Bulgarian Deputy Interior Minister Resigns over Spy Past

Domestic | December 20, 2010, Monday // 13:46|  views

The Deputy Interior Minister, Pavlin Dimitrov, has resigned from his post over ties with the Communist State Security. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Deputy Interior Minister, Pavlin Dimitrov, submitted his resignation on Monday, just days after he was exposed as a former agent of the Communist State Security.

"I submit my resignation fully aware of the responsibility that I have in front of the government. Amidst the ongoing debate about the State Security files I think that my presence in the Interior Ministry will breed new and unnecessary speculations," reads Pavlin Dimitrov's letter to the prime minister.

"This is my personal decision. It is in line with the obligations that I have committed to and my professionalism," it adds.

The news comes hours after Prime Minister Boyko Borisov signed the resignation of the Minister without Portfolio for Bulgarians Abroad, Bozhidar Dimitrov, over the same reason.

Almost half of Bulgaria's ambassadors and consuls provided information to communist secret services before the fall of the regime in 1990, according to data released last week in the capital Sofia by the committee overseeing secret records.

The former agents also include Bulgaria's current ambassadors to neighbouring Turkey, Greece and Romania, as well as its representatives in Moscow, Geneva, Beijing, Tokyo, at the Vatican and the United Nations.

The quota of informants in the diplomatic service appears to have been much higher than in other areas - such as politics and the media, where about 10 per cent of all employees served as agents.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Foreign Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, sent Sunday a letter to President Georgi Parvanov, featuring a list of Ambassadors, who were exposed as collaborators and agents of the Communist secret services, demanding their recall.

The recall can be done only by a decree signed by Parvanov, however, the latter already declared several times he opposes the recall.

Borisov informed Brussels and NATO have been alarmed over the President's statements these Ambassadors have contributions for Bulgaria's joining of the EU and the Alliance.

Parvanov was also exposed in 2006 as a former State Security agent, working under the alias Gotse.

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Tags: Nikolay Mladenov, Foreign Minister, Pavlin Dimitrov, Minister without Portfolio, Minister for Bulgarians Abroad, resignation, Diaspora Minister, Bozhidar Dimitrov, Boyko Borisov, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, Ambassadors, special surveillance devices, Communist State Security, collaborators, Bulgarian diplomats, NAAF, for Bulgarians Abroad

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