site.btaCC Calls against Pressure to Influence Choice of Next Interior Minister

Continue the Change (CC) issued a position statement on Monday strongly condemning what they see as attempts at political interference in the Interior Ministry's work.

The party expressed particular concern about the reported sending of special messages from the Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior to police officers in the capital. "This act was an unacceptable attempt to manipulate and pressure law enforcers," CC commented.

"It is even more disturbing that police officers have been used to exert pressure on the new caretaker Prime Minister. This clearly shows that the Interior Ministry is used for political purposes, which is unacceptable in a democratic country - the more so when trade unions are involved. The unions are supposed to protect the labour rights of police employees, and not to instigate and exercise political pressure on the caretaker Prime Minister," the statement said.

CC called for immediately putting an end to any actions aimed to influence the choice of the next Interior Minister by organizing protests or exerting pressure on the system's employees. "No one has the right to be a minister for life or to organize protests to help him keep his job," the party said.

"We insist that the new Minister of Interior should be chosen solely on the basis of professional merits and in the best interests of all Bulgarian citizens rather than for the benefit of certain political and economic circles," CC said.

Earlier in the day, uniformed and plainclothes officers of the Interior Ministry gathered near the National Assembly in Sofia. "We are all tired of political parties using the Interior Ministry for political purposes," said Lachezar Kolev of the Security Police.

Caretaker Interior Minister joined the crowd. He commented: "Over the last few days we have seen failed politicians trying to find a 'dummy minister' to help them regain the 300,000 votes they lost at the previous elections."