Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Interior Minister demands resignations over police chase death

Minister of the Interior Kalin Stoyanov.
Photo: BTA

Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov has called for the dismissal of two senior police officers in Stara Zagora. This follows an incident in late 2023 in Stara Zagora in which 58-year-old former national wrestling champion Pavel Penev died after being chased by police. 

The coroner's conclusion was that the victim's death was due to asphyxiation. Police body-worn camera footage showed that five police officers tried to immobilise him by pushing him hard to the ground, causing Penev to suffocate, public broadcaster BNT reported. According to relatives of the deceased, he was not a violent person, but suffered from mental illness. Details of the call to the 112 emergency number that led to the police chase remain unclear.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Alexander Dzhartov

All wildfires have been contained, the fire in Pirin is under control

All serious fires in the country have been contained, said Alexander Dzhartov, Chief Commissioner and Director of the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection, quoted by BTA. He added that efforts are currently underway to purchase new..

published on 7/31/25 4:25 PM

Cap on retail mark-ups and quotas for Bulgarian produce under consideration

A new draft law on the supply chain for agricultural products and food proposes the introduction of quotas for Bulgarian produce in large retail outlets, as well as limits on trade mark-ups across the supply chain . Under the proposal, at least..

published on 7/31/25 4:15 PM

President Radev: Firefighting equipment should be purchased for the Air Force, not the Ministry of Interior

Firefighting equipment should be purchased for the Air Force, where an organisation and crew are already in place , rather than for the Ministry of the Interior. This view was expressed by President Rumen Radev, who attended the graduation ceremony for..

published on 7/31/25 3:19 PM