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Ivaylo Kalushev
The Ministry of Interior has published a report detailing its investigation into the activities of the association linked to Ivaylo Kalushev. The document is now publicly available on the Ministry’s website.
The publication follows an order from Interior Minister Daniel Mitov dated February 5, 2026. The order tasked a commission from the Inspectorate Directorate with examining signals and complaints connected to the organization known as the “National Agency for Control of Protected Areas” (NACPT) and the involvement of Ministry of Interior employees in these matters.
The inspection identified four reports concerning the NGO founded by Kalushev, some of which raised allegations of sexual abuse of minors and the production of pornographic materials involving children. Interviews conducted with witnesses, relatives, and parents of minors revealed claims of abuse, including sexual exploitation.
The first report, submitted on February 2, 2022, concerned a threat and potential self-harm near the Petrohan lodge, just days after the association was founded, in the Berkovitsa Regional Administrative District.
A second report focused on violations tied to the framework agreement between the Ministry of Environment and Water and the NACPT, prompting the State Police to open an official investigation.
The third report was filed by the grandparents of an 8-year-old boy. They claimed the child had been withdrawn from school by his mother and placed under the care of rangers affiliated with the association, who promised to teach him “useful skills.” Over eight months, the grandparents had limited contact and noticed behavioral changes. The report also detailed that the child had traveled to Nepal and Tibet with the rangers. During subsequent checks, minors aged 13 and 14 were found at the Petrohan lodge on June 19, 2024, with no legal violations identified at that time. The grandparents later withdrew their report on June 13, 2024.
An anonymous report from February 2022 further alleged that Kalushev led a Buddhist religious group involved in sexual abuse of minors, creation of pornographic content, and possession of illegal weapons hidden in secret locations.
The inspection, conducted by the Inspectorate Directorate, confirmed that the association is represented by Ivaylo Ivanov, with its Board of Directors comprising Ivaylo Ivanov, Ivaylo Kalushev, and Nikolay Zlatkov. The founders include Professors Nikolay Maistorov, Stilyana Dimitrova, Decho Vassilev, and Plamen Stattev.
The report notes that public records contain no information on the members of the association, and no employment or civil contracts have been registered with the NACPT. The commission concluded that, for the purposes of the inspection, all individuals connected to the NGO should be considered its founders.
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