Bulgaria's PM to Clean Up Mess over Online Census Scandal

The Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov has warned he will dismiss all the people who are to blame for the scandal with the Internet census. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov has announced that all the people who are to blame for the scandal in the National Statistics Institute (NSI) with the Internet census should be dismissed.

Borisov said Friday that he reached this conclusion after discussing it with the Head of NSI, Mariana Kotseva.

On Wednesday, Kotseva submitted her resignation because of the criticism related to the NSI Internet census questionnaire giving as possible answers for ethnic groups: Bulgarian, Turkish, Roma, and a fourth option listing ethnicities such as Bulgarian-Muslim, Macedonian, African-American, among others.

Kotseva stated that NSI was not to blame, but pointed out her decision was made because she is a responsible public servant.

Borisov, however, has refused to accept her resignation because he had good impressions of her. In his words, she speaks three languages and has a related education degree in statistics.

"Kotseva is an expert with proven skills and professional qualities and is highly regarded by partner institutions in Europe," Borisov said Thursday.

However, the Bulgarian PM stated that he will keep Kotseva's resignation in case she does not manage with the work.

"Such a blunder should not happen anymore," Borisov said.

He noted that Kotseva should remain at her position because of two important forthcoming events in Bulgaria.

"The events are connected to the Eurostat conference and to the visit of the EU Commissioner Olli Rehn. I believe that she, as a manager of these events, should stay," he said.

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