Bulgarian Vigilante Migrant Hunter Charged with Instigation of Violence, Hatred
Dinko Valev on his ATV. Photo: Facebook
Dinko Valev from the Bulgarian city of Yambol has been charged with instigating discrimination, violence and hatred based on race, nationality and ethnicity.
This has been established by the district prosecutor's office in the town of Sredets and his case has been brought to the Sofia district prosecution.
Earlier in the year, Valev made the headlines of national media for being responsible for the first of a series of citizen's arrests of illegal migrants along the border with Turkey.
On February 14, he reported to the 112 emergency number that he had detained a group of sixteen migrants, among whom were fifteen adults and one small child/baby.
In the recording of the call, Valev could be heard ordering everyone to lie down, to issue death threats and to swear at the migrants.
His actions are thought to have had great effect on the general public as he appeared on national television and social media.
This incident was followed by several other citizen's arrest along the border. Initially, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov appeared to encourage the vigilante migrant hunters and even thanked them for their efforts.
Later, the authorities dismissed the citizen's arrests as unlawful and the interior ministry issued instructions to people in border areas on the actions they have to take in case they encounter illegal migrants.
On Wednesday, a former official of Pegida and the head of a Dutch offshoot movement boasted on Facebook that they had been in Bulgaria to hunt for illegal migrants along the border with Turkey.
Bulgaria-Based Scam Ring Steals Over €600,000 from Elderly in Greece
A criminal network linked to Bulgaria has been accused of defrauding dozens of elderly people in northern Greece through an elaborate telephone scam that resulted in losses exceeding 600,000 euros, according to Kathimerini.
Man Remanded in Custody After Fatal Stabbing in Bulgarian Village
A premeditated murder investigation is underway after a violent incident in the village of Kokalyane near Sofia, where a man is accused of fatally stabbing another person inside a garage that had been adapted for living
Italian Mafia-Linked Waste Scheme Reaches Bulgaria, Five Nationals Investigated
Italian authorities have launched an investigation into a large-scale scheme involving the illegal export of hazardous waste to Eastern Europe, with five Bulgarian nationals among those under scrutiny
Bulgaria Cracks Down on Election Crimes: 183 Arrested, Over 1,000 Violations Reported
Authorities in Bulgaria report a significant escalation in efforts to combat election-related violations, with 183 individuals detained in connection with crimes against electoral rights
Bulgarian Authorities Seize Over Half a Million Euros in Crackdown on Vote Buying
Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov has announced that authorities have seized more than half a million euros in what he described as funds intended to influence or distort the outcome of the upcoming elections in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Interior Ministry Reports Surge in Election Crime Signals Ahead of April Snap-Vote
Interior Minister Emil Dechev has reported a sharp rise in signals related to alleged election crimes compared to the parliamentary vote held in October 2024










