site.btaFormer Innovation Minister Rosen Karadimov Will Not Withdraw from CPC Chair Nomination

Former Innovation Minister and current nominee for chair of the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC), Rosen Karadimov, confirmed he would not withdraw his candidacy, citing unprecedented support from employers and trade unions, BSP – United Left press service said here on Saturday. 

Speaking at an interview, Karadimov emphasized that nearly all major social partners in Bulgaria had publicly endorsed his nomination. He explained that his candidacy was put forward by the BSP - United Left parliamentary group after he presented his vision for the CPC.

He noted significant backing from prominent organizations including the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Bulgarian Industrial Association, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria and the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour, the Bulgarian Defence Industry Association – Acad. Stefan Vodenicharov, and the largest livestock association.

Addressing criticism, Karadimov said, "Given the support from two major unions, three leading national employer organizations, and the Bulgarian defence industry, it would be unjustifiable for me to withdraw simply because failed politicians are targeting me without any evidence."

Highlighting his professional background, Karadimov mentioned his role in adopting Bulgaria's Constitution as a member of the Grand National Assembly and his 34-year tenure teaching law at Sofia University, specializing in intellectual property law. Karadimov also cited his managerial achievements, including transforming the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) into a transparent and effective public policy instrument and initiating funding for 11 industrial parks as caretaker innovation and growth minister. 

Karadimov addressed alleged accusations by Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Chair Kiril Petkov, that Karadimov said about a controversial BDB loan, that it is "a regular loan", as baseless, emphasizing his efforts towards transparency and effective governance. Karadimov added that Kiril Petkov's track record consists of turning BDB into a pawnshop and the appointment CC-DB MP Lena Borislavova as a contractor for BDB, with as much as BGN 14,000 in fees.

"Kiril Petkov's accusations that, as Chair of the Supervisory Board, I approved a BGN 100 million loan are unfounded. This loan dates back to 2016, long before my tenure began in 2022. The loan remains fully compliant, continues to generate profits for the bank, and covers various expenses, including payments such as the BGN 14,000 fees for Lena Borislavova, which are currently under investigation by the prosecution service and the Public Financial Inspection Agency," Karadimov clarified.

Karadimov explained that as caretaker minister, he promoted reindustrialization as a key strategy for Bulgaria's economic development, successfully securing funding for 11 industrial parks from limited resources provided by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. He criticized Kiril Petkov for redirecting the Commission for Protection of Competition’s (CPC) focus exclusively on BGN 30 billion in public procurement rather than addressing critical issues like monopolies and cartels. According to Karadimov, this prioritization echoed concerns expressed by GERB leader Boyko Borissov about allocating funds primarily to politically favoured entities.

Karadimov plans to propose removing public procurement from the CPC’s jurisdiction to focus the commission's efforts on combating monopolies, cartels, and conducting thorough sector analyses. He described recent aggressive criticism against him as driven by fear of his commitment to rigorous economic oversight.

The National Assembly opened the procedure for electing a new chair of CPC on February 13. On February 20, BSP – United Left nominated Rosen Karadimov for the position, highlighting his extensive support from both employers and trade unions. CC-DB accused Karadimov of connections with MRF – New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski, and blamed Karadimov for technical issues during the October 2024 parliamentary elections, which Karadimov dismissed as groundless. On February 28, GERB leader Boyko Borissov urged BSP – United Left to publicly clarify their support for Karadimov, emphasizing that GERB's backing depends on such clarification.