Director of Harmanli Refugee Camp Suspended From Office

Director of the temporary refugee center in Harmanli, Marko Petrov has been suspended from office Thursday.

The order was given by the Chair of the State Agency for Refugees with the Council of Ministers in Bulgaria, Nikola Kazakov on February 27.

Petrov, howoever, was not available to receive the suspension letter last month. After the legally appointed term, the suspension has entered into force despite the fact that it has not been officially received.

The Harmanli refugee camp has undergone a series of inspections, after which violations have been established.

Several clashes have happened between refugees and Harmanli citizens over the past several months. As a result, Harmanli Mayor Hristo Liskov stated that the temporary refugee camp in the city should become gated.

According to preliminary information, the former director of the Harmanli refugee camp, Yordan Malinov, will be restored to his previous position. 

In the words of Marko Petrov, he has never been notified of the suspension. He stated that he believed the reason for the decision to be political so that the ruling center-right GERB party could restore its previous staff members on their former positions.