Not a competition, but an interview is the procedure through which the municipality of Sevlievo selected Ali Aliev, a former State Security agent and activist from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), to head the Municipal Inspectorate.
This was the response from the municipal administration in the town to questions from “Za istinata,” aimed at clarifying the process by which Aliev became the preferred candidate among thirteen candidates (according to information from the municipality), although sources have indicated that there were potentially three times as many applicants.
There was no formal competition announced for Aliev’s position, nor was such a competition conducted in accordance with the State Servant Act or the Labor Code, the municipality of Sevlievo clarified. Instead, an interview was held, and the selection of candidates was conducted in two stages—document review and the interview itself. “Documents were submitted by thirteen candidates who applied to participate,” the institution stated. However, it remains unclear what exactly they were applying for. Following the terminology of the municipality, it is likely that the candidates expressed their interest in the interview.
What remains unclear?
It is not clear how the selection process worked regarding who was allowed to participate in the interview, given that, according to official information from the institution, only three of the applicants were invited for an interview.
The composition of the evaluation committee for the candidates is also unclear, despite the fact that this information was explicitly requested by “Za istinata.” The responses from the municipality also lack a copy of the minutes from the committee’s proceedings, even though this was similarly requested in accordance with the Access to Public Information Act.
Do experts speak out?
Is it possible that there is no report? “Za istinata” inquired at the Regional Council of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CITUB) in Gabrovo. They were adamant that regardless of the method used for selecting candidates, it is mandatory to record what happens in the proceedings.
Conducting interviews is not a precedent in the hiring of employees, explained a labor law expert who wished to remain anonymous to “Za istinata.” This method is typically employed when the advertised vacant position is not subject to a competition. However, regardless of this, there must be established criteria for filtering candidates, and these should be outlined in the job advertisement.
In this specific situation, the minimum requirements for the position are a high school education and a driver’s license. It is unnecessary to calculate what percentage of the population meets these requirements. Additional requirements listed include computer literacy and “competencies related to the understanding and application of the legal acts regulating the activities of municipal administration.” This is quite vague, assuming that these are the selection criteria for the candidates and likely a perfunctory statement intended to lend weight to the selection process.
Details matter
However, there are two details that should not be overlooked. The regulation governing the operation of the Municipal Inspectorate in Sevlievo, adopted by the Municipal Council, states that the work of the unit is managed by a designated deputy mayor. When the designated deputy mayor is absent, oversight and organization are taken over by another deputy mayor. The unit itself consists of inspectors; thus, according to the regulation, there is no designated head. Under these circumstances, it is unclear on what grounds the municipality of Sevlievo announced the selection of a head for the Municipal Inspectorate.
Another point that raises suspicions is that the job announcement stated that “individuals who submitted documents for participation will be notified separately about the date and time of the interview.” However, this did not occur. Two of the applicants contacted “Za istinata” and reported that they learned about the new head of the Inspectorate from “Za istinata” itself and that they were not informed about the interview.
Many Secrets
Amid so many uncertainties, the doubts surrounding the appointment of Ali Aliev, a figure surrounded by numerous scandals and dealings with the law, instead of being clarified, remain even more mysterious.
In fact, there is nothing surprising about rigged competitions, as long as they do not verge on cynicism. The choice of Aliev is precisely that if one judges by his biography.
Dismissal, Legal Violations, and a Court Ruling
Ali Aliev was dismissed as the director of the State Forest Enterprise in Sevlievo due to a violation of the legal requirement that individuals in public office must not participate in the ownership of an active private company. He was the owner of a company (now deleted) listed among the debtors of the National Revenue Agency (NRA) for unsettled public obligations exceeding 5,000 BGN, with no assets on which security can be imposed and no receivables from banks or third parties. The NRA has a lawsuit against him, which it won in the Supreme Court due to false income declarations. Ali Aliev has had his forestry activity permit revoked due to violations of the Forest Act and is connected to a company (registered in his mother’s name) that has a contract with the municipality of Sevlievo for timber harvesting.
Adding to Aliiev’s colorful past is his history as an agent—his name appears in the declassified archives of the State Security as agent “Viktor,” having collaborated with the local police department “Students’ City” and the Sixth Directorate of State Security when he was 28 years old.
Despite the obvious conflict between the moral status of the position of head of the Municipal Inspectorate and the circumstances surrounding Ali Aliev’s background, he is now the head of the Municipal Inspectorate in Sevlievo, tasked with overseeing compliance with laws, regulations, and public order in the town. This is despite the fact that, according to regulations, he should be a regular inspector.
