Chief of Sofia metropolitan police directorate has been replaced

Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior (SDVR) will have a new chief as of today, caretaker Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov said on May 19.

The replacement of Georgi Hadzhiev was announced to journalists in Plovdiv, where the minister arrived because of an operation against corrupt police officers in the 3rd police station.

Regarding the release of Georgi Hadzhiev as the Head of Sofia metropolitan police directorate, the caretaker Minister said: I cannot accept that a chief who has watched calmly how police beat young people who were protesting in the centre of Sofia and under the columns of the Council of Ministers building (referring to the anti-government protests in the summer), remained indifferent. I will take the strictest measures, hoping that the style of work of these employees will change. The law provides for the duties and rights of police officers, nowhere in the law it is said that they can beat children on the streets or anywhere else. While I am a minister, I will be uncompromising towards such practices," Rashkov said.

A few days ago, the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Ivaylo Ivanov, was also released from the post.

According to him, there are demoted police directors in some areas of the country.

Rashkov also said that he did not think it was right for the heads of the most important services in the country to take leave until September (heads of the State Agency for National Security and State Intelligence Agency had been on leave since 7 May until 6 September), at a time when elections are being prepared. According to him, they are hiding. "It will soon become clear what will happen on this issue," he said.

The caretaker Minister of Interior denied speculations that he was carrying out a purge.

He said he had released two people because of retirement age. He said he has created a special unit with the necessary staffing.

"This is not a purge. Those who have committed violations will be invited to leave," he said.

Чуйте последните новини, където и да сте!
Последвайте ни във Facebook и Instagram
Следете и канала на БНТ в YouTube
Вече може да ни гледате и в TikTok
Намерете ни в Google News