No one in Bulgaria can afford the luxury to deny the presence of a problem with corruption and organised crime, European Integration Minister Gergana Grancharova told the private channel bTV.

Grancharova also commented on the party funding in Bulgaria - "the state subsidy is half of the sum spent on television advertisements alone,” she said.

The new Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds utilisation Meglena Plougchieva commented the European Commission’s criticisms on funds utilisation in Bulgaria before the private channel Nova TV. “I avoid making forecasts forward and tossing accusation backwards.” In all institutions overseeing EU finds utilisation there was neglect, arrogance and delay, she admitted.

Asked whether it was logical that the ministers in the institutions in charge with the funds utilisation did not know about the utilisation problems, Plougchieva said that the communication system was decentralised and the ministers had no contact with the utilisation. According to Plougchieva, her appointment was meant to achieve centralised control.

"Bulgaria indeed has a very serious problem with organised crime," new Interior Minister Mihail Mikov said in the morning programme of bTV. "Everyone, politicians, business, media and the whole society is to blame for the problem," he said. Mikov said that he had dismissed Ivan Ivanov, deputy head of chief directorate for combating organised crime (CDCOC), which was charged with leaking confidential information and was suspended for the duration of the investigation against him.