'Octopus' Denies Having Ties with Bulgarian President

Controversial Bulgarian businessman, ex agent and alleged crime boss, Aleksei Petrov, says he never did undercover work for the State Agency for National Security. Photo by BGNES

Controversial Bulgarian businessman, ex agent and alleged crime boss Aleksei Petrov has nothing to do with President, Georgi Parvanov, and his the future political project, but supports any civic initiative.

Petrov made the statement before journalists from the northern city of Pleven, reiterating his intentions to run for president himself and to form a team of experts from different political formations.

He refuted allegations made last week, including by Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, he was connected to the President saying this is political blackmail, stemming from his arrest earlier in February.

Petrov aka "The Tractor" and "The Octopus," who was released under home arrest in mid-October, further denied ever working as an undercover agent of the State Agency for National Security (DANS), saying his arrest was a political order, having nothing to do with his work for DANS as advisor, and confirming reports he was subject to violence while in jail.

Meanwhile, the conservative "Order, Law and Justice" (RZS) party distributed a letter to the media, declaring the former DANS employee is not a party member, just a supporter, and he never before informed RZS of his intentions to run for president.

"RZS is the only opposition and true alternative of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party. We expect from Petrov to form a strong expert council on national security and new constitutional order," the letter states.

Also on Monday, Atanas Atanasov, from the right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), commented "The Tractor's" intentions to run for office were just a bluff.

"But if he indeed becomes a presidential candidate, it would harm the image of the institution and it would be with the support of people from Parvanov's circle," Atanasov said reminding it was precisely RZS who made everything possible to fail the President's impeachment in the Parliament.

According to the DSB member and leader, Parvanov and Petrov are connected through many ties, including them both being agents of the former Communist State Security.

Parvanov firmly denies any involvement with "The Octopus."

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