, as well as facts discussed in Parliament about the scandalous appointments of MPs' friends and relatives in their election districts, NOVA TV said on Friday on its website.

Todorov is a member of the ad hoc parliamentary committee, which has to examine and pronounce itself about the caretaker government's decision regarding the selection of fighter aircraft for the Air Force. Todorov told the TV that investigators from Hungary, the Czech Republic and South Africa have collected evidence that the Swedish company Gripen has given money under the table to its lobbyists. Nikolaev asked him whether this selection is the product of a "gang" that wants to take the public tender for a billion and a half. Instead of
answering Nikolaev's question, Todorov threatened him that he is using very strong words, alleging that this may cost him his job. He also made a reference to Nikolaev's former co-host, who stepped down recently, commenting that she "was going in a certain direction, but I see that her chair is empty now", to use the MP's words.

The mediapool.bg e-zone recalls that back in 2013 Todorov had published a book in which he criticized GERB's government back then, describing them as having lived and worked as "a gang of people, united by a criminal goal". Subsequently, however, Todorov mysteriously became close with Borissov and even entered
Parliament as a GERB MP, "mediapool.bg" writes.

Instead of answering questions about the scandalous nepotistic appointments, Deputy Prime Minister Simeonov asked the TV show host how he was appointed at Nova TV. "Don't you have relatives? Aren't they working somewhere? Where do they work?," he asked, implying that they have used Nikolaev's connections in the TV. Simeonov also said that if he had evil intentions, he could makea scandal out of it.

Nova Broadcasting Group issued a position, which condemns the threats against journalists by public figures and the media's leadership stands behind Nikolaev and the other journalists, whose job is to ask questions. Classifying journalists' questions, instead of answering them, is an attempt to shift the focus from topics in the media spotlight.

The TV channel said on its website, that after the interview with Todorov was broadcast, GERB have issued a position that they have always defended freedom of the media and that Todorov's statements are his personal opinion, while GERB does not believe in bad questions, but only wrong answers.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party's (BSP) issued a position condemning "this case of censorship and threats against Bulgarian journalists by GERB". The party circulated their position to the media, which recalls similar threats being made recently against other journalists. According to the Socialists, this is not unprecedented and is the incumbents' way of thinking, which is "you will either be quiet, or we will run you over, fire you and crush you," the position reads.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms MP Mustafa Karadayi commented in Parliament that GERB's overall behaviour and policies consistof trials, errors and excuses, which are repeated over again. According to Karadayi, cases such as Todorov's conduct, as well as others', require decisiveness, strength, will and actions, and not excuses.

Council of Electronic Media (CEM) head Sofia Vladimirova told Bulgarian National Radio that CEM will conduct a monitoring on this case and will pronounce itself according to the powers vested in it. Maria Cheresheva of the Association of European Journalists told the radio that such statements are a clear
message by the incumbents and the politicians to the media. They do not want free journalists, who ask questions, but an environment which transmits their messages without any criticism, she said.

Late on Friday Todorov said he had been misunderstood but nevertheless he offered his apologies to Nikolaev. The GERB MP said that in the space of ten days he had been subjected to an unprecedented attack aimed to discredit him by circles who will never forgive him for his disclosures "about oligarchy, back-door politics, their commanders and business and media circles."