Caretaker Cabinet Has Proposed to the President that the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Be Dismissed

The caretaker Cabinet has proposed to the President that the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Miroslav Rashkov, be dismissed. Caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said he is seeking Deputy Chief Secretary Yavor Serafimov because he wishes to speak with him, and asked the media for assistance.

Acknowledging that his list of reasons was not exhaustive, the caretaker Minister of Interior outlined five main arguments for requesting that the government propose to President, Iliana Iotova, the dismissal of Chief Secretary Rashkov. The first concerned the partial elections for municipal councillors in Pazardzhik, where Dechev said the organisation had been poor and the response slow—even slower than that of citizens in preventing electoral malpractice.

Emil Dechev, Minister of the Interior: “As a caretaker government, we do not have much time to organise free, fair, and lawful elections. Why did we decide to propose the dismissal of the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior? As you know, this is the highest professional post in the Ministry of Interior and plays a key role in the electoral process.”

Other concerns cited by Dechev included the policing of protests at the end of November and the response to extremist provocateurs, which allowed both the endangerment of the health and lives of peaceful protesters and buildings to be burned.

He also pointed to the absence of the Chief Secretary in the “Petrohan” case, which left authorities without information and, in Dechev’s view, enabled the spread of conspiracy theories, even panic, and significant public concern. Another issue was the failure to investigate threats against the mayor of Bistritsa last summer, which recently escalated to the arson of his car and the front door of his house. Finally, according to Dechev, the Chief Secretary has failed to pay fines for driving offences issued via electronic tickets.

Photo by BTA

Dechev said that on Friday he spoke with Deputy Chief Secretary Serafimov, telling him that a separation of roles was necessary. The professional officer responded that he would need to consider the matter and discuss it with his family, and promised to reply the following morning.

Emil Dechev, caretaker Minister of the Interior: “I expected the Deputy Chief Secretary in my office. Unfortunately, he did not come. I began trying to reach him by phone, but he did not respond to my repeated calls. I therefore ask for assistance in locating the Deputy Chief Secretary, as I wish to speak with him.”

The Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior is appointed and dismissed by presidential decree on the proposal of the Council of Ministers, while the Deputy Chief Secretary is appointed and dismissed by order of the Interior Minister.