Bulgaria Deputy DefMin 'Threat to National Security' - Patriotic Front

Orhan Ismailov, an ethnic Turk who has been appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, could disclose secret information to the Turkish intelligence, a nationalist leader has said.

Orhan Ismailov owes his "heady career" to the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), Valeri Simeonov, who co-chairs the nationalist coalition Patriotic Front, told the Bulgarian National Television.

Last Wednesday Simeonov placed a one-week ultimatum saying Prime Minister Boyko Borisov should decide within that time whether to replace Ismailov, adding the PF could withdraw its support from the cabinet if the "controversial deputy" is in.

So far Borisov has declined to make the reshuffle demanded by the nationalists.

Later on Wednesday Simeonov flew into anger after the host of the Bulgarian National Radio's morning broadcast asked him why the PF was rejecting Ismailov only because of his name.

"We will never be against any Turkish name," he made clear, adding Ismailov's political biography was rather dubious.

Just aged 23 Ismailov was appointed "by the DPS" to the "Commission for Control on Information," Simeonov said, perhaps referring to the State Commission on Information Security (DKSI) of which he was Deputy Chair between 2003 and 2007.

"Then he was sent to another commission. Even if he were [Albert] Einstein he would not have had such capabilities."

He also cited as an evidence the fact that Korman Ismailov from the Freedom and Dignity People's Party (NPSD, part of co-ruling Reformist Bloc) who raised the deputy's candidacy, had studied in the Turkish city of Konya where Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had supervised his Master's thesis. However, Davutoglu has never taught there.

Simeonov and Krasimir Karakachanov, the other PF co-head, are set to meet Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev later on Wednesday.

Karakachanov later denied any ultimatum had been placed and asserted that the Patriots were still firmly behind the government.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!