Bulgaria’s football legend, Hristo Stoichkov, slammed Interior Minister, Mihail Mikov, over the decision to dismiss his Deputy, Rumen Andreev.
Stoichkov made a phone call to the “Tete-a-Tete” show, airing on Bulgaria’s TV channel Nova Televizia Sunday to say he was appalled by the way a charitable cause has been turned into political PR. The football legend said he had been a key figure in the event, the 50th birthday of Ventsislav Rangelov, Department Head at the Interior Ministry, and had paid BGN 2 700 towards the bill. Hristo Stoichkov further declared that Deputy Interior Minister Andreev would be reinstated and told Mihail Mikov that he was the one who should resign over his failure to lead the Ministry in general and his decision to fire Andreev in particular. Ventsislav Rangelov is the Head of the Control of Dangerous Weapons and Substances Directorate at the Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry. Hristo Stoichkov, reportedely, is Rangelov’s Best Man. The party, according to the many guests, including sports stars and high ranking police officers, has been also planned as a charity event, aiming at collecting donations to support the children of Interior Ministry employees who were killed or died in action. The party was held in the popular, expensive Sofia restaurant, “Continental Plaza” Friday night, the official day of National Mourning for the Yambol accident victims.
The fallout began when the leader of the opposition “Order, Law and Justice” party, Yane Yanev, was notified that there was a loud party going on at the “Plaza”. Yanev and two of his fellow party members went to the location and took pictures, including one of the Interior Minister Mikov’s Audi parked in front of the restaurant.