site.btaGERB, Socialists Exchange Accusations of Nepotism

Sofia, October 3 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) came up with fresh accusations of nepotism against the ruling GERB party at a special news conference on Tuesday. The new revelations involve the state-owned gas transmission operator Bulgartransgaz. Immediately after that GERB held a news conference where they parred the accusations with their own accusations against the Socialist party and its leader, and suggested that the attacks against them were inspired by President Rumen Radev.

At the news conference, Atanas Zafirov of the BSP leadership said that the model of nepotistic appointments is not limited to Haskovo Municipality (Southern Bulgaria). He was referring to an ongoing scandal in Haskovo where the local MP and ranking GERB member Delyan Dobrev has been accused of placing friends and relatives at key positions in the local administration.

Zafirov said that the Chairman of the Managing Board of Bulgartransgaz, Tanya Zaharieva, is a municipal councilor from GERB and Chair of the Municipal Council in Haskovo. The Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Vladimir Mitroushev, is the former deputy mayor of Dimitrovgrad in the region of Haskovo, while his father is a municipal councilor from GERB. Both are from Haskovo, are members of GERB and have been nominated and appointed by Delyan Dobrev, the left said.

To facilitate the presentation of the alleged system of nepotistic appointments, Zafirov used an intricate chart showing the family and partisan connections among the appointees.

In Zafirov's words, this model is applied throughout the state administration and state-owned enterprises.

Shortly after BSP's news conference, GERB held a news conference where Delyan Dobrev suggested that the Socialists' attack was meant to create a smoke screan for "other things in this country". "New facts surfaced against [former energy minister and ranking BSP member] Rumen Ovcharov in the Bobov Dol case and everybody knows the connection between Ovcharov and [BSP leader] Kornelia Ninova: he was her mentor," said Dobrev.

Ovcharov is charged with malfeasance in office and mismanagement in the Bobov Dol case.

He said that he is the victim of a smearing campaign which "used small truths to build a conspiracy designed to outrage people". " If this is the war, I am apparently the first victim," said Dobrev.

He was apparently referring to "the war" President Rumen Radev suspects GERB is waging against him. Asked Monday whether tensions exist between GERB and himself, Radev answered that a war is under way although GERB does not dare to declare it and that "if they want a conflict, they will get it".

Also on Tuesday, Dobrev tendered his resignation from all offices he holds in Parliament and GERB. There, however, has been a wave of overwhelming grassroot support for Dobrev and Parliament deputy chair Tsveta Karayancheva said she would vote against the resignation - possibly suggesting that the resignation would not go through. The vote is expected before the end of this week.

At the news conference Karayancheva said that the husband of Kornelia Ninova works at LUKOil and demanded answers to several questions, including how much he is paid, whether Ninova is in a conflict of interest when she votes in Parliament legislation related to fuels, markets and the economy, and whether LUKOil supported the election campaigns of Ninova and her party.