Caretaker Minister Dechev on the Scandal around the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior: "Old Cops Using Dirty Tricks"

Emil Dechev has voiced full support for acting Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kandev amid the growing scandal surrounding him.

In a Facebook post, Dechev wrote that “old cops” were using “dirty tricks” — tactics he described as all too familiar and worn out — to undermine and neutralise Kandev, who, according to Dechev, has become widely popular in Bulgaria thanks to the work he has done over the past two months.

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“The aim is for him to be framed and publicly destroyed. I express my full support for Georgi Kandev. I have absolutely no doubts about his integrity. Soon, the future Minister of Interior will also bear enormous responsibility for resolving this artificially prepared scandal,” Dechev said.

He also highlighted the role of the Ministry of Interior in fighting vote-buying.

“Within just two months, the caretaker government and the Ministry of Interior demonstrated determination and resolve to reduce election-related crimes to the lowest possible level — this plague on Bulgarian democracy. This was achieved through hard work, courage and uncompromising action.

It was a real and dangerous fight against the forces of darkness seeking to manipulate the will of the sovereign — the Bulgarian people — during elections. In this war, our opponent has serious allies in key positions within the judiciary’,” Dechev added.