Iliana Yotova defends pardon of drug trafficker

Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova has addressed the controversy surrounding her pardon of a drug trafficker known as the ‘Petrich Escobar’. Speaking on the program ‘Face to Face’, Yotova stated that the decision was based strictly on official documents and a medical conclusion provided by commissions appointed by the Minister of Justice.

She noted that according to the medical expertise, the individual should not have been able to move at all. Yotova remarked that had she known the individual would recover his mobility, she would likely not have made the decision. She emphasized that the pardon was a procedural act based on available legal documentation and did not serve to rehabilitate or cancel previous sentences.

Additionally, the President commented on the ‘Petrohan’ case, describing it as a blow to society and questioning how institutions failed to act on signals regarding the situation.