The leader of “Rebellious Bulgaria“ Cornelia Ninova came out with a sharp position against Prime Minister and former President Rumen Radev, accusing him of complicity in the case of the release of the legendary drug lord Ognyan Atanasov.
Sofia, September 12, 2026 – The scandal surrounding the pardon of the drug trafficker known as the “Petrich Escobar“ Ognyan Atanasov continues to shake up the Bulgarian political scene with full force. On Saturday afternoon, the leader of the party “Rebellious Bulgaria“ Kornelia Ninova has issued severe criticism of the current Prime Minister Rumen Radev. According to her, if the former head of state was aware of the actions of the current president (then vice president) Iliyana Yotova, he bears direct blame for the case.
„If Radev knew that Yotova was pardoning a drug trafficker and kept quiet, then he is an accomplice“, was categorical Kornelia Ninova in her official position, quoted by the news agency „Focus“ (focus-news.net).
Behind the Walls of „Dondukov“ 2: The Chronology of a Secret Pardon
The tension escalated after it became clear that by decree of Iliyana Yotova at the end of 2022 are saved 10 years out of a total 15-year sentence of Ognyan Atanasov, imposed on him in Greece for large-scale import and trafficking of drugs. The official motive of the Pardon Commission at the time was “serious health condition, threatening the life of the petitioner“.
However, political opponents quickly countered these claims. Cornelia Ninova and the leaders of “Continue the Change“ recalled that only months after his release on humanitarian grounds, “Petri's Escobar“ returned to the criminal business, and in 2025 he was again caught with 5 kilograms of cocaine.
Ninova also asked a series of awkward questions:
Did Rumen Radev know what Yotova was doing behind his back? How many more drug lords and serious criminals have been secretly released? What are the real motives and is there corruption pressure behind these acts?
The institutional response and the electoral race
The head of state's press office countered the criticism, stating in an official statement distributed by bTV Novinite (btvnovinite.bg) that the procedure was completely legal. Yotova's decision was based on an expert opinion by 7-member medical commission, according to which the punishment was incompatible with the convict's health, and his sentence had already been suspended for two years for the same reasons.
The topic acquires enormous importance due to the current political situation in the country in 2026, after at the beginning of the year Rumen Radev resigned, headed the "Progressive Bulgaria" party and took over the post of Prime Minister, and Iliyana Yotova took over the presidency and is currently fighting for a new term. You can read more details on the topic and the positions of the parties involved on the pages of „BTA“ (bta.bg) and „Mediapool“ (mediapool.bg).