Tim W Hayes  02/11/2009 11:09:57 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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S E C R E T    NOFORN     SOFIA 00647
CXsofia:
    ACTION: POLEC
    INFO:   AID DCM FAS FCS DAO PAO AMB POLM RSO

DISSEMINATION: POLE
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:JBEYRLE
DRAFTED: POLEC:JSENIOR
CLEARED: DCM:JLEVINE, POLEC:BFREDEN, POLMIL:PNEMEC, RSO:TBURKES

VZCZCSFI326
PP RUEHC RUEHZL RUEAIIA
DE RUEHSF #0647/01 1291004
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 091004Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1871
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000647 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR MARR ASEC KCOR KCRM BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA'S MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN: GREAT HOPES, 
MURKY TIES 
 
Classified By: Ambassador John Beyrle, for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: Sofia Mayor and former Interior Ministry 
General Boiko Borisov has stormed onto the national political 
scene in recent weeks, founding a new movement that has 
quickly become the most popular political force in the 
country.  Borisov has denied rumors that he will be a 
candidate for president in this fall's elections; he seems 
instead to have his eye on the more powerful post of prime 
minister, and has publicly said that he does not want to see 
the current coalition government serve out its term.  Borisov 
has cooperated closely with the Embassy on law enforcement in 
the past and, publicly at least, remains strongly 
pro-American.  However, Borisov has been implicated in 
serious criminal activity and maintains close ties to LUKoil 
and the Russian embassy.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Borisov was elected mayor in November 2005, after 
overseeing the nation's law enforcement agencies as Chief 
Secretary of the Interior Ministry from 2001-2005.  He 
catapulted to fame in that job, personally leading raids 
against drug traffickers and car thieves and gaining 
near-heroic status in the media as Bulgaria's top 
crime-figher.  Borisov, who once described himself as 
"Bulgaria's biggest asset," appeals to the public with his 
plain yet colorful language, unpretentious behavior, and 
sharp criticism of the country's political elite.  He is the 
most popular political figure in the country, having 
maintained a consistent approval rating of over 60 percent 
for the past five years despite a mixed record against 
organized crime at the Interior Ministry. 
 
Something like a Phenomenon 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) On March 27, the Sofia City Court announced the 
registration of a Borisov-linked association called "Citizens 
for the European Development of Bulgaria."  Though 
awkward-sounding to the English ear, the group's name was 
carefully chosen to reflect a balance between patriotism and 
pro-European values.  Its reference to Europe distinguishes 
it from the anti-EU extremist party ATAKA, while the group's 
Bulgarian acronym "GERB," by which it is commonly known, 
means "shield" or "coat-of-arms" and has a strong patriotic 
connotation. 
 
¶4. (C) Borisov is not a co-founder of GERB, or even a member 
-- officially, he remains focused on his duties as mayor.  In 
practice, he serves as GERB's public face and has traveled 
across the country giving speeches at GERB events and 
inaugurating new chapters.  His efforts have been well 
received; the five week-old "citizens' association" has leapt 
to the top of the national polls.  In a survey released April 
24, 22 percent of respondents said they would support "the 
party of Boiko Borisov" if parliamentary elections were held 
immediately.  The Socialist-led Coalition for Bulgaria, which 
won first place in last fall's elections, came in second with 
19 percent. 
 
¶5. (C) GERB's meteoric rise has siphoned away support from 
the radical nationalists of ATAKA, whose rating fell to 7 
percent, off a high of 11 percent in January (septel).  GERB 
has also attracted supporters of center-right opposition 
parties, which in recent years have become too divided by 
personality conflicts among their leaders to offer any 
meaningful counterweight to the ruling coalition. Borisov's 
nationalist, "tough-guy" credentials, pro-European rhetoric, 
and populist style have led many political observers to 
consider him the only man who can unite the Bulgarian right. 
 
¶6. (C) Borisov has done little to disabuse them of this 
notion.  In a recent meeting with the Ambassador, Borisov was 
dismissive of other right-wing parties, stating that he 
"would destroy" ATAKA, and that the National Movement for 
Simeon the Second (NMSS), with whom he was once affiliated, 
"is melting."  If he were to ally with anyone, he said, it 
would be with the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), the 
right-wing party which ruled Bulgaria through much of the 
nineties.  The party, which currently polls at less than 5 
percent, "is finished" in Borisov's view, but he would still 
consider a partnership, if only "to keep the brand" alive. 
 
