FIRST IN PEAK TV! Deputies listen to Asen Vasilev because of the OPG in customs. He is as clean as a tear: I do not know father and son Dimitrovi (LIVE)

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The temporary parliamentary committee to investigate the corruption practices in the Customs Agency is listening to the former finance minister Asen Vasilev.

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The scandal in customs dates back to the beginning of April, when the director of the agency, Petya Bankova, was arrested. In the course of the investigation, it became clear that Bankova knew Stefan and Marin Dimitrovi, and the three are accused of participating in an organized criminal group for smuggling, money laundering and bribery. During the court session, the testimony of a witness was quoted, according to which the Dimitrovs were also acquainted with the former Finance Minister Asen Vasilev.

The meeting was opened by the presiding Toshko Yordanov, who announced that there was a quorum and read the agenda.

The word was given to Georgi Gospodinov, head of the “Captain Andreevo” border crossingcurrently working in another capacity, gave a brief presentation on the subject.

“I adhere to data that came out of the press center and in the media,” he announced and shared how the scandal affects him, his family and his relatives. Gospodinov pointed out that the results of the work of the employees of “Captain Andreevo” are indisputable. Record amounts of contraband cigarettes were seized – large, significant shipments of over 1 million pieces. More than 115 pre-trial proceedings were also instituted in just one year. Over 1.1 million illegal items from Turkey have been stopped.

“Against the background of all these results, something quite unpleasant happened for me and my colleagues. There was a press release from the Customs Agency, after which the next day staff transfers began. Some were posted over 100 km from their native places. In this press release said that there is information from outside offices about corrupt practices in the Bulgarian customs. The accusation of officials who are conscientious affects their families. The process of creating a good customs officer is many complex,” Georgi Gospodinov also stated.

He explicitly emphasized that the employees of “Captain Andreevo” are proven professionals and supplemented his summary with more examples of combating smuggling and customs fraud.

Gospodinov explained how to proceed in case of suspicion of corrupt practices towards an employee. He stated that the Inspectorate of the “Customs” Agency notifies the prosecutor’s office in such cases.

Nikolay Petkov from the Customs Agency stated in his turn that he was the head of the unit and head of the Lesovo border crossing point and subsequently of “Captain Andreevo”. He is currently an ordinary employee of the “Captain Andreevo” border crossing in the Second Operational Unit. He also highlighted the good achievements in stopping smuggled goods and customs fraud. Petkov emphasized that “people need more confidence”.

Toshko Yordanov gave the floor to his colleagues to ask questions.

Temenuzka Petkova from GERB-SDS asked the two customs officers how to proceed in the case of reports of violation by the officials and whether they were not forcibly moved, without a legal basis, whether they were pressured and threatened – in order to put “their own people” in their place.

Georgi Gospodinov stated that they were not given an explanation for their relocation. Within two or three days of the message going out from the partner offices, they were moved. “I will ask the commission not to answer the question of whether I was pressured, as I have signed before the prosecutor’s office that I will not disclose data while the pre-trial proceedings last.”

Hamid Hamid of DPS asked the two officials whether they were influenced by people’s representatives, to which both Gospodinov and Petkov stated that there was no interference by deputies during their work.

The customs officials were asked what amount of drugs was detained in a year, to which Gospodinov gave detailed figures of the types of drugs detected, pointing out that the Customs Agency itself can provide very clear and detailed data.

Rumen Gechev from BSP pointed out that the changes of customs officials could be for two reasons – to relocate officials who are prone to corrupt practices, but also the second reason – to provide a team to serve “other purposes”. “When the new manager came, what do the rest of the employees in their places do? Do they become criminals? Does the team notify if the boss orders them – don’t check this truck, for example?” Gechev asked.

Georgi Gospodinov stated that the customs officers of “Captain Andreevo” are “very conscientious colleagues.” And the turmoil came from the fact that there are colleagues with service violations and then they were transferred. And that’s not really the case, and that affected the lineup.”

Gechev clarify your question: “With the Turkish side, how do you, the customs and the units you work, interact? After you know that trucks with cigarettes, drugs and other things are trying to pass, do you notify your superiors and they notify the Turkish side?” “.

Gospodinov answered that Turkey is a third country: “Operational cooperation with the Turkish administration is carried out according to the order of the director of the Customs Agency, which specifies how we communicate. Regarding the exchange of operational risk information, this is done at a higher level at the Customs Agency, we simply provide them with information”.

Stanislav Balabanov from ITN asked: “Do you have information that Marin and Stefan Dimitrovi visited “Captain Andreevo” and “Lesovo”? And if it is true, with which customs officials did these people correspond, at what level were they?”.

