site.btaUPDATED Caretaker Interior Minister Says He Knows System Well Enough, He Cannot Be Influenced by Any Political Party

Caretaker Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov told the Saturday morning programme of Nova TV that he knows the system very well and that he cannot be influenced by any political party. 

"I would say that I am the man of the Ministry of Interior with over 37 years of experience in this system," Ilkov said. He added that he had talked about the post of caretaker interior minister only with caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev. Ilkov noted that he is not politically affiliated and no party is behind his back. 

"It is not correct to give an assessment of a person I have worked with," he said of his predecessor Kalin Stoyanov.

Regarding the changes in the Ministry of Interior, Atanas Ilkov said that he will carry out his responsibilities with a team that he wants to create. This is again related to the team, Ilkov said about the replacement of Interior Ministry Secretary General Dimitar Kangaldzhiev.

There will be a general secretary of the Interior Ministry, perhaps, under a regular government, Ilkov said. An order has been issued for the appointment of a new secretary-general, but since the current deputy secretary-general did not show up for work this morning because he has been admitted to hospital, the procedure has not been carried out to date. The new deputy secretary-general will be appointed when he returns to work, Ilkov said.

Ilkov's Ministry will focus on the whole spectrum of possibilities where vote-buying and vote-selling can take place, Ilkov said about the upcoming early parliamentary elections on October 27.

There are a lot of disturbing indicators that would have a negative impact on human health, more so on children, the minister said about the so-called "energy sniff". Actions have been taken for this powdered energy drink so that it is not available to children until the National Commission on Narcotic Drugs decides whether it is dangerous to human health, Ilkov said.