Bulgarian Ex Police Chief Slams Ant-mafia Unit Reshuffle

Tihomir Stoychev is a former Head of GDBOP's predecessor, the Central Services for Combatting Organized Crime, CSBOP. Photo by BGNES

Tihomir Stoychev, a former chief of Bulgaria's anti-mafia police has strongly criticized the recent reshuffle of law enforcement in the country, saying the police will have to take the entire burden.

Just on Friday, Bulgaria's Parliament approved the merger of the Interior Ministry's Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) into the State Agency for National Security (DANS).

Speaking for Nova TV Saturday, Stoychev, who is a former Head of GDBOP's predecessor, the Central Services for Combatting Organized Crime, CSBOP, said the merger would push away foreign partners such as the EU and NATO over doubts and mistrust in the grounds for such move.

He stressed the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, which authored and sped up the merger, lacks the skills and the tradition of working with NGOs and the expert potential of society.

Stoychev voiced serious doubts the new Coalition in the Parliament would be able to protect the interests of the State.

He further noted that it was unwise to put two intelligence officers on the helm of the Interior Ministry, Tsvetlin Yovchev as Minister and Svetlozar Lazarov as Chief Secretary, as intelligence and police work differed.

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