Bulgaria recalled consul in Valencia, PM announced end of political appointments to such posts

Bulgaria’s government has recalled Plamen Georgiev, appointed as consul general in Valencia in Spain. Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said on January 5, 2022, that recalling Georgiev meant an end to political appointments to such posts.

Plamen Georgiev was a former head of Bulgaria’s anti-corruption commission. In April 2019, Plamen Georgiev took a long leave after prosecutors and the National Revenue Agency (NRA) launched an investigation against him. The reason for this was a terrace to his apartment with an area of 186 square metres, which Georgiev did not declare in the declaration of assets, although it was in the notary deed for the property.

Plamen Georgiev resigned as head of the anti-corruption commission on July 31, 2019 following the controversy over the roof terrace of the block of flats where he lives and the same day Bulgaria’s Parliament voted to accept his resignation.

The prosecutors' college in the Supreme Judicial Council on August 5, 2019, reinstated Plamen Georgiev to the post of prosecutor.

On August 9, 2019, Plamen Georgiev, was appointed to the post of Consul General in Valencia in Spain by the third Boyko Borissov government.

There are two reasons for the recall of Plamen Georgiev, the cabinet explained. First, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov stated that Georgiev is a political appointment and that this type of appointment will not happen from now on.

Secondly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later clarified that his recall was aimed at complying with the law, namely: appointments in Bulgaria’s foreign missions to be up to 20% of all heads of diplomatic services.

From now on, political appointments and appointments of people who are not related to the professional activity where they go, especially in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will end. People like Plamen Georgiev, who was appointed entirely for political reasons in Valencia, Spain, I suggest that we recall him today and that this be a symbol that this type of political appointment is not the method and the way things will go from now on," said Prime Minister Petkov.

The cabinet clarified that an additional motive for recalling Georgiev is the public dissatisfaction in Bulgaria and in the Bulgarian diaspora in the Kingdom of Spain for the appointment of Georgiev as consul in 2019.

This change to our representative in Valencia was proposed to also show that it is right to reduce political appointments to a minimum and instead Bulgaria to be represented internationally and domestically by people who have the best qualities for the relevant position," Lena Borislavova, government spokeswoman, said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that Plamen Georgiev was appointed on August 9, 2019 at the suggestion of the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva, and the recall was aimed at optimising the political quota in the leadership of our embassies and consulates. By law, 20% of our ambassadors and consuls may be from a political quota, not career diplomats, but, according to the cabinet, this quota has been exceeded.

Speaking to BNT, Plamen Georgiev doubted the motives and saw revenge in the actions of the government.

"Obviously, this is not the reason for my recall. The reason, I think it is clear to everyone and that it is rooted in revenge in connection with my previous work, in which I affected a lot of interests. We seized property for millions. Even for billions. More than 2 billion during my term as head of the anti-corruption commission, so we have affected many interests and that is the real reason," said Plamen Georgiev.

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