Recent killings of prominent figures are a sign that Bulgarian crime is taking advantage of the current problems in the Interior Ministry and of the "shadowy administration running alongside it", the opposition told reporters on Monday. The cases referred to were Sunday's assassination of AtomEnergoRemont executive director Borislav Georgiev and Monday's assassination of investigative author Georgi Stoev (photo), who had published histories on Bulgaria's post-1989 criminal world, BTA is reporting.

After a meeting of European People's Party representatives, the independent MP Luchezar Ivanov pointed out that the submitted petition for a no-confidence vote demonstrates the need to remove the current government, and that the past two days' cases strengthen their arguments in favour of the dismissal of Interior Minister Roumen Petkov.

The President needs to convene the Consultative Council on National Security and discuss radical changes in the Ministry, UDF leader Plamen Yurukov said.

The Georgi Stoev case is particularly painful, as he was demanding publicity of his views and should have been under protective surveillance - and today's attempt on his life proves that he was speaking the truth, Yurukov said, adding "unfortunately, these phenomena are a part of this Government".

Reports are written, but actions are falling behind, he continued: "the current 'parallel' leadership needs to be removed by a moral and competent government."

Ivanov went on to say that the Interior Ministry has become de-politicized, and Roumen Petkov has no power to reform it.

The EPP member-parties will organize a round table on national security on April 23. Security and finances have been completely demolished, which required an immediate response from the opposition parties, which will be Bulgaria's future government, Yurukov said.

"There used to be consensus in Bulgaria over the Euro-Atlantic model for development, and we now need vision, will and proven power to be able to implement this model," he added.

An action plan will be drawn up which will become a unified future programme of government following the EPP format, it was said.

Photo: BGNES