The leader of the political party “Vazrazhdane“ Kostadin Kostadinov came out with a sharp official position, in which he demanded the immediate resignation of Iliana Yotova and her withdrawal from the upcoming election race. The reason for the extreme reaction were the public revelations surrounding the pardon of Ognyan Atanasov, known in the public space as the “Bulgarian Escobar“, according to information distributed by the Focus news agency (focus-news.net).
During a meeting with citizens in Varna, Kostadinov stated that what the head of state had done casts a huge stain on the institution and demanded an investigation by the police and the prosecutor's office. The head of state's press office countered the accusations, specifying that the procedure was completely legal, and the decision was taken at the proposal of the Pardon Commission based on the opinion of a 7-member medical commission due to the serious condition of the convict, informs the Bulgarian National Television (bntnews.bg).
More details on the political case and the reactions of the other formations can be read in the Mediapool investigation (mediapool.bg). As of 17:08 on September 12, 2026, political tension around the upcoming early vote in the country continues to intensify.