Bulgaria Ex-EconMin: Top Cop Fired Me, Successor Wanted to Quit

Domestic | March 16, 2012, Friday // 12:35|  views

Bulgaria's ruling party GERB kicked out Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism Traicho Traikov (L) and Health Minister Stefan Konstantinov (R). Photo by BGNES.

Bulgaria's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsevetanov was the one who demanded the resignation of Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov, Traikov himself told reporters on Friday.

Traikov added that Tsvetanov cited no reasons for demanding his resignation.

"No motives were specified, besides the half-hearted mention of awkward situation in Qatar, which is ridiculous," the former Economy Minister revealed. He referred the fiasco of the Bulgarian business forum in Doha, which was not attended by even one single Qatari businessman.

Tsvetanov himself claimed early on Friday that Traikov had resigned over "personal reasons".

According to Traikov, however, the real reason for his ousting was his stance on the Belene nuclear plant and the South Stream gas pipeline projects.

"I watched the Prime Minister's interview, he said some things and if they happen the way he said, then I will be wrong. But if Belene is fulfilled the way it is now, then I won't be wrong. If our position in favor of 59 kilometers in South Stream and returns of over 8% is not supported, then I won't be wrong," he explained.

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov had stated that the reactor initially meant for Belene will be used in Bulgaria's sole existing NPP, Kozloduy – a stance supported by Traikov.

Martin Dimitrov, leader of the right-wing Union of Democratic Forces, already stated that Belene lobbyists may be behind Traikov's dismissal.

Traicho Traikov also revealed that his former Deputy Delyan Dobrev who was named as his successor on Friday actually wanted to quit with him late on Thursday.

"If my successor really is Delyan Dobrev, he wanted to quit together with me last night. If he has accepted (to become Economy Minister) as the PM announced, I would be happy. He can cope with that," Traikov said.

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Tags: Traicho Traikov, resigned, Economy Minister, health minister, Economy and Energy Minister, Delyan Dobrev, Menda Stoyanova, Desislava Atanasova, Nikolay Mladenov, Belene, Qatar, businessmen, forum Qatari, Nikolay Mladenov, Foreign Affairs Minister, health minister, Economy Minister, resigned, Traicho Traikov, Stefan Konstantinov, GERB, Boyko Borisov

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