Bulgaria's GERB party to sue Interior Minister Demerzhiev over defamation

Members of the GERB party announced they will file a defamation lawsuit against Interior Minister Ivan Demerzhiev after he claimed that former prime minister Boyko Borisov is linked to two companies supplying guardrails (mantineli) for Bulgarian highways. GERB deputies Tom Bikov and Nikolay Nankov said Demerzhiev must provide factual evidence and not rely on speculation.

The ministers argued that the same firms have signed contracts under numerous previous governments and urged Demerzhiev to examine procurement records dating back to former premiers from Stefan Yanеv to Rumen Radev. Demerzhiev had suggested possible overpricing and highlighted Borisov’s alleged involvement in the companies’ public procurement processes.