Georgi Gospodinov stated that while he was working at “Captain Andreevo”, he was not aware that the Dimitrovs visited the station. Petkov confirmed the words of his colleague that “Lesovo” had no informal or official meetings with the persons in question.

Konstantin Bachiyski asked if they had heard the names of father and son Dimitrovi and “this notorious Pascal” at the checkpoints. Gospodinov replied: “During the performance of our official duties, we did not become aware that such persons were engaged in smuggling activities, even more so, that this was the work of other services.”

Hamid Hamid asked the two customs officials if “foreign customs officers were sent to help them”. Georgi Gospodinov replied that there is such a practice. “Yes, there was the presence of German customs officials on the “Captain Andreevo” – within a week, their visit was more of a familiarization. At the moment there are two commented officials from the US Border Protection Service. They are currently ., as far as I know they are also on “Captain Andreevo”.

Kliment Shopov from “Vazrazhdane” expressed a personal opinion about the work of the customs officials – that the majority of them should be replaced, and to his comment Gospodinov said that he refused to answer, as this comment was inappropriate.

Rumen Gechev noted: “It is clear that the key issue is risk analysis. Nowhere in the world is it known how much of the shipments are checked. Nowhere do they check a large percentage. You said – the risk analysis is decisive. How did you personally make decisions in the implementation of the information submitted by the risk analysis unit. They give you the task – that these and these trucks should be checked, can you not check them? And second – do you have the right to check trucks and other vehicles in the absence of risk analysis data”.

Georgi Gospodinov answered: “When we talk about central risk analysis, it is carried out at the central level. The next level at which risk analysis can be undertaken is territorial. But every baggage and passenger can be checked. Over 90 % of all discoveries are thanks to the actions we have on the track, in the field”.

Rumen Gechev expressed his astonishment that neither the National Revenue Agency nor the National Tax Service submitted information to the Customs Agency on the condition that there was a development.

Toshko Yordanov stated: “Simple analysis – Asen Vassilev appoints Bankova as the head of customs. Bankova has close contacts with the two Dimitrovs. And there is evidence that these two told her who should be transferred where… My question is – was there another time such a massive redeployment of customs officers on the basis of a press release which is believed to be fabricated?”.

Petkov replied that in previous years there was no such reassignment. “I am not aware of a similar press release by the Customs Agency against its own employees… The transfer of an employee is described in the civil servant law. But in this particular case, practices were alleged and it is strange how they stopped precisely at these employees. Since the information of the partner services was hardly named”.

Yordan Tsonev from DPS took the floor: “It’s not about restructuring. When the structure is changed, it’s one way. When customs officers are moved from one post to another, it’s another. That’s for the record. That’s why I’ll note – there are no structural changes”.

Toshko Yordanov stated that this concludes point 1 and moves on to point 2 – the hearing of People’s Representative Asen Vassilev.

Toshko Yordanov read the written answers to his questions to Asen Vasilev from the previous meeting of the committee. “You should know that Mr. Nedan Hadjiev has done an incredible job in the fight against vote buying. Thank you and have a good day,” said Yordanov.

Vassilev was affected by his summary and stated that for the first time there was a shift in the preferences of the PP in the Haskovo region. “When the work of Mr. Hadjiev began, the preferences of the person in question dropped by half. Suddenly, the voters in the Haskovo region suddenly fell out of love with him.”

“Also very interesting. Like in Khitrino – how they suddenly fell out of love with DPS and suddenly fell in love with PP”, added Yordanov ironically.

Yordan Tsonev stated in his turn that “preferences are the biggest source of corruption in buying votes”.

Raya Nazaryan from GERB-SDS Vassilev asked: “In the Ministry of Finance at the end of 2023, the individuals Marin and Stefan Dimitrovi visited the Ministry of Finance twice, and they were not recorded in the visitors’ diary, but were accompanied by Lachezar Stavrev, an expert at that time in the Minister’s political office of finance and Asen Vasilev’s personal driver. On what occasion did these persons come to you? And why was their visit more than once?”.

Asen Vasilev stated: “The answer is very simple – these persons have not visited the MoF. I have not personally met them… Let me now explain how to enter the MoF. In order for someone to enter, especially the minister, he must be enrolled in my program You all know the chance of someone entering my office without being in my office’s agreement is zero. The door has a pass at the entrance, on the stairwell, and those looking directly at my office door. We have heard from DANS that they have been monitored since 2022. If so, DANS should have records of who they are and how met each other at the end of December 2023, since I spent a lot of time working out the budget the moment they confirm it, you can now ask me the question you asked me”.

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