Ivan Demerdzhiev commented on Kalin Stoyanov's report to the Acting Prosecutor General and to the leadership of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office regarding information he had access to in the case that became known as “PNR-gate“. The Interior Minister pointed out that “he does not have time to read Kalin Stoyanov's fruitless signals and none of them contained anything relevant”, Nova TV reports.
”The filing of a signal by Stoyanov is for me an indication of Peevski pressing a button”, the Interior Minister also said.
Regarding the flights of the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, he added that there are different systems with different records. An investigation is underway into the case, assigned to the “Internal Security” Directorate. According to Demerdzhiev, an attempt is being made to divert attention from the important topic – „how a person like Peevski manages to pay millions for hundreds of flights on a private jet and how he manages to circumvent the „Magnitsky” sanctions.
Demerdzhiev also said that during his upcoming visit to the United States, talks will be held with representatives of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The topic will be what measures can be taken with regard to individuals and legal entities that helped those sanctioned under „Magnitsky” evade sanctions through various actions.
He also added that „the sanctions are proof that this person is involved in massive corruption and should be the focus of attention of law enforcement agencies”. He added that when he took office as minister, he was surprised that Peevski was not in this focus of attention.
The Interior Minister also commented on Desislava Atanasova's claims that she did not travel to another country when she visited Turkey. “There are many things you do not know. Someone misinterpreted my words to Atanasova. They were not a threat, but an attempt to prevent her from helping to distract attention. This issue is secondary to us. But by bringing it into the focus of attention, Atanasova is making facts come out that are generally not that important in the course of the proceedings we are conducting”, the Interior Minister also stated. He added that all questions raised by Atanasova will be answered. “There are quite strange circumstances related to her actions, but I don't want that to be the focus”, he emphasized.
Demerdzhiev again stated that the focus of the work in this case is Peevski - whether he has the funds spent on the flights and where they come from.
And he also commented that he is working “difficult” with the new acting Prosecutor General Vanya Stefanova. However, he expressed hope that the direction of breaking away from political influences is correct and that there is a “break” in the prosecutor's office.