Reformist Bloc Petitions Supreme Administrative Court  about Refusal to Disclose Salary of Central Bank's
Ex-governor

Sofia, August 5 (BTA) - Two MPs of the Reformist Bloc, Martin Dimitrov and Peter Slavov, have petitioned the Supreme Administrative Court about the refusal of the newly elected central bank Governor, Dimiter Radev, to disclose the salary of his predecessor, Ivan Iskrov.

Under the Access to Public Information Act, Radev must provide access to the requested information in view of the huge public interest, the Bloc said in a press release. The two MPs also argue that the central bank' previous management is directly involved in the serious problems surrounding the now bankrupt Corpbank.

Earlier in July, independent MP Velizar Enchev said that Ivan Iskrov earned a monthly salary of 45,000 leva.

In mid-July the two MPs asked for data on the salaries and bonuses of Iskrov and his deputies, but Radev replied on July 30 that during the reference period this information was classified as an official secret.

Also on July 30, the Governing Council of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) set the monthly salary of Dimiter Radev at 15,368 leva and of the deputy governors at 13,178 leva.

On July 29, the Reformist Bloc tabled a motion to amend the BNB Act and introduce fixed pay for the central bank governor, the deputy governors and the members of the Governing Council, reasoning that these salaries are now determined on the basis of in-house regulations and subjective criteria which are not public. The motion also set the monthly salary of the BNB governor at 95 per cent of the Parliament leader's salary, which is now 4,185 leva.