Bulgaria Nationalist Leader in Hot Water over Anti-Semite Talk

Diplomacy | May 5, 2010, Wednesday // 16:40|  views

Bulgaria's right-wing leader, Ivan Kostov, says the unwavering support of the “Borisov” cabinet on the part of the nationalist Ataka party is very dangerous. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Prosecutor Office must probe the leader of the far-right, nationalist “Ataka” party, Volen Siderov, over his statements involving the Israeli Embassy in Sofia, right-wing leader, Ivan Kostov, declared.

Kostov, who is the leader of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) and co-Chair of the Blue Coalition, which also includes the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), was until recently the rotation Chair of the Parliamentary Ant-corruption Committee. He says Siderov, who succeeded him at the above post, must be investigated for leaks of classified information.

In an interview for the Sunday “Face to Face” political talk show of the TV channel Nova Televizia, the Ataka Chair stated that alleged ringleader, and former undercover secret services agent, Aleksei Petrov, who was arrested in February, had been providing diplomats in Sofia, namely people from the Israeli Embassy, with prostitutes and in exchange had obtained information and powerful contacts.

“This is absurd Antisemitism,” Kostov countered Wednesday, adding that Siderov's statements have been based on, what the latter said was, Petrov's secret file, which is a leak of classified information thus the nationalist leader must be prosecuted.

According to the DSB Chair, such words stir both internal and diplomatic scandals and a tricky situation for Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, especially in the light of the strong reaction of the Israeli Embassy in Sofia in the aftermath of Siderov's TV appearance. (In a press release, distributed Monday, the Israeli Embassy said Siderov never fails in finding “facts” and “truths” that apply to his convictions, conspiracy theories, and claims about the Israeli participation in the world's greatest evils.)

Ataka is the unwavering supporter of the “Borisov” cabinet, securing their Parliamentary majority, something Kostov qualifies as very dangerous because, on one hand side, it can push the government to make hasty decisions and make them dependent from a small, extremist party on the other.

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Tags: Ivan Kostov, Volen Siderov, Aleksei Petrov, Israeli Embassy, prostitution

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