Brazen, more brazen, the most brazen! Today, unfortunately, we once again had to listen to Ivan Demerdzhiev, better known as Mr. "I was punctual with the money". It was probably more than clear to all viewers for what purpose Demerdzhiev appeared in the studio of one of the national television stations. Kalin Stoyanov wrote this on his Facebook profile and added:
He patiently waited for the "accidentally" question asked, because of which he was actually there, about the case in which he is a defendant.
Demerdzhiev tried to impress on the audience how "insignificant" was the proceedings in question, a criminal case in connection with an additional agreement signed by him, by which the value of a public procurement contract for the production of new Bulgarian personal documents was increased by 82 million leva. This is a document signed two days before he left the post of Minister of Internal Affairs.
The conversation purposefully used terminology such as "the case has been resolved", "the court has made a decision" and other similar suggestions, obviously with the aim of belittling the committed act and creating the impression that the court case has ended in Demerdzhiev's favor.
However, the facts presented in the media show otherwise: the court has returned the case to the prosecutor's office to refine the accusation, a procedure that is common in criminal proceedings. This in no way means termination or acquittal. Ivan Demerdzhiev continues to be accused of committing a serious crime within the meaning of the Criminal Code.
It is well known in the Ministry of Interior system how Demerdzhiev pursued directors of administrative directorates on the floors and corridors of the ministry, putting personal pressure on them to agree on the supplementary agreement in question. The real reason for the dismissal of one of his deputies is also known. Demerdzhiev personally proposed and insisted to the acting Prime Minister Galab Donev for the dismissal of Monica Beecher from the post of Deputy Minister of the Interior, after she categorically refused to sign the scandalous supplementary agreement under which he is now on trial.
We also heard how Demerdzhiev conveniently and silently passed over the issue of the head of the 05th Police Department-Sofia, who is currently being held in custody and accused of participating in an organized criminal group for the distribution of narcotics and arson. He was appointed to this position personally by Ivan Demerdzhiev - a fact for which he preferred not to give any explanation.
After a special operation was carried out on the territory of the Lovech region and Sofia, 6 people were brought in as defendants, 3 of whom are employees of the 5th Regional Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Sofia. One of those detained in the operation by the "Internal Security" Directorate and the General Directorate of the Police, is the head of the 5th Regional Police Department - Plamen Maximov. On December 16, Maximov was released under house arrest with an electronic tracking bracelet. His lawyer explained at the time that he had requested release from arrest because he was taking care of sick parents.
The District Prosecutor's Office - Lovech announced that they will file a protest with the Court of Appeal - Veliko Tarnovo, with which they will request that the head of the 5th Regional Police Department also be detained.