site.btaInterior Minister Mitov Announces Comprehensive Investigation at Velingrad Regional Police Department

A comprehensive investigation will be conducted at the regional police department in Velingrad, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov said on Friday during a hearing in the National Assembly. 

Mitov was referring to the actions of the Interior Ministry in response to reports of video files allegedly from the archive of Petyo “The Euro” Petrov and claims that senior police officers in Velingrad had covered up offences by third parties. The case dates back to 2016.

If evidence of a crime or administrative violations emerges, the Interior Ministry’s leadership will determine the necessary actions. At that time, no evidence of a crime was discovered, which was also concluded by both prosecution services. However, any actions that damage the Ministry’s reputation or undermine trust in the system must be identified, and appropriate disciplinary or other measures should be taken, Mitov said.

"Regarding the videos circulating publicly, allegedly from the so-called Petyo "The Euro" Petrov archive, I inform you that the Interior Ministry's Inspectorate Directorate is aware of them," Mitov stated.

Mitov outlined police activities and concluded that the timeline of events casts doubt on the existence of any mythical archive belonging to Petrov. The information cited in this case suggests, not without reason, that various materials not deemed sufficient evidence for charges are being circulated publicly as part of the alleged mythical archive, the Interior Minister added.

Petyo “The Euro” Petrov is a former head of the Sofia investigative service, currently on trial for extortion and forging documents to steal large sums of money and gold bars from a businessman. Investigations by the Anti-Corruption Fund described him as a significant “fixer” in the judiciary. He disappeared in 2023 when law-enforcement authorities began searching for him, and he was placed on the Interpol wanted list that August. The European Arrest Warrant against him was withdrawn in December of the same year.