¶7. (S/NF) The timing and tactics of the Mayor's next move 
remain unclear, but recent statements hint at the direction 
he will take.  A May 2 interview in the high-circulation 
daily "24 Chasa" appeared under the headline quote: "This 
coalition should go home early."  In a recent conversation 
with us, Borisov was more direct, saying bluntly, "I will 
bring down the government after the basing agreement is 
completed." 
 
An Influential Ally on Basing 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8. (S) Borisov has repeatedly assured us that he supports 
close relations with the United States, including the basing 
of U.S. troops on Bulgarian soil.  In a May 5 op-ed, he 
described the signing of the Defense Cooperation Agreement as 
a foreign policy "win" for Bulgaria, stressed the advantages 
of joint training and U.S. investment, and called on basing 
opponents to "hold their tongues in consideration of the 
national interest."  However, Borisov has occasionally 
strayed off-message, particularly when trying to make hay 
from the government's unpopular handling of the initiative. 
Speaking in Haskovo on April 5, he told a crowd of hundreds 
that he personally supported basing U.S. troops in Bulgaria, 
but went on to describe the government's failure to subject 
the basing issue to a national referendum as a "fundamental 
blunder."  Comments in a later interview were harsher; "On 
Iraq (the government) said that they would withdraw our 
troops immediately.  They didn't withdraw them; they sent 
another brigade there.  They gave the Americans bases without 
getting anything in return."  A letter from the Ambassador to 
Borisov taking strong issue with these comments had the 
desired result -- the Mayor has refrained from further 
criticizing the government on this issue, and issued the May 
5 op-ed (repeating large sections of the Ambassador's 
pro-basing arguments verbatim) in order to clarify his 
support for the joint bases. 
 
Bio:  From Fireman to "Batman" 
------------------------------ 
 
¶9. (S) Born on 13 June 1959, Borisov grew up in Bankia, an 
outlying district of Sofia, where he was involved with petty 
gangs and gained a reputation as a neighborhood tough.  After 
finishing high school, he attended the Interior Ministry 
Higher Institute (Bulgaria's main academy for police and 
security services) and graduated in 1982 with a degree in 
Firefighting Equipment and Fire Safety.  He was reportedly 
denied entry into the Military Academy and more elite 
faculties of the MoI academy because his grandfather had been 
executed in a 1950s communist show trial.  After graduating, 
Borisov, who holds a black belt, became coach of the national 
karate team before joining the Sofia police force as platoon 
commander and later company commander.  From 1985-1990 he 
worked at the Interior Ministry Institute and was granted a 
doctoral degree in "Psychological and Physical Training of 
Operatives." 
 
¶10. (C) After the end of one-party rule, Borisov went into 
business.  He founded his own private security firm and built 
it into one of the biggest in the country at a time when 
"private security" was synonymous with extortion and 
strong-arm tactics.  In the 1990s he served as personal 
bodyguard to late communist dictator Todor Zhivkov (by then 
out of power), and was later hired to guard former king 
Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha during the ex-monarch's private 
visits to Bulgaria.  When Saxe-Coburg returned to Bulgaria 
permanently and was elected Prime Minister in 2001, he 
appointed Borisov as Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry 
-- a post that Borisov built into the most powerful law 
enforcement position in the country.  In addition to 
traditional law enforcement agencies, Borisov oversaw the 
National Border Police, the Customs Service, and the National 
Security Service, which is responsible for 
counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism. 
 
