site.btaUPDATED CC-DB Demands Resignation of National Security Agency Head Denev over Petrohan Case

Denyo Denev must resign immediately as acting Chairman of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), said Atanas Atanasov of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) at a briefing in Parliament on Thursday. According to Atanasov, Denev showed clear disrespect for the National Assembly during Wednesday's hearing on the Petrohan case by not answering the question of whether there were individuals in the NGO linked to the case who had cooperated with or worked for SANS. 

Ivaylo Mirchev of CC-DB said that information from various sources points to at least two people who had interactions with SANS and were most likely recruited, but this information was not mentioned by the Director of SANS on Wednesday. 

CC-DB leader Assen Vassilev said that SANS is covering up a crime. "What became clear from an Interior Ministry statement is that the group had been under surveillance for more than 12 months with agents planted in it by SANS. And if SANS allowed things and horrors to happen, about which the prosecution service is currently trying to obtain information, this means that they are not only active observers, but perhaps also organizers of this thing," Vassilev argued. 

Asked who these two individuals were, Vassilev replied that they were among those killed. He added that they had requested the declassification of all documents related to the case.

Bozhidar Bozhanov of CC-DB said they did everything possible to get the register of pedophiles up and running as quickly as possible. The parliamentary group will support all legislative initiatives that open up data on individuals who have been convicted of crimes against children. "There is no doubt that we have even been proactive and with our bill we wanted not only to have a register, not only for it to provide data, but also for these individuals to be unable to hold any positions related to working with children," said Bozhanov, adding that in recent days there have been many lies directed against the CC-DB.

Between February 2 and February 8, six bodies were found with gunshot wounds near the Petrohan lodge and Okolchitsa Peak in Northwestern Bulgaria. The bodies were of five men and a 15-year-old boy. They have been linked to a nongovernmental organization called National Protected Areas Control Agency (NPACA). The principal leads the investigation is following regarding the six violent deaths are homicide succeeded by suicide or suicide only.