SEVERAL days after the murder of mob boss Georgi Iliev, Interior Minister Roumen Petkov ordered the chiefs of special services to compile reports on recent high-profile murders of criminal underworld figures in Bulgaria.

Petkov said that an agreement had been reached with Prosecutor-General Nikola Filchev on a general review of execution-style killings and on mapping out joint action.

According to Petkov, it was important that the public should be aware of the efficiency of Interior Ministry work, of what has been detected, how far these cases have gone, and why progress is slow.

The minister said he hoped that a meeting would take place the following week with senior officials of the prosecuting magistracy and the National Investigative Service, at which progress on each of the cases would be analysed and evaluated.

A few days earlier, Petkov along with the Interior Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the National Investigative Service and the Prosecutor-General's Office outlined a set of eight measures aiming at raising the efficiency of combating organised crime.

"The relevant state bodies will check the financial status and property status of people with criminal records and those close to them, the way the money and property has been acquired, the business of their firms, tax evasion, and so on," Petkov said.

Specialised police operations and the detention of criminals will also be carried out, as well as closer work with local administrations. The measures also envisage the active involvement of prosecutors and investigators in search and investigation operations by the Ministry of the Interior.

Tax, customs and financial checks of persons and companies associated with organised crime will be carried out by order of Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski.

Meanwhile, Petkov also announced structural changes within his ministry, including the establishment of a Police Directorate General.
Petkov also criticised the frequent media appearances by Interior Ministry chief secretary Boiko Borissov.

"The public appearances of key figures in the Interior Ministry must be substantially reduced and must be purpose-oriented," Petkov said. "We must talk to the public and explain the measures and the effect of these measures. The rest is media appearances for their own sake, which impede the ministry's work."