site.btaInterior Ministry Follows Leads to Businessman Alexey Petrov’s Murder

Procedural-investigative and search actions are being carried out in Sofia in connection with the investigation into the murder of businessman Alexey Petrov, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

The Interior Ministry said that these actions include searches of former gambling mogul Vassil Bojkov 's properties. The collected materials would be reported to the supervising prosecutor of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.

The Interior Ministry has launched urgency actions at the businessman's properties. Bojkov is serving a house arrest measure at one of the addresses where searches and seizures are being carried out. He was escorted by the police for questioning at the Sofia Interior Ministry Directorate.

The press centre of the Ministry of Interior informs that the collected materials will be reported to the supervising prosecutor of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.

Vassil Bojkov was accompanied by police for questioning as a witness, his lawyer Georgi Gatev explained to the media, following a raid by the Interior Ministry on the businessman's property. 

Gatev pointed out that the searches were related to pre-trial proceedings at the Sofia Interior Directorate, which have been ongoing since last year, in connection with companies and their activities. The lawyer explained that his client was formerly associated with some of the companies, but they were transferred to another person. He assumed that Bojkov, as a witness, would probably be asked for information about these companies.

Gatev said that the actions of the police do not concern Alexey Petrov.

Vassil Bojkov told the media that he had no relations with Alexey Petrov and had nothing to do with him. The businessman announced that he is preparing a new political project. He commented that the actions against him are "to stop this project and to scare the people who support me".