Petrohan-Okolchitsa investigation controversy

The investigation into the Petrohan-Okolchitsa incident has faced scrutiny regarding the impartiality of expert witnesses and the involvement of a minor.

In one development, Ralitsa Asenova, the mother of victim Nikolay Zlatkov, accused criminal psychologist Rosen Yordanov of bias. She challenged his professionalism and impartiality, noting that he had previously defended the investigation's version in public interviews. During a prosecution briefing, Yordanov characterized Ivaylo Kalushev as a central, controlling figure and a “100% pedophile.”

Concurrently, new expert findings revealed the involvement of an emotionally vulnerable minor who had met members of the group surrounding Kalushev in Italy. The investigation suggests the group instilled beliefs in the child that urban life was an illusion and that children did not belong to their parents. Following a trip with Kalushev, Zlatkov, and Alexander Makulev, the child reported a sexual incident to their father, which the prosecution suggests may have been a turning point for the group.

In response to the investigation's handling, criminal psychologist Todor Todorov criticized the presentation of information to the public and relatives, suggesting that the complexity of the case does not necessarily point to an organized contract killing.