Alexander Manolev declined nomination to become Minister of Transport

The deputy minister of the economy, Alexander Manolev, announced on 13^th of September that he was declining his nomination to be the new Minister of Transport. The reason he said was co-ordinated attacks by a “group of people” against him.

He made the announcement after he spoke with Prime Minister Borissov and with Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov.

Manolev was nominated for the post of Minister of Transport by PM Borissov and is one of the three nominees for Cabinet posts to replace three ministers who submitted their resignations after the fatal bus crash near Svoge, in which 17 people died.

Earlier, reports in Bulgarian media made allegations about a fatal road accident in which Manolev was involved.

Manolev said he had not yet decided whether to stay in the post of Deputy Economy Minister, because the attacks against him were also an attack on the whole Cabinet. He added that he would meet with lawyers to discuss with them how to protect his name.

Alexander Manolev: The reason for declining the nomination is the co-ordinated attack by a certain group against me. From the moment my nomination was announced, there are allegations and without any evidence, they are obviously trying to block my work at the Ministry of Transport. This way, they are attacking not only me, but also the whole cabinet,. Someone is upset by the reforms, the policy I would like to implement in the Ministry of Transport.