President Radev: MoI Chief Secretary Zhivko Kotsev's ties with big-time smugglers are a mockery of statehood

"For me, this is an attempt to transform a purely criminal case into a political one for electoral purposes" - this is how President Rumen Radev commented on the cigarette smuggling investigation and the arrests at the Customs Agency.

The President recalled that last year, for a month, “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” had insisted that he release former Ministry of Interior Chief Secretary, Petar Todorov, in Radev's words - "a deeply honest man who did not get involved in any scam". According to the head of state, “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” have appointed a Chief Secretary whom they can trust and through whom they can push policies.

"As much as Denkov, Petkov, Atanasov (of WCC-DB) turn a blind eye to the facts that surface daily around Zhivko Kotsev (current Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior), these facts lead to the Law on the Ministry of Interior and incompatibility with the post, because the prestige of the ministry is deeply damaged. In my opinion, such extensive links between the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior and big-time smugglers is a mockery of statehood."

It should be thoroughly checked whether there was any pressure against Zhivko Kotsev as well as whether Kalin Stoyanov's (Minister of Interior) name is also linked to the smuggling, the President said.

"I watch with pity as Mr Denkov (ex Prime Minister) says, 'He doesn't know these were bad people'. What kind of Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior are you if you don't know who you go to luxury resorts with, who you go naked to the sauna with and who you receive expensive gifts from."

Radev congratulated the State Agency for National Security (SANS) and its director Plamen Tonchev for their courage when "digging into the highest levels of governance to protect the state".

"If I had succumbed to the hysteria to dismiss Plamen Tonchev last year, we would not know anything about these disgraces now," he said.

How far do the acquaintances of those accused of cigarette smuggling extend?