2024-04-10 01:03:32
“The head of “Customs” was appointed by Asen Vassilev personally, by his order. These are chains that cannot exist without the protection of everyone at the highest levels of management.”
This is what Toshko Yordanov, the vice-chairman of “There is such a people”, commented on the “Face to Face” show on bTV about the corruption in the Customs Agency. He headed the temporary committee in the parliament that will check the activities of the customs officials.
“We all know that there are channels for the trafficking of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, and therefore we have reason to believe that there is serious corruption here, because the court, after looking at the remand order of the three on Saturday, accepted that there is enough evidence to impose the most severe sentence on them and keep them in custody. If there were doubts, if the evidence was light, probably the measure would have been lighter: some kind of signature or house arrest,” he further explained.
Yordanov showed several photos leaked to the media, which have not yet been officially confirmed as doctored, which he said show how a smuggling channel works.
Among them were the photo of Kiril Petkov with one of the arrested, the one from the home of Boyko Rashkov, as well as two photos of Zhivko Kotsev with one of the smugglers.
He also explained that the Commission will check whether there were developments by the National Security Agency and whether a procedure will be initiated to revoke the access to classified information of the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Zhivko Kotsev, and the Director of the Customs Agency, Petya Bankova.
“As far back as it is possible to get the tape back, it will come back. Including during the time of Boyko Rashkov, this channel existed, and he took pictures with these two in his home. The question is whether we have data that the chief secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and this Mrs. Bankova declared these acquaintances, because by law you have to declare them. Even if they do not know that they are smugglers, they are obliged to declare it. Including the gifts,” he added.
According to Yordanov, the Commission will also seek information on whether the resigned Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and Finance Minister Asen Vasilev exerted pressure in some form for the resignation of Zhivko Kotsev.