site.btaUPDATED Interior Minister "Surprised" by Kandev's Resignation

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said on Monday that the decision of acting Interior Ministry Secretary General Georgi Kandev to leave the ministry came as a surprise to him. "Not only did no one obstruct him, but at no point did he receive anything other than support in his work," Demerdzhiev told a briefing in Sofia.

Demerdzhiev added that he had neither any doubts about Kandev nor any intention of seeking his resignation.

"He presented me with reasons that were entirely personal in nature. Men should speak openly and face to face, and if there was something he needed to say, he should have said it to me directly rather than having us read posts," the minister said.

"I wish him success, including in his future political career, but it is not particularly commendable to walk away and leave your people behind when you are in the eye of the storm," the minister added.

He said that the Interior Ministry's political leadership is not yet ready with a nominee for the permanent position of Secretary General.

Under the established procedure, when there is no permanent secretary general of the Interior Ministry and no deputy secretary general, as is currently the case, the position is assumed by the director of the National Police. At present, the acting Director of the General Directorate National Police is Emil Parmakov, who has been temporarily reassigned to the post.