Bulgaria's New Military Police Head Fired over Abuse of Power

Bulgaria's Defense Minister Mladenov (front row, middle) at the opening of the academic year at the military academy in Sofia. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, has fired the recently appointed head of the Military Police Service, Brigade General Ivan Mechkov.

The news was announced Monday by Mladenov himself at the Military Academy "Georgi Rakovski" in Sofia, where he opened the new academic year. 

On August 28, the Sofia Military Prosecutor's Office completed its investigation of Mechkov, and charged him with abuse of power and criminal breach of trust over the issuing of a permit for access to classified information.

Mechkov was appointed Military Police Director at the end of the term of the Stanishev government. He was later confirmed with a decree of President Georgi Parvanov.

However, according to the Defense Minister Minister Mladenov, Mechkov never assumed the position because he did not have a permit to work with classified information. Last week Mladenov announced that Mechkov had issued such a permit to himself; this "permit" was annulled by the Minister.

Mechkov's permit for access to classified information was delayed after he did not submit on time all the necessary documentation to the State Information Security Commission.

 

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