And the dream promotion in the supercommission against corruption may turn out to be an honorable retirement in favor of GERB
“Continuing Change” contributed again to global political practice. For the first time, a government program predicts what a particular person will be and, above all, will not be. It is about Boyko Rashkov – the current Minister of Internal Affairs and an arch enemy of GERB leader Boyko Borisov.
Boyko Rashkov will be the head of the anti-corruption commission and will not be proposed again for the position of Minister of Internal Affairs, announced the candidate for Prime Minister Asen Vasilev. True, the coalition claims that the names of ministers are not being negotiated yet, but at the same time Rashkov’s absence is certain.
And Asen Vasilev probably winked devilishly at GERB leader Boyko Borisov and gave him an alibi for his MPs to support the new government in some way – whether with 5-6 torn MP menisci, whether this will happen more directly, remains to be seen.
It is no secret that Boyko Rashkov is the person who has been getting on Borisov’s nerves since the summer of 2021, when he became acting Minister of the Interior. And he began to announce “loud” revelations of how corrupt the former prime minister was, but somehow with scant evidence. And the culmination was that late evening show on March 17, when policemen broke into the homes of Borisov, former finance minister Vladislav Goranov and GERB’s publicist Sevdelina Arnaudova. After which it turned out that their overnight stay in detention was quite illegal. But it caused national joy, as explained by Lena Borislavova – head of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s office.
That Boyko Borisov will categorically not support a government in which Boyko Rashkov is present has been clear for a long time. He said it himself. Until now, however, “Continuing the change” faced two problems. The first was the categorical loyalty of the former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to Rashkov. The second, and even bigger one, what would cause an expulsion of the interior minister from the government and what would he start to talk about in the role of a victim of the “mafia”.
However, Asen Vassilev is not Kiril Petkov. He is much more judicious and combinative in contrast to the “emotional fighter”. And he is fully aware, just like Boyko Borisov, that new elections in September do not work in favor of anyone – “Promyanata” and GERB are again almost equal, and there will be five more parties in the parliament around to wring their hands. And maybe Vasilev managed to come up with a solution to the Rashkov problem.
The former interior minister being promoted to the head of KPCONPI is an old idea of Kiril Petkov. But with the clarification that Rashkov must head a commission built on the model of Lena Borislavova, which will have the functions of investigating politicians, bringing them to trial, and appealing the refusals of the prosecutor’s office. In general, KPCONPI, which would be the ideal club for Rashkov to finish his war with Borisov. And it looked like a promotion for the Home Secretary, who was now getting in the way of the prosecution, if his words are to be believed.
In the “Vasilev” version, however, Rashkov’s promotion does not seem so certain. First, the transfer of the interior minister to KPCONPI will take place by the end of this month. But this is the same KPCONPI that Kiril Petkov criticized, that by its structure it cannot be effective in the fight against corruption. Secondly, it is already almost clear that the reform of KPCONPI, written by Lena Borislavova, simply cannot pass in this form. And the ambitions for a super-organization that would bring together DANS, prosecutor’s office and court in one, are doomed to failure. And without such an anti-corruption commission, Rashkov’s expected promotion from interior minister to superhero suddenly begins to look like an honorable retirement.
However, the removal of Rashkov from the cabinet with a promise to head KPCONPI also has a third aspect. The election of the head of the commission takes place in the parliament. Where it is never certain how many MPs will get sick, whether they will suddenly have to have an egg and salmon sandwich at the bar for lunch, or if some other such urgent statecraft will appear on the horizon right at the time of the vote. And on the other hand, it is quite certain that Rashkov cannot be elected without receiving votes from GERB, DPS or “There is such a people”. And Slavi Trifonov and Mustafa Karadai don’t particularly like him either, so the choice will be difficult to the point of impossible.
Part of Asen Vassilev’s shift towards Boyko Borisov is the uncertain fate of the former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who also irritates the GERB leader. Even the coalition partners probably don’t like the sure complete reshuffle – Vassilev becomes prime minister and Petkov becomes finance minister. It is not certain that he will be given the regional ministry he desires. And the presence of Petkov with some less important post or even his absence is already a direct help. We only have to wait if there will be dawn in Bankya.
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