Petrich man reports threats after reporting illegal parking

A man from Petrich, Ivan Hristov, claims he faced insults and threats after reporting improperly parked vehicles in Dimitrovgrad. After submitting video and photographic evidence to the police, Hristov was required to travel approximately 400 km to provide testimony.

Hristov reported that upon arriving at the police station, he was forced into a face-to-face confrontation with the vehicle owners, which officers claimed was standard legal practice. He noted that one of the owners appeared to have significant influence within the station and was identified as a former police officer.

According to Hristov, as he was leaving the station, the former officer referred to him as a ‘monkey’ in the presence of a uniformed officer. Hristov managed to capture part of the interaction on an accidental audio recording. He further alleges that the verbal abuse was followed by threats of physical retaliation.

While the active-duty officer present claimed to have seen and heard nothing, the former officer has provided a conflicting account, alleging that Hristov grabbed him by the arm. Hristov denies any physical contact and expressed concern that he might be falsely accused of assaulting an official. The police stated that the complaint has been forwarded to the prosecutor's office to determine if criminal proceedings will be initiated.