The testimony given by Oleg Nevzorov is quite interesting and, I believe, to a large extent, shed light on what happened and what allowed the situation to develop into what we found when I took office. In effect, an entire town emerged out of nowhere, without anyone knowing about it or taking action against it. That was what Minister of Interior, Ivan Demerdzhiev, told journalists on June 23 at a briefing in Plovdiv, commenting on the Baba Alino proparty scandal and the questioning of the owner of KYB Corporation in Varna.
Oleg Nevzorov Was Interviewed As a Witness In Connection with the Illegal Construction in Baba Alino
“Oleg Nevzorov was being sought in order to provide testimony. He was intercepted by our officers immediately upon entering the country, even though he entered through a Schengen border rather than a border crossing with passport control. On the very day he arrived, Nevzorov gave testimony and continued to do so over the following days. He was then handed over to the Varna Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, where the process is continuing to this day.”
According to the Minister of Interior, Nevzorov’s testimony sheds light on the mechanism by which certain officials “turned a blind eye”.
“To a large extent, it clarifies the way in which certain officials, so to speak, turned a blind eye. It also sheds light on other interesting circumstances related to the imposition and subsequent lifting of a compulsory administrative measure. By ‘turning a blind eye’, I mean assistance provided for various practices from which he and KYB Corporation benefited.”
“It is also important to note something else. Clearly, we are seeing a change in the situation and growing confidence in the Bulgarian law enforcement authorities. Instead of having to track down individuals across the world, many of them are now coming forward voluntarily, cooperating and doing everything necessary to establish the objective truth. This case is another example of that.”
Asked whether it was clear where Nevzorov had been staying, Demerdzhiev replied:
“Everything is clear, and everything will be clarified. I cannot provide further details.”
The minister also stated that the owner of KYB Corporation had enjoyed protection at the highest levels.
Demerdzhiev was attending the official opening of the renovated buildings of the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection in Plovdiv.
“We are facing a difficult season. The risk of wildfires is extremely high, and we are putting in place organisational and coordination measures to mobilise all available state resources, as well as international assistance accessible to us, in order to prevent fires and ensure that any outbreaks are extinguished quickly and with the least possible damage.”
Millions Allocated for Road Safety Remain Unused While Road Accidents Continue to Rise
The Interior Minister also commented on the National Audit Office’s report on road safety.
“Even before the National Audit Office’s report was published—which, incidentally, covers a period during which the caretaker prime minister was head of the Audit Office and apparently failed to exercise proper oversight over his government’s spending—one of the first things we did was examine how road safety funds were being used.
“In light of the Prime Minister’s instructions to treduce the toll of road casualties, it became clear that some of these funds had not been spent entirely for their intended purpose. We immediately took measures within both the political cabinet and the professional leadership to end such practices. From now on, all expenditure requests related to road safety should be thoroughly justified and supported by evidence of their expected impact on traffic safety.
“The National Audit Office’s report, which was published later, confirmed our observations, concerns and findings.”
Commenting on the new artificial intelligence-powered traffic cameras, Demerdzhiev said:
“We are doing everything possible to automate the process. Today I was informed that data from the cameras is now being transferred for the issuing of electronic penalty notices through an almost fully automated system.
“The aim is to minimise the amount of administrative processing carried out by police officers and allow more officers to be deployed on the streets. I was informed that, following the latest system upgrades, the level of automation has exceeded 80 per cent, which is a satisfactory result. I expect to see tangible results soon in the detection and recording of all types of traffic offences.”
The cameras will be capable of detecting offences including dangerous manoeuvres, speeding, failure to wear seatbelts and other traffic violations.
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