Dossier Commission names Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria business people who worked for communist-era State Security
A number of top Bulgarian business people who ascended during the post-Zhivkov transition period and featured in the leadership of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria have been disclosed by the Dossier Commission to have been agents and collaborators with the country’s communist-era State Security.
Mirolyoub Stolarski, the owner of the Karat C transport company – currently in the headlines in the Bulgarian media because of a large-scale financial squabble withSofiamunicipality – was Agent Mitko. He was recruited by the State Security secret service in 1988 and the Dossier Commission has no information on when his operational status ceased.
Lukan Lukanov, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive of cosmetics manufacturer Aroma, was a staff member of State Security.
Krassimir Stanev, executive director of Albena AD, operators of resorts atBulgaria’sBlack Seacoast, was State Security Agent Boris.
The founder ofBulgaria’s Domaine Boyar winery, Margarit Todorov, was State Security Agent Nikolov. Mediapool quoted reports that Todorov retired from the company in 2010.
The executive director of Metro Cash & Carry, Emilian Abadzhiev, was State Security Agent Stefanov.
Some names had been disclosed during previous checks by the Dossier Commission of senior employees of the Foreign Ministry.
Yevgeny Ivanov, checked this time because he was a member of the supervisory board of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists inBulgaria, was a staff member of the First Chief Directorate of State Security at the Interior Ministry. Ivanov was ambassador ofBulgariato the European Union between 1993 and 1997.
Ilian Vassilev, former ambassador toRussia, also worked for the First Chief Directorate.
His name had been announced previously, as had that of the former deputy governor of Bulgarian National Bank, Plamen Ilchev.
The announcement of State Security agents and collaborators at the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists inBulgariais the latest disclosure by the Dossier Commission of communist-era secret service people in latter-day business associations.
The Dossier Commission previously announced that of 114 people checked at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), 22 State Security people had been found, of whom 18 are members of the current administration of the BCCI, including current president Tsvetan Simeonov and former president Bozhidar Bozhinov.
At the Bulgarian Industrial Association, 94 people were checked and 13 were found to have been linked to State Security, including current BIA president Bozhidar Danev.
The Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association was found to have 33 people linked to State Security.
A check of the Vuzrazhdane (“Revival”) union found evidence of two State Security people, Kamen Manev and former Bulgarian Socialist Party MP Plamen Ranchev.
(Photo: Szorstki/sxc.hu)
Related stories:
First set of Bulgarian credit millionaires with communist secret service links to be named by end of 2012
After months of delay, Bulgarian Parliament approves naming of credit millionaires who had links to State Security
Thoroughly red in black and white: A journey through Bulgaria’s communist archives
Bulgaria awaits approval of law allowing naming credit millionaires with communist State Security links
Bulgaria’s Dossier Commission names BCCI management members who worked for communist-era State Security
Bulgaria’s Dossier Commission unmasks former communist spies among trade union confederation
Bulgarian church row over return of the Archons
