INTERIOR Ministry chief secretary Boiko Borissov, who for the past few years has topped popularity polls in Bulgaria, has quit the post.
In a resignation letter to President Georgi Purvanov on September 14, Borissov outlined his frustrations regarding the restructuring of the ministry by Interior Ministry Roumen Petkov. Petkov took office as minister when the Bulgarian Socialist Party-dominated Cabinet came to power.

But, at the same time, there have been numerous media reports that Borissov intends to enter politics full-time by standing as an independent candidate to become mayor of Sofia. Elections, to fill the post vacated when Stefan Sofianski became an MP after the June elections, are scheduled to be held on October 29.

It is not the first time Borissov has moved to resign. He did so previously, when the government headed by Simeon Saxe-Coburg was in power.

This time it looks like his resignation will be accepted as, according to a media statement from the Interior Ministry, Petkov said he would forward Borissov's resignation to the Cabinet. It was expected to be decided on at the Cabinet meeting scheduled for September 15.
According to procedure, the Cabinet is required in turn to request President Georgi Purvanov to discharge Borissov.

In his report to Purvanov, Borissov wrote that he wants to resign for a number of reasons.

"Considering the proposed legislative and structural changes, which the political leadership of the Interior Ministry has initiated, I think I have no place in the numerous leadership staff of the ministry, which has been expanded a lot," Borissov said.

The ministry now consisted of a "head of cabinet, five deputy ministers and their advisers and assistants, at the exchange of professional leadership, which consists of only one chief secretary, who doesn't have a deputy," he wrote.

"I have reasons to think that if the same bill takes effect, the political leadership will not only duplicate the functions of the chief secretary, but it will make the depoliticised, highly professional position completely unnecessary in the Interior Ministry.

"I want to inform you that my stand on the bill related to the above-mentioned issues and others was not taken into account.

"...I have to point out that Minister Petkov and I have put much effort into working as a team. But I am a person of principles and, in the name of the welfare of the ministry and society, I am asking for your permission to be discharged from the office of Interior Ministry chief secretary at my own request as of September 16 2005."

Borissov had a brief encounter with politics in the June 25 2005 parliamentary elections, when he took leave from his Interior Ministry post to stand as a candidate for the National Movement Simeon II. Although elected, he declined to take up his seat in Parliament, opting to stay on with the Interior Ministry.

Shortly after the news of Borissov's resignation appeared, Petkov said that they had been discussing the issue for 10 days and he was not going to stop him from resigning. "The decision is entirely his," Petkov said. "There is no conflict between us."

According to Petkov, the functions of the chief secretary were not being duplicated, and the political leadership and the authority of the chief secretary had not been limited. "So I don't think that those reasons for resigning were well-founded," Petkov said.

Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said that he was not surprised by Borissov's resignation.

"We had a conversation on September 9, at his request, and he told me that he was going to enter politics," Stanishev said.

He said he would respect Borissov's personal decision.

In previous weeks, various politicians started floating Borissov's name as a potential candidate for mayor of Sofia.

Several politicians said his resignation was a sign that he was going to get involved in politics and was likely running for mayor.

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) spokesperson Angel Naidenov said that Borissov had made a choice between professional engagements and politics, and that he was a person who should not be underestimated.

The National Movement Simeon II's (NMSII) Ognian Gerdjikov, whose name has also been mentioned among the potential candidates for mayor of Sofia, said that Borissov's resignation probably meant that he was going to run for mayor, and he wished him luck.

"He is a strong candidate and has serious chances of winning the position or at least going to a second round," Gerdjikov said.

The leader of the centre-right coalition, the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), Nadezhda Mihailova refused to comment, while Volen Siderov, the leader of the ultra-nationalist coalition Ataka, said that Borissov's candidacy for mayor of Sofia was a good idea.

Krazzen Kralev, the deputy leader of Novoto Vreme - the party which first suggested Borissov stand as a mayoral candidate - said that his resignation was a step in the right direction.

Dimitar Abadjiev of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) said that there was, apparently, a serious conflict within the Interior Ministry and Borissov's resignation was a result.

Borissov himself, who was unreachable for comment, was quoted by the BTA news agency as saying that he had still not decided what to do but resigned to start feeling free again.

"I disagree with the changes and the way they were offered," he said. "I disagree with some of the new people and the changes. I haven't asked anyone to offer my candidacy for mayor."