Ex-Bulgarian PM: Infamous Notebook Is My Rule's Bad Side

Bulgaria's former Prime Minister and GERB leader, Boyko Borisov, photo by BGNES

People have told me many times that Iskra Fidosova used my name and Tsvetanov's name to conduct shady deals without us knowing it, says former Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov.

It was announced Thursday that Iskra Fidosova, a former Chair of the Parliamentary Legal Committee and key lawmaker from Borisov's opposition center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, had decided to leave Parliament and quit her membership in the party's executive committee.

Fidosova said then she would remain a member of the party and explained this was her own decision because she wanted to "clear her name" after allegations emerged that she secretly gave orders to Filip Zlatanov, Chair of Bulgaria's Commission on Prevention and Ascertainment of Conflict of Interest, during GERB's term in power.

In a statement, Fidosova maintained her innocence.

Speaking for the Bulgarian National Television, Borisov made it clear that he had pushed her towards the above resignation, saying he invited her for a talk, which lasted over one hour, and at the end she made the decision.

The leader of GERB stated Filip Zlatanov' infamous notebook reflected the negative part of his and GERB's rule.

The scandal flared after the prosecution charged Zlatanov with malfeasance in office and showed a "very interesting" notebook they found in his desk. From the notes, it emerged that a female, with initials I.F., has given him instructions about the cases.

He admitted he wrote the notes, but said he did not remember any details.

"I am telling you that for certain I have not been aware such things were cooking in the last four years," Borisov told the TV host.

He explained he had asked numerous times Fidosova and former Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, whose initials are also found in the notebook, if they knew about backstage dealings, but both have firmly denied it.

"If such things were done with my knowledge, I would not have made this decision about Fidosova. I have told everyone in GERB to not fight with institutions or political parties in such manner," stated the former PM.

Borisov went on to criticize the political wars in the country and the hatred between political formations, admitting he has been at fault for it as well.

He blasted the Socialist-endorsed Cabinet of PM, Plamen Oresharski, saying the only good deed it had done so far was to elect Vladimir Pisanchev to lead the National Security Agency, DANS.

"I approve of Pisanchev. He is a great intelligence officer, a career intelligence officer. I was the one to appoint him Deputy Director of DANS during my term. I called him and congratulated him," said the GERB leader.

He rejected reports that he might enter into a coalition with the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, as absolute rumors and speculations.

"I respect the many people who voted for BSP, but I do not respect the party's leadership," Borisov explained.

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