DIRECT Clash: Kiril Petkov and Kalin Stoyanov exchanged lines about meetings, police violence and… cinema

PP-DB co-chairman Kiril Petkov and Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov got into a direct confrontation on the air of “Hello, Bulgaria”.

Petkov asked Stoyanov whether he had received a call from him since August, when they last met, or whether he himself had gone to the Ministry of the Interior. To this the minister replied: “Sir, Petkov, until August?”. A second question followed – whether the PP-DB co-chairman indicated specific names for appointments: “I said that until August – yes. We haven’t heard from each other since. Until then, there were many conversations with you – personal meetings and on the phone,” explained Stoyanov.

Petkov: Kalin Stoyanov was submitted as an expert by GERB

“This is very easily verifiable”, answered the Minister of Energy when asked by Petkov how many meetings they had at the Ministry of the Interior. In the end, the exact number did not become clear, despite the PP-DB deputy’s insistence, but it was definitely not one.

Stoyanov explained that he had conversations with Delyan Peevski and Boyko Borisov in the plenary hall and outside it – on the sidelines of the National Assembly. “And I have had conversations with you at the Ministry of the Interior and on the phone. I want to remind Petkov that the operational management of the services is entrusted to the chief secretary”, said the interior minister to the co-chairman of the PP.

The minister specified that the talks with Petkov ended when the PP-DB co-chairman realized that he would not succumb to his influence. “No, the talks ended when you took responsibility for fair elections. Whether you did well is a separate topic. My problem at the moment is that you not only have to distinguish yourself, but you have to do everything possible to find out who the people are, so that the Ministry of Internal Affairs will never again be in the situation as it was the other night”, insisted Petkov.

Stoyanov: In many telephone conversations, Petkov tried to interfere in the activities and personnel policy of the Ministry of the Interior

Stoyanov replied that they are doing exactly that now. “An inspection of the entire event has been scheduled. It is carried out by the “Inspectorat” Directorate and the GDNP. Within these days that have passed, we already have results. Today we will familiarize the media with them”, he explained and specified that he will provide the data to the deputies as well.

“I saw many other shots where police officers were hit, pushed, spat on and thrown,” Stoyanov is categorical. “You are responsible for all police actions. We congratulate the boys – over 95% of them who did brilliantly. Your role is for those few who didn’t do great and were the people, to take full responsibility that it doesn’t happen again. This is what we want, not for you to justify yourself”, Petkov said for his part. “I’m not making excuses! You are trying to put all field workers under a common denominator. Because of the fact that two, three, five people had too much adrenaline and exceeded their rights and will be held responsible,” added Stoyanov, and Petkov denied putting the employees under a common denominator.

Petkov appealed to the minister: “The next time there is a protest, don’t go to the cinema, but watch what is happening, because you are responsible for all the policemen”, he demanded. Stoyanov explained: “The important thing is that the professional figure – the chief secretary – should be on the ground. The next time there is an event like this, you come. In the first row to experience the emotion of the protesters”, the minister invited him. “I certainly won’t be at the cinema next to you,” the PP-DB co-chairman assured him.