Gergana Petrova detained during Prime Minister Radev's visit to Strumyani

Gergana Petrova Rumen Radev police detention journalist rights Bulgaria

Gergana Petrova, a local activist and journalist, was detained by police during Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s visit to Strumyani. The incident occurred after the National Service for Protection (NSO) requested police assistance, alleging that Petrova attempted to enter a restricted journalist zone and repeatedly failed to present identification or a press card.

Petrova claims she was filming the Prime Minister without restriction and that she did not present her ID because it was left in her vehicle while she was volunteering in flood cleanup efforts. She also reported sustaining bruises and injuries from handcuffs during the detention. The Ministry of Interior stated she was issued a warning protocol for disturbing public order and a citation for not carrying identification.

The detention has sparked significant political controversy. Prime Minister Radev has ordered an investigation into the actions of both the Ministry of Interior and the NSO to determine if any abuse of power occurred. In response to the incident, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev dismissed the director of the Blagoevgrad Regional MVR Directorate, citing a failure to report the incident promptly and excessive actions by officers on the ground. The Association of European Journalists - Bulgaria has demanded immediate answers regarding the legality of the detention and the protection of Petrova’s rights.

Entities

Association of European Journalists - Bulgaria · Gergana Petrova · Ministry of Interior · National Security Service · National Service for Protection · Rumen Radev · Strumyani

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev removed the director of the Blagoevgrad Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior following the incident. viaranews.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Prime Minister Rumen Radev ordered an investigation into the actions of the Ministry of Interior and the National Security Service regarding the incident. euronews.bg · www.blagoevgrad24.bg · safenews.bg
[● 4 SOURCES] Petrova was issued a warning protocol for disturbing public order and a citation under the Law on Bulgarian Identity Documents for not carrying identification. euronews.bg · trafficnews.bg · www.vesti.bg
[● 7 SOURCES] NSO employees requested police assistance after a woman attempted to enter a designated journalist zone without presenting identification or a press card. euronews.bg · trafficnews.bg · www.blagoevgrad24.bg · safenews.bg · petel.bg · +2 more
[● 2 SOURCES] The Association of European Journalists - Bulgaria demanded immediate answers regarding the reasons for Petrova's detention and the lack of explanation of her rights. trafficnews.bg
[● 3 SOURCES] Gergana Petrova claims she sustained bruises and injuries from the handcuffs during her detention. viaranews.com · ruse.news
[● 5 SOURCES] The Government Information Service stated that Petrova was filming the Prime Minister without restrictions prior to the incident. safenews.bg · petel.bg · euronews.bg · www.ruse24.bg · www.actualno.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Petrova was issued a warning protocol for disturbing public order and an act for not carrying identification. euronews.bg · trafficnews.bg · www.vesti.bg
[● 2 SOURCES] The AEJ-Bulgaria demanded immediate answers regarding the detention of Gergana Petrova. trafficnews.bg
[● 3 SOURCES] Gergana Petrova claims she sustained bruises and injuries from handcuffs during her detention. viaranews.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Petrova stated she did not present her ID because it was left in her vehicle during flood cleanup efforts. viaranews.com · ruse.news
[● 5 SOURCES] Prime Minister Rumen Radev ordered an investigation into the actions of the MVR and NSO regarding the incident. euronews.bg · www.blagoevgrad24.bg · safenews.bg · fakti.bg