Association “Balkanka“ was among the first to signal the institutions about serious violations in the Petrohan Pass area in 2022 - illegal fences, armed men with masks and restricted access to the mountain. This is what he told "This Morning" on bTV Eng. Dimitar Kumanov, who emphasizes that despite the reports filed and the violations found, the state has not taken adequate action.
„So, we were the first back in 2022 to report that there were various people armed to the teeth in this place, with masks, helmets, and that they were blocking access to the mountain for tourists, for people who were walking, picking herbs, mushrooms, blueberries, red berries. So now I just reported this as a fact“, said Kumanov.
When asked whether the people who were reported then were the same ones who later became victims of the triple murder, he is categorical that he cannot confirm such a connection. „I have no idea. "I, to tell the truth, have not even seen any of them myself," said Kumanov.
However, representatives of "Balkanka" conducted an on-site inspection after the first signals.
"We tried once, then, in April, I think it was 2022, after the scandal broke out with them blocking people, because a few mountaineers thought that access to the trail to Todorini Kukli was being blocked. And we went to check to see if they would cause us any problems," he said.
According to him, what we saw then was worrying.
"We went to the hut itself, we saw that they had fenced off a huge part of the territory with electric fences, five rows. There were cameras, there were chains at the entrance to the road to the hut. We hung around for half an hour, but none of them came.“
Kumanov specified that the association had investigated the organization related to these actions.
„We investigated them as names - where are these people from, what is their organization, when was it established. What they say is 2022.“
According to him, signals have been submitted to a number of institutions.
„We sent signals to the Ministry of Environment and Waters, because they were waving a framework agreement with the ministry. Then we sent a signal to the Executive Forestry Agency and the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water Sofia, since they had fenced off a territory from the state forest fund and a territory that falls under NATURA 2000 without any procedures.“
There was a reaction, but without any real result.
„We received a letter from the Executive Forestry Agency that they had fenced off illegally and were given instructions to remove the fence. I posted all of this on Facebook.“
However, according to Kumanov, the most serious problem was the fear instilled among people.
„The most outrageous thing was that these people were blocking access to the mountain for normal people. They fence whatever they want inside NATURA 2000 and justify it as nature conservation.“
He emphasizes that the area is traditionally visited by local people.
„I know the stones there by name. In the summer I have seen many people, including from the surrounding villages, picking mushrooms, herbs, blueberries. This is one of the benefits of NATURA 2000 - people can benefit from nature.“
Later, however, the picture changed abruptly.
„In August 2022, when the Iskar River dried up, I did not see a single person on the Petrokhan Plateau. Zero. No one dares to go there. This is not a restoration of life. This is isolation in place.“
According to Kumanov, people were indeed stopped.
„Absolutely blocked. They were afraid. And fear is a very dangerous thing - it also generates resistance against the NATURA 2000 network itself.“
In 2024, he was also questioned by the State Agency for National Security. „Yes. Somewhere in 2024, they called me to tell them everything I know, and I showed them all the documents.“
He doesn't know what exactly the services were investigating.
„I didn't ask because I knew they wouldn't tell me. But blocking such an area with such means means that you don't want people hanging around there so they don't see what you're doing.“
Regarding the triple murder, Kumanov refuses to speculate, but is categorical about the responsibility of the institutions.
„I can't say. In any case, it's related to what these people were doing there, which I don't know. But I can say one thing - if the state authorities had done their job then, most likely this wouldn't have happened.“
Regarding the allegations of child abuse in the area, he is categorical.
„Absolutely not. I haven't noticed. And I haven't heard from colleagues. The main thing was that they were blocking access and no one knows what they're doing.“