Bulgaria Supreme Judge Rebuts Reports of 'Octopus' Involvement

Bulgaria's former Interior Minister and current Constitutional Court Judge, Georgi Petkanov, denies any involvement in organized crime. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's former Interior Minister and current Constitutional Court Judge, Georgi Petkanov disproves reports that he was involved in infiltrating Aleksei Petrov as undercover security agent.

Petkanov spoke Monday in an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR.

The Judge's statement comes on the heels of words of Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, who said over the weekend that Aleksei Petrov entered the Secret Services over pressure from former Chief Prosecutor, Nikola Filchev and with Petkanov's assistance.

Petkanov further denied Filchev's involvement, saying the Interior Minister “got confused.”

The Judge refused to comment on his relations with Aleksei Petrov, but according to unnamed sources, he might be called soon by the prosecution to explain them.

Earlier Monday, Bulgaria rightist Blue Coalition MP, Atanas Atanasov, called for the legal authorities to turn their focus away from former secret agent Aleksei Petrov and on to the group around ex Chief Prosecutor Nikola Flichev.

Aleksei Petrov aka The Tractor, was arrested in the recent ‘Octopus’ special police operation targeting organized crime.

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