Ivelin Mihaylov Linked His Presidential Candidacy to Allegations of Problems Within the State

In an interview on “Face to Face,” Ivelin Mihaylov, chairman of Velichie and a presidential candidate, explains the party's decision to participate in the elections. He presents his candidacy as a continuation of the party's political struggle and links it to allegations of entrenched interests within the government, problems in the security services, and disputes surrounding energy projects in Varna Province.

Why Velichie Is Participating in the Presidential Elections

Mihaylov says that Velichie's members and supporters decided to nominate a candidate because they believe their struggle is not over. He accuses Rumen Radev of failing to fulfill his promises to oppose the oligarchy and work toward better living conditions for Bulgarians.

In Mihaylov's assessment, the main political figures in the presidential race are Iliana Iotova, Andrey Gyurov, and Kostadin Kostadinov. He believes that Iotova maintains an ambiguous position that allows different groups to perceive her as sympathetic to their views, while Gyurov and Kostadinov appeal to narrower constituencies with more categorical messages.

To explain this assessment, Mihaylov proposes his own breakdown of voters according to their attitudes toward Russia: 50% pro-Russian, 30% neutral, and 20% anti-Russian. According to him, the positions of some candidates and fears of war are directing votes toward Iotova, while voters are hearing contradictory messages about NATO's role and Article 5.

Mihaylov describes the campaign as a confrontation that drives people to vote against a particular candidate rather than support a political platform. He criticizes the parties for what he sees as prioritizing geopolitical positions over everyday problems and human suffering.

The State Agency for National Security Report and the Complaint Against Parliament

Early in the interview, Mihaylov raises the issue of allegations surrounding Historical Park. He presents an official response from the State Agency for National Security (SANS, Държавна агенция национална сигурност – ДАНС), which he says states that the agency had not prepared a report on the park, despite information cited in the National Assembly concerning an alleged fraud involving 70 million leva and supposed Russian connections.

Mihaylov claims that the information was presented orally before a parliamentary committee, after which the National Assembly classified it. He describes the incident as a setup and says he has filed a complaint against Parliament to challenge the way the information was used.

He also briefly addresses a question about how he supports himself financially, saying that he has an operating company whose business activities provide his income. He then returns the discussion to his presidential candidacy and the problems he believes the institutions are failing to resolve.

Allegations of Serbian Influence and Wind Turbines

Mihaylov says he has undergone seven polygraph examinations and claims that the tests concerned allegations that Boyko Borisov engaged in espionage and subversive activities on behalf of Serbia. He also mentions the alleged involvement of Ivo Prokopiev, Dimitar Enchev, and representatives of PP-DB (ПП-ДБ), stating that the security services have not contacted him following his reports.

According to Mihaylov, Borisov personally told him in 2023 that Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić wanted wind turbines belonging to the company CWP installed in Vetrino, Valchi Dol, Provadia, and Varna. He connects this request to objections against energy projects in the region and claims that Serbia is dependent on Russia and China.

Mihaylov places this account in the context of whether Bulgaria can rely on its allies and security services. He claims that political figures are passing information to Serbia and that, as a result, the country cannot reliably fulfill its role on NATO's eastern flank.

The Coastal Zone and the Alleged Security Breach

As a separate case, Mihaylov describes Coastal Zone A in Varna Province, which he says serves a defensive function during military operations. He accuses Daniel Slavov of using changes to cadastral records to reclassify land within the zone as agricultural land and subsequently as regulated building plots. Mihaylov says he has submitted reports to institutions and media outlets.

He claims that former regional SANS director Kiril Dimov maintains daily contact with Slavov and raises the question of whether intelligence held by the security services is being shared with private individuals. According to Mihaylov, he has informed NATO and the European Union but has seen no response. He uses the case as an example of an alleged breach in the national security system.

What Role Mihaylov Envisions for the President

Mihaylov links the presidency to the ability to communicate with the security services and publicly expose problems that he believes are being concealed. He argues that if the government does not replace the leadership of the security services, the president should publicly raise the issue of the state's inability to rely on those services, the police, and the military.

At the end of the interview, Mihaylov connects security with domestic governance and states that, in his view, politicians are diverting attention from high prices and other everyday problems. His candidacy is presented as a means of bringing these issues into public discussion and pursuing institutional change. Original source: Presidential candidate Ivelin Mihaylov appearing on bTV's “Face to Face”