© Julia Lazarova
– 70th day of protest for the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Prosecutor General. Velislav Minekov
“This is not an ordinary protest, this is a war of the citizens against the state occupied by the mafia. It was time. It had to happen. The recognition that we are not only the creators of the protest, but also its coordinators, creates danger. But it is so. this new craft for me is learning on the go … “
That’s what the sculptor says Professor Velislav Minekov, appointed by President Rumen Radev as Minister of Culture, in an interview for Deutsche Welle in August 2020. Then Minekov was part of the “Poison Trio” (along with PR Arman Babikyan and lawyer Nikolai Hadjigenov) – the group that became the face and organizer of the protests demanding the resignation of the cabinet of Boyko Borissov and Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev.
Minekov is on the square every night and often makes speeches from a kind of tribune. A few months later, he stopped appearing in public with Babikyan and Hadjigenov, after the group entered into talks with Maya Manolova’s “Stand Up.bg” for a joint turnout.
According to Dnevnik, Minekov and the other members of the Poison Trio had disagreements over the organization of the protests and the formation’s participation in the elections. At that time, Minekov did not officially comment on the reasons for his resignation, and so far he has been presented as part of the trio.
Political and civil activist, critic of GERB, Boyko Borisov and Vezhdi Rashidov, former member of Meglena Kuneva’s party – these are part of the biographical data about the sculptor Velislav Minekov, son of the sculptor Velichko Minekov. He was appointed by President Rumen Radev as caretaker Minister of Culture.
Who are the other members of the caretaker government – here
Who is the caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev – here.
“I wasn’t in the square to get to this format”
In December 2020, he announced that unless a painful gesture was made to unite all non-parliamentary factions, parties and coalitions by December 23, he would end his political and civic complicity, adding: “I did what I could.”
“I expect clear joint action against our gang and ruling gangs. Declaration of assistance for fair elections and clear, united intentions. Subsequently, a government directed against today’s mafia. Yes, a compromise is needed, it is difficult, it hurts. Those living in the past must “They prefer the future. And all non-parliamentary factions, parties and coalitions must make the painful gesture of unification. There is no alternative,” Minekov wrote in a Facebook post.
© Georgi Kozhukharov
– The “poisonous trio” in the midst of anti-government protests in the summer of 2020. From left to right – Velislav Minekov, Arman Babikyan, Nikolai Hadjigenov
In February this year, in the program of Sasho Dikov Minekov revealed that the reason for his withdrawal was that he does not want to be politically engagedbecause he wants to remain a citizen. “I was not in the square to get to this format,” Minekov said at the time, and expressed hope that after the election they would return to the old format of the “Poison Trio”, because that was a better option than having power or part of power.
Criticism of GERB and conflict with Vezhdi Rashidov
Throughout Boyko Borissov’s rule, Minekov sharply and publicly criticized the resigned prime minister and GERB, as well as the initiatives of the Ministry of Culture, which was headed by Vezhdi Rashidov for two terms. Minekov strongly opposed him in his attempts to make Borisov an honorary member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists.
© Press Secretariat of the Head of State
– Velislav Minekov
–
Minekov was a spokesman for the Citizens’ Movement (the party founded by Meglena Kuneva), but left at the end of 2014 after it became known that The reformist bloc will enter into a coalition with GERB.
Then he is motivated by the fact that it is difficult for him to accept the gathering in one place of respectable people and mutts in the name of the future of the country. In 2016, his name was among those associated with the Reformist Bloc presidential candidate, but then Traicho Traikov was nominated. In the 2019 local elections, Minekov expressed support for Sofia mayoral candidate Maya Manolova
“Sunflowers are currently turning their heads and looking for a new sun,” he said in late April 2021 after the parliamentary elections. before the BNR the sculptor. He expressed the position that a caretaker government and new elections are the best solution, instead of trying to form a government. “A caretaker government simply means fair elections, nothing more, but things will not be the same anymore. Then comes the disappearance of GERB.”
Political and civic activist Minekov
In the business card sent by the presidency, Minekov is mentioned as a political and civil activist:
His biography is also presented: “Professor at the National Academy of Arts (NAA). Graduated from the National Academy of Arts and specializes in Hamburg, Germany. Lecturer in sculpture, metal design, artistic metallurgy, artistic stonemasonry and restoration in Bulgaria, Germany, Turkey and the UAE.
It is presented with monumental and easel works in Bulgaria, USA, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Korea, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, China, Morocco, Lebanon, Bosnia, Serbia, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates. emirates. He has been awarded as a participant in many international symposia, competitions and exhibitions. He is a member of creative unions in Europe and organizations supporting the protection of cultural heritage.
Prof. Minekov is a civil and political activist. Participates in initiatives to change laws in the field of culture, museum work, the legal status of collectors and copyright, “concludes Minekov’s presentation.
Who are the other members of the caretaker government – here
Who is the caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev – here.
–
