site.btaHistorical Park Defendants Kept in Custody as Appeal Court Confirms Detention

Sofia Court of Appeal upheld the detention of five of the seven defendants in the Historical Park case on Thursday.

The court released Nikolay Hitov on BGN 20,000 bail for health reasons and freed Emil Eftimov without any measure, while confirming custody for Anatoli Savov, Plamen Kanchev, Biser Sivkov, Eftim Valchanov and Nikolay Kutsarov on charges of taking part in an organised criminal group for embezzlement, money laundering and fraud.

The ruling is final and cannot be appealed or protested.

Hitov was released on BGN 20,000 bail because of his deteriorating health. Eftimov was also released without any measure, as, in the judge’s words, the evidence collected so far contains very “scarce sources of information” concerning him.

The charge against the group is that from early January 2013 to November 26, 2025, in Sofia, Varna (on the Black Sea) and other parts of the country, they took part in an organized criminal group set up for profit and to commit offences including embezzlement, fraud and money laundering.

After a five-hour hearing, Sofia Court of Appeal delivered its decision, with Judge Alexander Zhelyazkov noting that at this stage of the investigation, witness testimony is sufficient, together with a body of written evidence such as lease contracts, contracts between investors and commercial companies and other documents. He also said he was taking into account the results of search-and-seizure records.

Earlier in the day, supporters of Velichie protested outside the Palace of Justice in Sofia, chanting “Resignation” and “Freedom”.

Velichie is led by Ivelin Mihaylov, who is also the founder of the Historical Park tourist attraction near the village of Neofit Rilski. In December 2024 the Sofia City Prosecution Office opened pre-trial proceedings, conducted by the Anti-Corruption Commission, into an alleged organized criminal group formed around Historical Park and suspected of profit-driven offences such as embezzlement, fraud and money laundering between 2013 and 2025. At the request of the supervising prosecutor, the Sofia City Court issued 37 warrants for searches and seizures of homes, cars and other premises, with coordinated operations in Sofia, Varna, Shumen, Pazardzhik and Neofit Rilski and earlier seizures and injunctions affecting assets linked to companies associated with Mihaylov and the park itself.