Burgas memorial honors police officers killed by migrant bus

Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev and Deputy Minister Kaloyan Kaloyanov attended a memorial ceremony in Burgas to honor police officers Atanas Gradev and Yordan Iliev. The two officers died on August 25, 2022, while performing their duties. They were attempting to stop a bus transporting illegal migrants when the vehicle struck their service car at the Trapezitsa roundabout.

Omar Adnan, a Syrian citizen and the driver of the bus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for intentionally causing the deaths of the officers. Demerdzhiev called upon the judiciary to ensure a final and decisive legal act, noting that the case has not yet concluded.

To commemorate the officers, a national police shooting tournament was launched. Additionally, the Minister recognized two local youths, Stiliyan Trendafilov and Tonislav Lekov, for their bravery in assisting with a recent fire in their village.