The Ministry of Interior is preparing for the presidential and vice-presidential elections in coordination with the Prosecutor's Office, the State Agency for National Security (SANS), the Central Election Commission (CEC), and the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation. The Ministry's leadership gathered at the General Directorate "National Police" building for a national conference attended by Prime Minister Rumen Radev, Acting Prosecutor General Vanya Stefanova, and SANS Chairman Plamen Tonchev to discuss preparations for the upcoming vote.
Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev stated that the Ministry of Interior bears the responsibility of ensuring a fair election that correctly and accurately reflects the will of the citizens. He noted that work on other priorities must not stop during the election period, including the fight against drug trafficking, combating road traffic injuries, and dismantling the corruption model. "Fighting corruption, fighting the abuse of power, and dismantling the oligarchic model is an extremely difficult task because this model is deeply rooted in all structures, from the central level to all regions. You are expected to expose and sever the links between power, business, media, and state structures," emphasized Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
The Prime Minister urged the Ministry of Interior to act as a guarantor of voting freedom and not to become an instrument of political forces, insisting that the approach to all candidates must be absolutely uniform. He added that society expects the fulfillment of tasks such as combating the production and distribution of drugs and increasing trust in the Ministry's employees. Rumen Radev expressed his expectation that the Ministry of Interior should restore its operational presence in small settlements.
Acting Prosecutor General Vanya Stefanova pointed out that combating crimes against citizens' political rights, including illegal election financing and vote tampering, is becoming more complicated due to developments in technology and communication media. She emphasized the need to coordinate efforts at both the national and local levels.
SANS Chairman Plamen Tonchev presented the measures taken by the Agency: an operational headquarters has been established, communication channels have been organized for section election commissions abroad, and measures for the cybersecurity of the electoral process have been developed.
The Ministry of Interior's preparations for the elections and security measures will determine the stability of the electoral process and public order in Burgas and the region.
Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, stated: "This is the first time I stand before you in this role, but I know most of the colleagues here and I am confident that we will succeed. All political and professional authority stands firmly behind us, and we are duty-bound to give our all to guarantee the vote and justify the public's trust." Also attending the meeting were directors of the Ministry's main, regional, and administrative directorates.