Acting Interior Minister Emil Dechev told the National Assembly that he is the target of a deliberate attack by what he described as “frightened individuals” who do not want the truth clarified regarding the “Petrohan” and “Okolchitsa” cases. He appeared for a hearing at the request of There Is Such a People (TISP) over allegations that he had exerted pressure on the investigations. According to Dechev, political and media speculation about staffing decisions in the teams handling the two cases began only hours after he took office.

He said that on Monday he met with officers involved in the pre-trial proceedings and firmly denied any intention to dismiss, reassign, or initiate disciplinary action against them. Dechev stressed that he has neither given nor will give instructions concerning the direction of the investigations, the assessment of evidence, or the exclusion of specific hypotheses. His only insistence, he said, has been on a full, objective, and comprehensive clarification of the facts, given the heightened public tension and the spread of conspiracy theories.

The minister stated that, as head of the Interior Ministry, he has the right to be informed about all processes within the system in order to be accountable to parliament. He added that officers who perform their duties professionally will have the leadership’s support. During the hearing, it became clear that he had initially received only limited information - general details already known to the public - which prompted him to request a formal, detailed report. Dechev also denied ordering a security perimeter around the site of the incident.

Responding to questions about his authority, he emphasized that under the Criminal Procedure Code, only a prosecutor can remove an investigating officer or transfer a case. The supervision and direction of pre-trial proceedings lie entirely with the supervising prosecutor, as well as higher-ranking prosecutors and the Prosecutor General. Even if a minister wished to influence an investigation, he said, it would be impossible without prosecutorial orders.

Meanwhile, the Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office authorized the burial of the three men found with gunshot wounds near the Petrohan mountain lodge - Ivaylo Ivanov-Ivey, Decho Vasilev, and Plamen Statev - after forensic examinations were completed. The prosecution maintains the theory of suicide, including in Ivanov’s case, where two head wounds were identified.

For three other bodies discovered near Okolchitsa Peak - Ivaylo Kalushev, Nikolay Zlatkov, and Aleksandar Makulev - permission for burial has not yet been granted. The investigation, led by the Vratsa District Prosecutor’s Office, is examining a possible murder-suicide scenario. The Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office also announced it will seek assistance from U.S. experts and Europol for additional forensic analysis.