Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has reappointed Nikola Kazakov as chairperson of the State Agency for Refugees without competition or discussion in the Council of Ministers. Mr. Kazakov also led the agency during the first mandate of the ruling GERB party when the state proved to be absolutely unprepared for the wave of refugees.

The agency's work in that period is subject to an investigation by state prosecutors. Bulgarian Public Financial Inspection Agency (PFIA) established violations in the conduct of public procurements amounting to 261,083 leva (around 130,000 euros).

The appointment provoked outrage among citizens, volunteers, activists and organizations.

"Under the leadership of Kazakov, the refugee administration allowed the worst humanitarian crisis in the history of Bulgaria as a country, providing international protection, under which refugees were treated in a way unanimously described by local, European and international bodies and organizations as constituting inhuman and degrading treatment," stated the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC).

The informal group Friends of the Refugees sent a letter to Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva with an appeal to conduct a transparent competition for the selection of a new chairperson of the agency.

"The consequences of Kazakov's work are being fought for more than a year now with the active help of all authorities and organizations, foreign governments and institutions of the European Union. This reappointment means the government allows the recurrence of past mistakes rather than correcting them," said BHC, urging the government to conduct a transparent competition for the selection of a new chairperson.