Gergana Petrova threatens legal action against Bulgarian Interior Minister

A political and legal scandal has emerged in Bulgaria following the detention of eco-activist Gergana Petrova during a visit by President Rumen Radev to Strumyani. Interior Minister Ivan Demerzhiev stated that Petrova was detained because she is a suspect in the 2013 unsolved murder of her partner, businessman Vladislav Dochev Ivanov. The Minister admitted that the police's handling of the situation was inadequate, noting a lack of body cameras and organizational failures.

Petrova has responded by vowing to continue her activism regarding illegal logging in the Pirin mountains. She has also announced intentions to sue Minister Demerzhiev and the Ministry of Interior, alleging that his public comments regarding her past investigation constitute defamation, abuse of power, and the disclosure of official or investigative secrets. She claims these statements have caused her significant non-material damage and is preparing a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights regarding the violation of the presumption of innocence.

Records show that while Petrova was previously investigated in connection with the 2013 murder, no charges were proven in court, and the case against her alleged accomplice was terminated in 2015 due to lack of evidence. Petrova currently manages the assets inherited from her late partner.