Bulgarian MPs Question Anti-mafia Unit Boss over 'Octopus' Case

The leader of the far-right, nationalist Ataka party, Volen Siderov, is currently the rotating Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Control of the State Agency for National Security. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian Parliamentary Committee for Control of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) will question the Head of the Unit for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP).

Svetlin Florov will appear before the Members of the Parliament to offer details about the GDBOP probe titled “Businessmen,” involving former DASN agent, Aleksei Petrov, who was arrested in February during a special police operation codenamed “Octopus” over numerous charges of organized crime, and has been kept in jail since then.

The information was reported by the Head of the Parliamentary Committee and leader of the far-right, nationalist Ataka party, Volen Siderov.

The GDBOP probe had been kept in the Military Appellate Prosecutor’s Office for 2 years without any developments and was returned to the Interior Ministry archives only in 2010. Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev, already ordered an investigation to find out why the file has been held inactive for so long.

Siderov says the probe was filed with the Military Appellate Prosecutor’s Office at the time Petrov began working for DANS, adding the person, who at time was in charge of conducting Petrov’s security clearance check, was denied access to the file. The above said individual, however, notified the then DANS Director, Petko Sertov, about the file’s existence but was ignored and Petrov was hired as a DANS undercover agent.

The nationalist leader further explains the GDBOP Head must clarify if there is a connection between “Businessmen” and “Octopus.” The hearing is scheduled for next Thursday.

The Sofia Court of Appeals decided earlier Thursday to keep Aleksei Petrov behind bars with the motive enough evidence has been collected in 5 months to support the accusations Petrov has been a leader of a crime group.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!