¶11. (S/NF) Borisov promoted himself shamelessly as Chief 
Secretary, skillfully combining influential connections with 
media owners and Hollywood-perfect press instincts to ensure 
the favorable coverage that his image is built on.  Dubbed 
"Batman" for his brooding presence, penchant for black 
designer clothes and sudden appearances on crime scenes, 
Borisov built a PR machine that won him broad support from 
all age and social groups.  Journalists tell us privately 
that Borisov pays cash for positive coverage and threatens 
those who report negatively on him.  His tenure saw him 
hailed as "Sheriff of the Nation" despite at least 123 
organized crime-related assassinations and no arrests of 
major OC leaders.  To his credit, Borisov broke new ground in 
cooperation with U.S. law enforcement and intelligence 
agencies, and orchestrated numerous arrests of drug 
traffickers, counterfeiters and human traffickers.  He has 
attempted to use these ties for his own ends, often boasting 
of his close relationships with Western security services 
generally, and U.S. services in particular.  His regular 
meetings with representatives of the Russian Embassy receive 
less publicity. 
 
¶12. (S) In private conversation, Borisov presents himself as 
almost violently anti-Communist -- an epithet he applies to 
the contemporary Bulgarian Socialist Party as well as the 
former regime.  He often refers to his grandfather's death at 
the Communists' hands and rails against the leading role 
played by scions of "old Communist families" such as PM 
Stanishev, Chief Prosecutor Velchev and Parliamentary Speaker 
Pirinski.  Borisov is street smart but often appears 
politically naive, as when told us he expects direct American 
support for his political career as a sign of our 
appreciation for his cooperation.  His high energy level and 
short attention span sometimes lead him to pace like a caged 
tiger.  He is exceptionally thin-skinned when it comes to 
public or private criticism. 
 
The Dirt 
-------- 
 
¶13. (S/NF) Accusations in years past have linked Borisov to 
oil-siphoning scandals, illegal deals involving LUKoil and 
major traffic in methamphetamines.  Information from SIMO 
tends to substantiate these allegations.  Borisov is alleged 
to have used his former position as head of Bulgarian law 
enforcement to arrange cover for criminal deals, and his 
common-law wife, Tsvetelina Borislavova, manages a large 
Bulgarian bank that has been accused of laundering money for 
organized criminal groups, as well as for Borisov's own 
illegal transactions.  Borisov is said to have close social 
and business ties to influential Mafia figures, including 
Mladen Mihalev (AKA "Madzho"), and is a former business 
partner of OC figure Roumen Nikolov (AKA "the Pasha"). 
 
¶14. (S/NF) Borisov has close financial and political ties to 
LUKoil Bulgaria Director Valentin Zlatev, a vastly 
influential kingmaker and behind-the-scenes power broker. 
Borisov's loyalty (and vulnerability) to Zlatev play a major 
role in his political decision making.  The Mayor has engaged 
LUKoil in a number of public-private partnerships since 
taking office: LUKoil has agreed to donate asphalt for the 
repair of city streets, take on the upkeep of a Soviet Army 
monument, and finance construction of low-income housing.  In 
a reciprocal gesture, Borisov has advocated using municipal 
land to develop new LUKoil stations.  Though this may seem a 
significant quid-pro-quo, Borisov's public agreements with 
LUKoil are only side deals in his much deeper and broader 
business relationship with Zlatev, which has been reported in 
other channels. 
 
Comment: Implications for U.S. Interests 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶15. (S/NF) Boiko Borisov is an unpredictable individual with 
unbridled political ambition and an apparently bright future 
in Bulgarian politics.  He may be capable of making good on 
his threat to bring down the current government, though not 
without political allies from within the ruling coalition. 
In any case, few people expect him to move before the 
November presidential election and Bulgaria's planned 
accession to the EU on January 1.  Borisov voices strong 
support for close relations with the United States, and is in 
a position to advance some American interests in this 
country.  His clear appeal to nationalist voters may 
occasionally bring him into conflict with U.S. policies, but 
it is also an opportunity to promote a more positive image of 
the U.S. to the public at large. 
 
16 (S/NF) Borisov's ego may provide our greatest leverage 
over him -- he craves international attention and 
particularly covets U.S. approval.  We must continue to walk 
a fine line between being used by Borisov's publicity machine 
and alienating an exceptionally popular and seemingly 
pro-American politician who may emerge as Bulgaria's next 
leader.  In other words, we should continue to push him in 
the right direction, but never forget who we're dealing with. 
 END COMMENT. 
 
 
Beyrle