Tsvetan Tsvetanov


Tsvetan Genchev Tsvetanov is a Bulgarian politician and former government official. A former security deputy mayor of Sofia, he was, until 2009, the chairman of the GERB party. On 8 July 2009, in the wake of the 2009 parliamentary election won by his party, he was specified by de facto party leader Boyko Borisov as future Minister of the Interior.

Career

Tsvetanov was born in Sofia and graduated from the National Sports Academy; he also has a post-graduate degree in law from the University of National and World Economy. Tsvetanov's education also includes counteraction to global terrorism and prevention of illegal automobile trafficking courses at the headquarters of the Policía Nacional in Madrid, Spain, a management course at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Roswell, New Mexico and a basic course at ILEA Budapest, Hungary, as well as law enforcement courses at the American FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
From 2001 to 2005, Tsvetanov was operative assistant to Boyko Borisov, Chief Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, and director of the ministry's management department. He was a Ministry of the Interior official from 1987 to 2005, when he left the ministry together with Borisov who has been accused of working with organized crime while holding this position. From GERB's establishment in 2006 to 2009, the party was chaired by Tsvetanov. This was because Borisov was not allowed to head GERB due to being the mayor of Sofia. Borisov remained, however, the party's informal leader and Tsvetanov is perceived as his closest associate.

Real Estate Scandal

Tzvetanov's image was first tainted in 2011 when media stories appeared of him owning several expensive properties in the capital city. An audit by the Tax Administration revealed he owns 6 apartments, something which no person in the public administration can easily afford. Tzvetan Tzvetanov offered unconvincing explanations of how he acquired six apartments in Sofia after entering politics in 2006, claiming they were bought by his mother-in-law. The tax case was re-opened in June 2013 after new evidence emerged that two of the apartments may have been given to him as a present in exchange for a lucrative government contract.

Wiretapping Scandal

In May 2013 Tzvetan Tzvetanov was indicted on two charges of wiretapping members of the GERB government and parliamentary deputies. In a television interview former agriculture minister Miroslav Naydenov confirmed the charges, describing instances when the wiretapping occurred. Tzvetanov has denied the claims by the general prosecutor, even though three members of the wiretapping unit at the Interior Ministry have independently confirmed them. A further charge on obstruction of justice was added in July 2013.

Charges of Embezzlement

Tsvetanov was charged with embezzling BGN 50000 from the Budget of the Ministry of Interior. "The sum was allegedly embezzled to the benefit of another person, Orlin Todorov, former head of the anti-mafia unit in Veliko Tarnovo." He was jailed for four years.

Personal life

Tsvetanov is married to Desislava and has three daughters - Gergana, Vasilena and Sophia.