On his signal the police caught two RISF officials, Luybomir Lilov and Ivan Vladimirov, with marked bills. The two demanded a bribe from Yanev to issue him a construction permit for a state-owned plot. Today everyone is talking about the same thing – Europe blocked our aid, infrastructure and agriculture projects are not being funded, protests and VAT draining scandal are shaking Cabinet. But everything began a year ago, when Georgi Yanev reported that two state officials had demanded a bribe from him. Interview by Stoyko Stoyanov
Frog News (FN): Mr. Yanev, you waged the war on corruption a year ago by reporting it at the roads state fund. Has the government managed to curb racketeering at state institutions?
Georgi Yanev (GY): Corruptive practices have never ceased. After Lilov and Vladimirov were arrested Veselin Georgiev (ex-RISF director) resigned. He faced charges only recently. However, the court acquitted one of the two men who asked for the bribe rather quickly. Racketeering and corruption exist on all levels, but people are paralyzed by fear. Everyone is afraid of losing his job, business, of his documents simply disappearing…people do not trust the institutions to help and protect them. I myself only trust European institutions.
FN: Who blew your cover?
GY: This was done to disencourage people from reacting freely and being conscientious. The goal is to make you dependent on the system and government. This is our communist heritage. The MI promised to cover me and did. I think the prosecution blew it.
FN: But now the prosecution promised protection to the witnesses in the cases against the mobster Zlatomir Ivanov and NRA officials, accused of draining VAT.
GY: I don’t know what they promised, but the witnesses have every reason to be concerned. I am the best example of this. I am only alive because of the press.
FN: What losses have you experienced in the battle against corruption? How has your life changed in the past year?
GY: To this day I wonder why the marked bills used to catch the corrupt officials were not returned to me. 10 000 of that money is mine. Also, I didn’t get a single dime from the commission, over which I was racketeered. I didn’t get a dime of the BGN 41 000 that I was supposed to get from the investors. I did my work perfectly. When the scandal erupted the chief architect of Veliko Tarnovo (Central Bulgaria) requested a new construction project, because apparently the one I had drafted did not meet certain requirements. It had been approved by all possible utility companies and state institutions and by a council of experts. After I spoke up against corruption it seems my project was no longer valid. I was made to sign a declaration that I have no claims pertaining to the project and will not talk to the press. I asked the investor whether he’d give a 50 000 bribe at the time. He just smiled.
FN: Are you afraid of reprisals?
GY: I hurt a lot of people’s interests. This is impossible to forgive. They will retaliate.
FN: By “they” you mean Lilov and Vladimirov, or people higher up in the hierarchy?
GY: “They” are indeed higher up. Lilov and Vladimirov were the pawns. I know who is behind them but I won’t say. The worst thing is that the MI, the prosecution and the NSA didn’t get to them.
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