Bulgarian Government Dismisses Chief of Refugee Agency

President of the State Agency for Refugees Nikolay Chirpanliev. Photo: BGNES/EPA

The Council of Ministers announced on Monday that the President of the State Agency for Refugees Nikolay Chirpanliev has been dismissed.

Chirpanliev's deputy Vasil Varbanov will take over as acting head until the appointment of a new holder.

Chirpanliev headed the key agency in October last year – at the peak of the wave of refugees, electronic daily Dnevnik reminds.

On several occasions Chirpanliev made inappropriate comments – comparing the refugees to the Huns and accusing Amnesty International of being a deceitful organisation.

Vasil Danov, who is in charge of public relations at the agency, said that official information on the government's decision was still lacking.

The government has not disclosed any motives for the dismissal of Chirpanliev.

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