The funding of one of Bulgaria’s political parties is not the central issue in the Nexo crypto affair. In fact, it is the most insignificant issue, the Deputy Chairman of the 48th National Assembly, Yordan Tsonev, told the debates in the plenary hall on the creation of an interim committee to establish all the facts and circumstances regarding the activities of Nexo and its related companies.
The committee will investigate potential illegal activity, including relations with persons and structures financing terrorism and organised crime, as well as the funding of political parties in Bulgaria. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) supports the setting up of the interim committee.
The topic on which I agree with Hristo Ivanov is that with its proposals the MRF has always held that political parties should be funded only by the state budget. Even the first proposal that the budget should fund the political parties came from us. Now, we are faceа with another case in which you decided not to listen to us, because populism was at very high altitudes, Tsonev, who is also a deputy chairman of the MRF, said.
Now you have convinced yourself that it is true. No one is protected. I am not saying this as if I am a defence lawyer for "Yes, Bulgaria", but as a parliamentarian with vast experience, Tsonev pointed out. And he explained that in the crypto affair the bigger and more important issue is the political one.
Because with the largest pyramid scheme in the United States, that of Bernie Madoff, it was about much less money. Madoff himself was sentenced to 150 years in prison and died behind bars, Tsonev recalled.
Now, we talk about a lot more money. And we should not pass lightly over this stain on Bulgaria, especially after the case with Ruzha Ignatova, Tsonev said.
There are claims by 8 US state prosecutors regarding Nexo and Nexo Capital. These are two separate companies. There is also a personal claim against Antoni Trenchev. The documents are public. The US authorities require that Nexo refunds all the amounts, and they are huge, and to stop any activity, Yordan Tsonev said. And he declared: "Here we cannot pull the card that someone in the Bulgarian judicial system is trying to do something with a pre-election or political flavour. This is a fraud of global proportions."
Our big partner, the USA, has claims against the company that US citizens have been robbed and a bunch of laws have been violated, Tsonev further said. And added: "What an irony of fate - Nexo Capital!" Claims should be made to it, given that it is not only associated with the Capital circle by name, but the Capital media also advertise its activities."
When I talk about the Capital circle, you usually smile, Tsonev turned to the “We continue the change” and “Democratic Bulgaria” groups. Come on, smile now. Sad smiles they will be. Because the media of Ivo Prokopiev has been promoting all the products of this company, Tsonev said.
"People from this whole publishing and media oligarch group, as we see it, could be part of this major financial fraud. Everywhere they boast with the fact that in one way or another they represent our biggest partners, the USA. They have literally privatised the Euro-Atlantic idea for personal purposes. Now we will ask our Euro-Atlantic partners and the esteemed "America for Bulgaria" foundation if it is okay to finance this group. Is it alright with American taxpayers' money to fund those who are robbing American taxpayers", Yordan Tsonev further asked.
This circle of NGOs gave him the source of personnel over the years to develop media, economic and political power, creating political projects and his own proxies, Tsonev also said regarding the Capital oligarchic circle. I hope that this will also become apparent to our partners in the US and Europe. We see it in facts presented in the last 20 years, the Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly said.
The scandal is big enough. Don't try to ignore it because if you do, you will be supportive of the shameful acts and trying to cover things up. This huge scandal cannot be suppressed. In it, it is a secondary issue who is an acquaintance with whom, the deputy chairman of the MRF categorically said.
The question is who is in the center of the support for this project. I claim that it is the Capital circle, and I am not the only one who claims it - very large parts of the investigation lead there, Tsonev stressed.
This is the big problem, and we are obliged in the interim committee to obtain answers to these questions. Without interfering with the work of investigative bodies. Because this is a stain on the whole of Bulgaria and on the political system in our country, he pointed out.
Tsonev underlined that this is also a topic of true intentions for judicial reform. Because when we gave our draft of changes to the Constitution, which included all the demands of our partners, everyone here was silent. Moreover, you want to replace one prosecutor general with another and take control of the judicial system. Now we see why, Yordan Tsonev said.
We want an independent judiciary and the MRF will do everything possible to make that happen. We support the radical reform that our Euro-Atlantic partners want. We will not allow the replacement of one person by another in order to fulfil someone's interests, he said.
This Capital circle is in the core of the political crisis in which Bulgaria has been for two years now. And the country will continue to be in crisis until this circle has mastered the mainstream media, Tsonev emphasised. And he summed up: "This is our battle, and we are fighting it from this rostrum."
