US embassy cable - 05SOFIA1598

UNCLAS SOFIA 001598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FBIHQ FOR OIO/EURASIAN UNIT/BARRY BRAUN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KCRM, ASEC, PINR, BU 
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: CHARISMATIC INTERIOR MINISTRY CHIEF 
RESIGNS 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Interior Ministry Chief Secretary General 
Boiko Borisov, one of Bulgaria's most popular officials, 
submitted his resignation September 14, citing planned 
legislative amendments that significantly curbed his 
position's powers.  In a letter to the President and the PM, 
Borisov said his job at the ministry had become meaningless 
as planned changes to the Interior Ministry Act removed many 
of his powers, including the exchange of information with 
international organizations.  Borisov's resignation comes 
less than a month after the new Socialist-led coalition 
government took over on August 22.  The new Minister of 
Interior, former deputy Socialist-party leader Rumen Petkov, 
made clear that unlike his predecessor, he would not remain 
in the shadow of the highly-popular General.  Petkov 
previewed Borisov's resignation during a September 14 meeting 
with Amb. Beyrle (septel).  The government of Prime Minister 
Sergei Stanishev is expected to accept Borisov's resignation 
September 15.  Borisov's decision made front page headlines 
in Bulgaria amid mounting speculations that the he may enter 
politics and run for a Mayor of Sofia in the October 29 by- 
election.  END SUMMARY 
 
2. (U) In his resignation letter, Borisov said that if the 
draft Interior Ministry Act is adopted, the functions of the 
ministry's political leadership will duplicate those of the 
Chief Secretary.  The proposed changes broaden the powers of 
the political leadership at the expense of the professionals, 
Borisov wrote, noting that the minister will have five 
deputies, while the Chief Secretary will have none. "Given 
the upcoming changes at the Interior Ministry, there is no 
place for me there," Borisov said, adding that his opinion on 
the bill had not been taken into account.  He said he and 
Petkov had tried to work as a team but it didn't work out. 
Petkov, an influential figure in the ruling Socialist Party, 
had put an end to frequent media appearances by Borisov, 
whose popularity is in large measure a result of cultivating 
a press corps that could not seem to get enough of the 
charismatic general. 
 
3. (SBU) The draft Interior Ministry Act, initiated by the 
Ministry's political leadership, is reportedly an attempt to 
boost the efficiency of the ministry's work and achieve a 
better coordination of its services.  A significant change 
from the current law is that while the Chief Secretary 
reportedly retains his formal coordinating functions, all 
police and MoI intelligence services will be under the direct 
supervision of the Minister. In addition, all police services 
would be gathered into one structure, the National Police 
Service.  Its director, as well as the heads of the counter- 
intelligence and firefighting services would report directly 
to the minister.  Currently, the operation of the services 
under the Ministry are coordinated by the Chief Secretary. 
In general, the new law, expected to be passed by parliament 
in October, shifts the balance of power towards the 
ministry's political leadership. 
 
4. (SBU) Borisov, 46, was appointed to the position of 
Interior Ministry Chief Secretary in September 2001 by former 
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg for whom he served as a 
bodyguard before the ex-king took over as PM in July 2001. 
Borisov, who enjoys near-heroic status in Bulgaria, 
constantly led opinion polls over the past four years due to 
his Armani-clad tough guy image and close ties with local 
media, this despite his overall ineffectiveness against 
organized crime.  He did not miss an opportunity to boast 
about successful police operations, especially stressing his 
ties with the Western police and intelligence services.  To 
his credit, he was exceptionally cooperative with U.S. law 
enforcement on a number of specific cases, none of which 
involved major Bulgarian organized crime figures.  His high 
profile under the previous government was in contrast to the 
former Minister's near invisibility.  In a sense, Borisov was 
filling a vacuum.  His opponents, however, point to his past 
connections with strong-arm groups and unsavory business 
interests. 
 
5. (SBU) Speculation was rife over the past weeks as to 
whether Borisov would run for mayor of Sofia in the October 
29 by-election.  Borisov said September 15 he would announce 
his decision in the coming days.  In June, he ran for 
parliament on the ticket of Saxe-Coburg's National Movement 
Simeon II and won MP mandates in two electoral regions, but 
gave up his seat in Parliament to retain his Interior 
Ministry job. 
 
BEYRLE