Sole Candidate for Head of Bulgaria's Competition Regulator Withdraws

The only candidate for chairperson of Bulgaria's Commission for Protection of Competition (KZK), Rosen Zhelyazkov, withdrew his candidacy on Wednesday.

Zhelyazkov said that he did not want to compete against himself and by withdrawing his candidacy, he wanted to eliminate all suspicions on the predetermined outcome of the selection procedure.

In his words, he did not have doubts in his qualities and this was not the reason for his withdrawal.

He added that the decision to withdraw was a personal and independent choice, private bTV station quotes him as saying.

Zhelyazkov expressed hope that his withdrawal will contribute to consolidating the confidence in KZK.

He stated this in front of the members of the economic policy parliamentary committee on Wednesday.

MPs voted for postponing the meeting of the committee.

Martin Dimitrov from the junior coalition partner, the Reformist bloc (RB), identified the withdrawal of Zhelyazkov as an act of courage.

Dimitrov added that there is no other way than starting new process on the selection of the members of KZK.

According to him, there should be a council between the chairpersons of parties, with the final decision to be taken in the plenary chamber.

He expressed hope that the new composition of KZK will carry out a genuine investigation on the suspected cartel agreement between fuel retailers.

Dimitrov added that there is no problem with postponing and launching a new procedure, with the selection of a quality KZK being of greater importance.

MPs in the plenary chamber will decide whether to suspend the procedure and launch a new on.

On Monday, the leader of one of the parties constituting RB, Radan Kanev, noted that backroom deals were taking...