Bulgarian MEPs Lash out at Caretaker Government, President Radev

Bulgarian MEPs from former prime minister Boyko Borissov's GERB party sent a letter addressed to all groups in the European Parliament, criticising the actions of the caretaker government, claiming it was "nominated by pro-Kremlin President Rumen Radev."

The former government of Boyko Borissov is under investigation by the caretaker government, which has already uncovered several scandalous dealings. In response, GERB accused the caretaker cabinet of acting as Radev's campaign team for the upcoming presidential election in the autumn. The claim that Radev, who is seeking re-election, is pro-Russian, is not new, but it cannot be substantiated.

In particular, GERB lashed out at caretaker Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov for statements he made last week.

The minister is being accused of making "several threatening remarks, addressing opponents and journalists" using the term "former people" - a term the MEPs said was used "by the communist regime in Bulgaria against opponents of the communist dictatorship."

In response to the letter, Democratic Bulgaria MEP Radan Kanev of the European People's Party (EPP) took the defence of the caretaker government, saying that when he turned to the EU institutions last year about abuse of power, the lack of media freedom and the rule of law deficit in Bulgaria, the same GERB MEPs accused him of being a traitor and "slandering" his homeland.

In Bulgaria, the caretaker government is now verifying the data of nearly 80 opposition politicians who were reportedly wiretapped when Borissov was in power.

Rashkov is among those who initiated the investigation into the illegal phone tapping. /Krassen Nikolov | EURACTIV.bg