Instead of admitting her mistake and apologizing to Bulgarian mothers whose children are poisoned daily by Ognyan Atanasov (the Petrich Escobar) and his substances, Iliyana Yotova lied again during the presidential candidate debate against Andrey Gyurov. This was stated by the chairwoman of the parliamentary group of “Democratic Bulgaria” Nadezhda Yordanova in her statement to the National Assembly.
“Although she knows the truth perfectly well, yesterday Iliyana Yotova continued with her false suggestions and tried to shift the responsibility for her signature and her mistaken moral judgment onto me. Firstly, the medical commission responsible for the condition of prisoners did not propose the pardon of Ognyan Atanasov. Secondly, this proposal was made by the Pardons Commission, appointed by decree of President Rumen Radev. Thirdly, the majority of Radev and Yotova repeatedly refused a hearing in parliament - especially after the video recording of Ognyan Atanasov fighting in the prison hospital was released,” Yordanova was categorical.
The people's representative once again emphasized that the entire procedure for the pardon of Petrich Escobar began and ended during the official cabinet of Rumen Radev with Prime Minister Galab Donev and Minister of Justice Krum Zarkov.
“At that moment, the person responsible for prisons was the official Deputy Minister of Justice Maria Pavlova, close to Radev and Yotova. Why did she not notify the Presidency about the procedure 19 days before the pardon, even though her subordinate General Directorate for the Execution of Sentences was aware of this?”, Yordanova rhetorically asked.
The MP from “Democratic Bulgaria” stated that she has official documents from the medical commission that refute the lie that Ognyan Atanasov was in a wheelchair before his pardon. Yordanova was categorical that her only action towards the medical commission was the replacement of two people from its composition due to a change in their official status.
“For more than a month, we have been listening to lies and suggestions from the incumbent president and candidate for another five years of “Dondukov 2”. It is high time this stopped and all circumstances were clarified”, Yordanova concluded.