Bulgarian Interior Ministry's Chief Secretary Resigns

Svetlozar Lazarov has stepped down as Chief Secretary of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has confirmed.

First reports came from the Bulgarian National Radio, citing its own sources.

Borisov told reporters in Parliament he had accepted his resignation and was due to sign it later. In his words, Rumyana Bachvarova, his own nominee to become the next Interior Minister, is due to put forward a proposal about who will take over from Lazarov next week.

The head of government hinted he was also waiting for the resignation of counter-intelligence head Vladimir Pisanchev.

This comes as PM Borisov demanded his resignation following a move by now ex-Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov to step down.

Borisov, alongside Vuchkov and other officials, had supported a reshuffle at the Interior Ministry's top management, but took a U-turn earlier this year, and Vuchkov handed his resignation in a sign of disagreement.

Top officials of the main governing party, conservative GERB, had long argued Lazarov does not possess the qualities necessary to keep the post. Lazarov was appointed under the previous elected government, where socialists and liberals were coalition partners.

Vuchkov, for his part, believed the reshuffle was a natural continuation of amendments to the Interior Ministry Act adopted in February.

Earlier on Friday, former Interior Minister (under GERB's previous cabinet) and top GERB official Tsvetan Tsvetanov called on Lazarov and security head Pisanchev, whose resignation is now also demanded by PM Borisov, to step down.

The Chief Secretary has repeatedly come under fire over what many call "failures" of his ministry including the special operation in the town of Lyaskovets last year which left one officer dead.

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