Head of Agency for Bulgarians Abroad Dismissed

Rayna Mandzhukova, head of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, a key unit in the process of granting Bulgarian citizenship to foreigners, has been dismissed by the government at its meeting on Wednesday.

She will be replaced by Rossen Ivanov, who served so far as councilor at the cabinet of the Minister for Bulgarians abroad, Bozhidar Dimitrov.

Rayna Mandzhukova is a Bessarabian Bulgarian, who was appointed head of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad after long years of working in it.

“Mandzhukova is not loyal to the state and this is the reason why she has been dismissed,” Minister Dimitrov told Darik radio, but declined to provide details.

Mandzhukova denied any wrongdoing. According to her the government has decided to kick her out of office after she dared to criticize the lack of coordination between state institutions during a visit to the Czech Republic May 21-23. The parliamentary speaker Tsetska Tsacheva was part of the Bulgarian delegation.

“I was foolish enough to believe that Bulgaria is a democratic country. If my statements in the Czech Republic were interpreted as disrespect to the country, I would not agree,” Mandzhukova commented on Wednesday.

According to her Tsetska Tsacheva has threatened her with punishment during the visit.