site.btaProsecution Service Submits Petrohan-Okolchitsa Deaths Case Files to Parliament Amid Heightened Political Tensions

The prosecution service has sent to the National Assembly materials from the pre-trial proceedings into the six violent deaths linked to the Petrohan–Okolchitsa case, marking a significant step amid mounting political pressure and intense public scrutiny.

The materials concern the deaths of six people between February 1 and 8 in Northwestern Bulgaria — three found near the Petrohan lodge at the Petrohan Pass and three later discovered in a camper van near Okolchitsa Peak in the Western Balkan Range. All were associated with the National Protected Areas Control Agency (NPACA), a non-governmental organization active in nature and wildlife protection.

According to the prosecution, the case files were forwarded to the Parliament Chair with the authorization of the supervising prosecutors. They include witness statements, expert findings, procedural records and written evidence gathered so far, as well as physical evidence.

The prosecution service said the materials were submitted in view of the high public interest and in keeping with the principles of openness and transparency in the work of the judiciary, as well as the need for interaction with the legislative and executive branches. The move also follows a proposal by two MPs in the 51st National Assembly.

The decision comes against the backdrop of escalating political tensions over the handling of the case. Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) has demanded the resignation of acting State Agency for National Security (SANS) Chairman Denyo Denev, accusing him of withholding information from Parliament and suggesting possible links between SANS and members of the NGO. Denev has categorically denied that SANS officers were embedded in the organization and has said the agency fulfilled its duties by checking earlier tipoffs and forwarding materials to the prosecution service.

Investigators have so far prioritized the hypotheses of homicide followed by suicide or suicide only, as evidenced by the ballistics findings. At least eighteen forensic examinations have been ordered and 15 witnesses questioned so far.

The case has also triggered institutional reactions beyond the criminal investigation. The Education Ministry launched an inspection of the private Cosmos secondary school, attended by one of the victims, and the Council for Electronic Media reported multiple ethical breaches in media coverage of the tragedy, including the disclosure of sensitive information about minors.

In submitting the case materials to Parliament, the prosecution stressed that MPs and other parliamentary officials must not disclose facts concerning the intimate lives of witnesses questioned in the proceedings or information that could undermine their authority and dignity.