We have a triple murder, committed in a manner that is extremely criminal, and these people were involved in filing reports. This was said by Borislav Sandov, former Minister of Environment and Water in Kiril Petkov's cabinet, to the Bulgarian National Radio in connection with the murders in a hut near Petrohan. Sandov explained that what is important is what reports were filed over the years and what interest could have been acted upon to reach such a negative outcome.
According to Sandov, those who died due to transient participation are represented by the country that committed the criminal act, not the victims. I have a presumption of innocence towards every single person until proven otherwise, he added. According to him, the national law enforcement agencies have not found any violations for this organization to be closed or prosecuted by the law in recent years.
When asked about the discovered weapon, Sandov said that “there are three people who were shot, a weapon was found behind them and we think – what?“, he asked rhetorically. Sandov also said that a quick intervention is needed and the whereabouts of the missing owner of the site – the hut near Petrohan is traced, and whether he has been kidnapped.
There is no contract signed with the National Agency for Control of Protected Areas – there is a framework agreement signed, which does not create any rights or obligations for either the Ministry of Environment and Waters or this association, Sandov also commented. The agreement is like “shaking hands in front of cameras“ that we will protect nature together – nothing more than that, he added. According to him, the agreement does not take away functions and has no financial element to it.
Sandov also explained that before he became a minister and before the agreement was signed, he did not know the people from the association. He also said that the reason for the agreement is that non-governmental organizations can assist the state by sending signals, since the state does not have people everywhere, while citizens are everywhere. They should send signals.
What prompted me to sign the agreement is that they are the only organization in Bulgaria that is a member of Europark, as well as the European Ranger Organization, Sandov also said. According to him, rangers in Bulgaria are the employees of the national parks and they fight poaching. Sandov also said that in other countries there are laws and agreements according to which non-governmental organizations can assist the state and participate in the control of protected areas and national parks.