Former Minister of Sports Radostin Vassilev’s Recorded Meeting Sparks Controversy and Political Shake-up

The recordings made by former Minister of Sports Radostin Vassilev were not the work of the “deep state”, but of himself. It is about a meeting of the national council of “Continuing the Change”, which he recorded on his tablet because he could not stay awake until the wee hours. Vassilev released a small part of the almost 5-hour recording and announced that he would send the entire video to all media.

“I turn it on, I go to sleep, in the morning I want to explode”Vassilev summarized.

On Friday, he appeared in the company of another breakaway from INT – Nikolay Radulov. The former minister explained that he is leaving the PP-DB group and will focus on the “Strong Bulgaria” civic movement, possibly with the intention of creating a party. He also commented that he had intended to vote against the future government and then announce his resignation, but in the meantime the meeting of the Parliament in question was held. However, Vassilev would remain in the parliament.

From his story, it became clear that during the online meeting last Sunday, a possible coalition with GERB was discussed. During the meeting, former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov explained how such a thing should not be presented as a coalition. He says that such a government will certainly “wash away” GERB leader Boyko Borisov. Asen Vasilev states that he will have a cabinet, while Borisov is afraid of the chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev and the president Rumen Radev.

According to Radostin Vasilev, the coalition was not approved by the national council during the first vote. There were also many statements against the government with GERB. However, after “swearing and a strong tone from Kiril Petkov”, the vote was reversed. Vassilev questioned how this happened, since the voting was online “on some platform”.

Maybe they invited me by mistake

Vassilev, who last year left ITN with the explanation that the mafia had broken in there, now said that he is facing the same situation with PP. He commented that he supported Kiril Petkov for two reasons – continuation of the anti-corruption policy and the promise never to make a coalition with GERB. According to him, both turned out to be lies.

He recalled that he was part of the PP contact group for talks with GERB, which negotiated a common legislative framework.

“We forced ourselves beyond my comfort level to sit at a table with people we should put in jail“, said the former sports minister.

According to him, then there was still talk of a minority government. A week ago, however, Petkov and the candidate for prime minister Nikolay Denkov told him that the future cabinet would not have an anti-corruption profile and therefore people like him were not needed.

It is the impossibility of him becoming a minister again that is the reason why records are released. This was said by Kiril Petkov hours before Vassilev’s press conference. As early as Thursday night, he issued a pre-emptive statement to explain that the compromising tapes were the work of the “deep state” and services to derail cabinet talks.

“To me, looking for a deep state is the most stupid thing anyone can sayVassilev commented in response.

He explained that he was most likely invited to the online meeting of the national council by mistake, because he is not even a member of the party, but part of the citizen quota.

Immunities, Schengen, Eurozone

According to Vasilev, during the online session, Petkov said that Borisov told him that he did not want to have a chief prosecutor. A similar statement can be heard on the recording released by Vassilev. Petkov explains to him that this is a sign that Geshev will be removed from his post. The tape also says that as the Chief Prosecutor is expected to respond with charges and a request for immunity, discussions are underway on what to do about it. Petkov explains that the co-chairman of “Democratic Bulgaria” Hristo Ivanov has proposed the creation of a special commission on the subject on the model of the European Parliament. The idea is that it examines in detail the request to remove the immunity within six months. It is expected that Geshev will be removed from his post during this time.

In the recording, Petkov also says that he spoke with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, with whom they discussed Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen and the Eurozone. She told him that the chance for Schengen is great, but for the introduction of the euro not so much because of the country’s poor financial performance. Then Petkov asked if the effect of the war in Ukraine could not be “removed” from the inflation rate in order to lower its value.

Service consultants

Vassilev identified Petkov’s intention to seek “foreign consultants” for the services as the most scandalous. From the words of the former prime minister, it is not clear what exactly this means. Vassilev, however, interpreted it as making all services dependent on foreign embassies. He commented that there was no responsible politician who sought such type of consultation and this bordered on a crime.

Active event

Petkov announced that the actions of Radostin Vassilev are an active measure against the coalition and the goal is to fail the formation of a government. In the same way, the scandal was commented on by the leader of GERB, Boyko Borisov. According to him, the same scenario was applied to his government.

“That’s how they overthrew, it’s a good thing that the mandate of the government expired, you know what they were doing. The exact same scenario applies to PP-DBhe stated.

Last year, Vasilev was the minister of sports from the ITN quota in the cabinet of Kiril Petkov. After Slavi Trifonov announced that he was withdrawing the formation from the government with the argument “because of Macedoniayayayaya”, Vassilev and the other ministers of ITN resigned. Later, however, he, together with several deputies from ITN, announced that he withdrew his trust from Trifonov and left ITN, defining the party as a conduit for corruption and behind the scenes.

In the last two postponed parliamentary votes, Vasilev entered the parliament as a PP candidate. However, he is not a member of the party of Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev, but a civil quota is held.

It won’t affect me

Commenting on the recordings made on Friday by Vassilev, Borisov explained that years ago the media “with vehement enthusiasm” commented on the recordings with his voice. And added that he would not comment in this situation.

“In any legal country, an unregulated entry is not commented onhe stated.

Borisov declared that such a thing would not have affected him in the vote to form a government. The goal is to serve various interests that do not want Bulgaria to stabilize, he added.

Resistance from everywhere

“We see attempts from all kinds of countries to be able to block the government. I think it’s clear that there are reasons for this“, said PP-DB Prime Minister candidate Nikolay Denkov.

According to him, Vassilev boasted that he was an ally with institutions and people from the criminal contingent “who are interested in this”.

“I will try as much as we can to calmly go through these obstacles.” he stated.