site.btaCC-DB Calls on All Politicians to Give up Official Cars

The opposition Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Thursday urged all politicians to give up the official cars they use. "Let them come to work with their own cars," said MP Ivaylo Mirchev (CC-DB). He specified that it should not apply to the President and the Parliament leader, as they must be protected by the National Service for Protection. 

The suggestion follows an announcement by the President that he would be using his own car when traveling with staff members, as a sign of solidarity with them after legal amendments forbade them to use vehicles of the National Service for Protection.

Mirchev urged all politicians to follow suit and give up the official cars.  

In a social media post on the matter, Mirchev said that the chauffeurs employed by state institutions are as many as the soldiers in two battalions, and they use thousands of official vehicles. "The ministries alone have over 3,000 cars and more than 1,000 chauffeurs to drive the politicians and staff," he said.

He recalled that a month ago his group in Parliament proposed legislation saying that MPs - except the Parliament leader - may not use services by the National Service for Protection, but the proposal did not go through. "Why? Because they wanted the keep the security detail of [MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan] Peevski. He is protected by the National Service for Protection, commandos, police and gendarmerie. Any questions of why this is the case, should be addressed to the ruling majority."