Interview: Bulgaria ‘will deliver’ on crime

Bulgaria is scaling up its fight against corruption and organised crime with the first sentences now effective, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin told EURACTIV in an interview, also highlighting his country’s difficulties in communicating a more positive image of itself.

Kalfin pointed to recent changes in the Ministry of the Interior, where the minister, Rumen Petkov, was forced to resign in April (EURACTIV 15/05/08) after it was found there had been leaks of information to the mob. He explained that society and public opinion are playing an increasingly significant role since they are taking everything related to corruption and organised crime “very seriously”. The newly established state agency for national security, dubbed “the Bulgarian FBI” by the press, will also help, he added. He said it is already functional and in charge of major investigations. 

The Bulgarian minister admitted that his country has a communication problem with the Commission and a problem with communicating its messages in the broader sense. He regretted that in the press is creating – in his words  – a distorted image by highlighting only deficiencies, despite the country’s “very good history” over the past year and a half. He nevertheless believes the Commission’s approach is fairer, saying he was optimistic that the EU executive would take account of the achievements in its final monitoring report due in July. 

He attached a great importance to the newly established post of Deputy Prime Minister responsible for European Funds, recently taken by Meglena Plugchieva, previously Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Germany (EURACTIV 13/05/08).. He explained that although this post is unique among EU countries, “it has its logic” in Bulgaria due to the need to solve existing problems. 

To read the interview in full, please click here
. 

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