3 April 2008

National Assembly approved the Ad hoc Committee report on the affair “Kujovich”. The Committee did not find out data that the Serbian national was acting under the protection of high ranking officials of the Interior Ministry. The report was presented by the Committee Chairman Nadka Baleva. On the proposal of MP Atanas Merjanov the debates over the report were broadcasted on the Bulgarian National Radio and Television.

The Ad hoc inquiry Committee was established on February 7, 2008 with the purpose to investigate the causes and facts as to why Budimir Kujovich, for whom an order for extradition had been issued by the Director of the National Service for Combating the Organized Crime had continued to reside in the country and had received the necessary identity documents by the competent Bulgarian authorities. The Committee task was also to unravel whether the legal regulations for residing of foreigners on Bulgarian territory were violated and what measures has the Ministry of Interior undertaken to clarify the case.

The Report points to the fact that following the affair, 13 employees have been disciplined and 3 among them dismissed. Taking into account all the documents received, the performed hearings and debates, the Committee came to a conclusion that a new special legislation for the investigation process with clear rules for work within the Special Services should be adopted. The commission proposes approving amendments or a new law on the Interior Ministry to prescribe functional and personnel subordination of the regional sections for combating organized crime to the central leadership, and changes in the Aliens Act and the Tax and Insurance Procedure Code to guarantee the priority of national interests.