Bulgaria: Protests erupt over removal of Petrohan memorial plaque

Protests were held in front of the Sofia Court Palace by families of victims from the Petrohan and Okolchitsa tragedies. Demonstrators, operating under the slogan ‘No to vandalism’, are demanding a transparent and impartial investigation following the removal of a memorial plaque at the Petrohan Pass.

Slavi Trifonov, leader of the ‘There Is Such a People’ party, admitted to personally removing the plaque, which he described as a ‘shame, disgrace, and humiliation’. Trifonov argued that the memorial was unauthorized by the Berkovitsa Municipality and criticized the inclusion of names he associated with a convicted criminal.

In response, Ralitsa Asenova, mother of victim Nikolay Zlatkov, called the removal unacceptable, stating that authorities should have used legal channels to address permit issues rather than destroying the memorial. While the Berkovitsa Municipality confirmed no permit was requested for the plaque, investigators have since seized the memorial as part of an ongoing inquiry.