Bulgaria’s interior minister said an insider within the Interior Ministry helped a fugitive former investigator evade arrest, adding to concerns over influence networks in the country’s judicial system.
Interior Minister Emil Dechev said evidence pointed to a leak of information that enabled Petyo Petrov, a former investigator known as “Pepi the Euro,” to escape ahead of a planned police operation.
“There was an internal source within the ministry,” Dechev said in an interview with public broadcaster BNT, adding that authorities know the identity of the individual but have not yet disclosed it.
Petrov has been missing since May 2023 after authorities failed to detain him during an operation at a restaurant in Sofia. He is being tried in absentia on fraud charges involving large sums.
Dechev said investigators had found indications of close ties between a senior Sofia prosecutor and Petrov, describing their relationship as at least “friendly,” possibly involving shared interests.
According to the minister, Petrov had crossed into North Macedonia via the Zlatarevo border checkpoint before returning to Bulgaria later the same day, accompanied by additional individuals.
Authorities said there was no evidence he had entered Serbia.
The minister also warned that influence networks linked to Petrov and other figures continued to operate, suggesting that even if key individuals were no longer active, others could take their place.
“The prosecution remains the missing element in these cases,” Dechev said, criticising a lack of progress on the judicial side.
The case has drawn attention to alleged corruption and coordination between criminal groups and elements within Bulgaria’s law enforcement and judicial institutions.