site.btaFormer Interior Ministry Secretary General Kotsev Charged with Involvement in Criminal Group

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office said on Wednesday that it has charged former Interior Ministry Secretary General Zhivko Kotsev with participating in a criminal group involving Petya Bankova, Marin Dimitrov and Stefan Dimitrov. Kotsev remains free on a bail of BGN 20,000.

Earlier on Wednesday Kotsev appeared at the Counter-Corruption Commission with his lawyers Ilian Vassilev and Daniela Dokovska. “Daniela Dokovska and I are certain that Zhivko Kotsev has not committed any crime,” Vassilev told journalists. “It is a matter of time before we prove our claims. The only body that can provide information is the prosecutor's office,” he said.

Kotsev did not make any statements to the media.

On April 4, the Interior Ministry said that Zhivko Kotsev has tendered his resignation. A day later, he announced at a joint briefing with then-outgoing Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov that he was withdrawing his resignation. Denkov said that Kotsev had submitted his resignation under pressure.

A few days later, Denkov approached ad hoc prosecutor Daniela Taleva who has powers to investigate the prosecutor general in connection with the case of Zhivko Kotsev. On April 9, Dimitar Glavchev's caretaker cabinet adopted a decision proposing to the President to issue a decree terminating the powers of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior. On April 10, Head of State Rumen Radev terminated Kotsev’s powers. Chief Commissioner Dimitar Kangaldzhiev, former deputy of Kotzev. Was appointed interim secretary general.