site.btaMRF Files Report to Acting Prosecutor General on Interior Minister's Thursday Hearing in National Assembly

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) has filed a report with acting Prosecutor General Vanya Stefanova regarding Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev's hearing in Parliament on Thursday, MRF MP Kalin Stoyanov told reporters on Friday.

Demerdzhiev was questioned over information related to media reports about flights taken by MRF Floor Leader Delyan Peevski aboard private aircraft. During the hearing, the Minister presented information about joint trips taken by Peevski and Constitutional Court judge Desislava Atanasova to various destinations in 2024, as well as shared bookings involving Peevski and another 81 individuals, among other details.

"During this hearing, it became clear that numerous searches had been conducted in the Passenger Name Record (PNR) system, from which information concerning 81 individuals was extracted," Stoyanov said, noting that the database contains personal data, travel itineraries and payment information.

"The interesting thing is that this system cannot be accessed by just anyone whenever and for whatever purpose they choose. It is used primarily in investigations related to terrorism offences," he added.

"Bulgaria's access rights are held by the National Passenger Information Unit within the State Agency for National Security (SANS). From this point on, answers are owed by the Interior Minister, SANS Chair Stancho Stanchev, as well as the Director of the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime, Martin Zlatkov," Stoyanov said.

According to him, they must explain who ordered the searches of the international database and on what legal grounds, given that it is used by numerous partner services.

"We will also notify partner services and other institutions across Europe with which we cooperate, as the system contains a significant amount of sensitive information," Stoyanov added.