site.btaUPDATED Finance Minister Petkova Accuses MRF Co-Leader Chakarov of Tarnishing Good Name of Bulgaria and Its Government Institutions

Caretaker deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova accused one of the two chairpersons of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Dzhevdet Chakarov, of undermining her good name and reputation, the prestige of state institutions and Bulgaria as a whole, by presenting false and unproven information to the media. Petkova claimed that Chakarov is creating a false impression about her actions, as well as about the work of two of the most serious and prestigious state institutions in the country. Petkova’s position was made public in a press release by the Finance Ministry, prompted by a media statement of Chakarov about pressure on MPs from the MRF.

The Finance Minister denied having received a letter that Chakarov claims to have sent to her asking whether a meeting with the National Revenue Agency (NRA) and the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission (CCUAAFC) had been organised.

Petkova urged Chakarov not to stake Bulgaria's image with European and international partners to achieve his personal political ambitions, casting doubts on the impartiality and independence of Bulgarian institutions, and for not respecting the basic principles of the rule of law.

"I categorically oppose Mr. Chakarov’s manipulative allegations about my involvement in behind-the-scenes political arrangements, suggesting suspicions of "abuse of power and authority" in society, as well as political dependence of the institutions", the Finance Minister said.

In her position, Petkova also stated that Chakarov’s unsubstantiated allegations create a public perception of non-compliance with the law, disregard for the independence of institutions and their use to settle political schemes, which, besides being untrue, destroys public confidence in state institutions.

On July 26, Chakarov said that CCUAAFC has launched large-scale checks on MRF MPs, excluding the other chairperson, Delyan Peevski, and his supporters. Chakarov, who was expelled by Peevski from the party’s parliamentary group along with 16 other members, was speaking at a news briefing in Parliament on Friday.

Chakarov addressed Petkova, asking her to confirm or deny rumours about a meeting between the counter-corruption committee, the Finance Ministry, NRA and "certain individual" whom he would not name and who allegedly initiated the meeting. At this meeting, the competent authorities were allegedly instructed to launch the said massive checks.