Video-Spying Scandal Shakes Bulgaria's Defense Ministry

Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Anyu Angelov, confirmed reports of an illegal videotaping scandal at his Ministry. Photo by BGNES

The Military Prosecutor's Office is probing a case involving illegal video surveillance in hotels and clubs in Bulgaria, belonging to the Defense Ministry, Defense Minister, Anyu Angelov, has confirmed.

Angelov declined saying if high-ranking officers and generals have been subject to the surveillance on the grounds the probe is ongoing.

According to the Bulgarian daily "Standard," the probe involves a camera hidden in a clock in the "Shipka" hotel in Sofia, used by the Defense Ministry and managed by its "Social Functions" Agency.

Angelov said in a TV interview the Agency became involved in some murky affairs during the term of his predecessor, Nikolay Tsonev, from the Three-Way Coalition cabinet, such as collecting information that can be used for blackmail. Before being appointed as Minister, Tsonev was the Agency's head.

The now-Defense Minister explained his institution has a video-surveillance system, operating legally, adding hidden cameras have not been used since the new cabinet of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party took office last summer.

"Standard" further writes, citing undisclosed sources, the camera was located in room 222 of the "Shipka" hotel, and the said room had been a video-monitoring center, collecting information from all clubs and hotels of the Defense Ministry. The camera equipment has already been confiscated by the Military Prosecutor.

The newspaper cites the former security chief of the Agency, Nikolay Markov, admitting he had ordered the hidden camera to be mounted in the clock he brought from home, but insisting the device was never used and was kept locked in a metal file cabinet in room 222, which was actually his office at the time.

Meanwhile, Nikolay Tsonev firmly denied any involvement, telling reporters during his term recoding and videotaping was done only at the reception area of the hotel and in front of the room where classified files were kept. He said the illegal camera must have been placed after he left office, and stressed he learned from the media the news about it.

Another ex Defense Minister, Nikolay Svinarov, from the cabinet of former Tsar, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, told the Bulgarian National Radio, the case, for sure, did not involve political blackmail and trading in influence, but was, most likely, a remnant of old Communist practices.

On Tuesday, the Sofia City Court began the trial against Tsonev, who is facing the magistrates on bribing charges.

Last week, Tsonev, was acquitted by the same court on charges of abuse of power over a public procurement tender.

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