The association that called itself the "National Agency for Control of Protected Areas" has not filed any reports of illegal logging in the area around the "Petrohan" hut.
This was reported to "Around the World and at Home" by the Forestry Agency. An inspection by our team found that the association's financing is unclear, and the financial statements do not declare any income from business activities.
According to sources from "Around the World and at Home", the last time the wanted camper Ivaylo Kalushev was spotted traveling to Burgas in the early hours of February 2, before it became known about the shootings at the former "Petrohan" hut.
Where do the traces of Kalushev and the other two wanted people disappear?
The traces of Kalushev disappear on the third-class roads after Burgas, towards the village of Bulgari. The Ministry of Interior and the prosecutor's office are still not providing official information and everything we have managed to learn comes from unofficial sources.
Yesterday, Yani Makulev, the father of a 15-year-old boy, whom he claims was with Kalushev, announced to BNT that he last spoke to his son on January 29 - when the child and Kalushev were in the Strandzha village of Bulgari.
On January 30, the camper was spotted traveling towards Sofia and Petrohan, and then in the early hours of February 2 in the opposite direction.
We also learned that the phones of the three wanted men were turned off in the evening hours of February 1, and their geolocation indicates that at that time the devices were in the Barziya - Petrohan - Gintsi area.
Since then, for 6 days now, Ivaylo Kalushev, Nikolay Zlatkov and a 15-year-old boy have been in unknown.
It turns out that there are many unknowns surrounding the registration, financing and activities of the private association, which is called the "National Agency for Control of Protected Areas".
Investigators still do not have a definitive answer to the question of whether a murder or suicide occurred at the former "Petrohan" hut. From the data so far, it can be assumed that bullets pierced the bodies of the three victims Ivaylo Ivanov, Decho Vassilev and Plamen Stattev between 12 and 18 hours before the signal was sent.
According to our sources, there are witness statements about shots being heard in the area of the hut in the late afternoon of February 1.
Some of the recordings from the cameras in the area were not affected by the fire in the building of the former hut and have been restored.
In "The Day Begins" with Georgi Lyubenov, former Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev commented that revealing the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Ivanov, Vassilev and Stattev should be a priority for investigators.
Tsvetlin Yovchev:
Undoubtedly, there should be clarity as quickly as possible here, because society rightly has an interest and concern regarding what happened.
The activities of the association, which advertises itself as training young rangers, are also being carefully studied by investigators in order to look for possible motives for what happened.
Tsvetlin Yovchev, former chairman of the National Agency for National Security and Defense and former Minister of Interior:
Because what they did is not typical of environmentalists, but of a paramilitary organization that makes every effort to keep its activities hidden from society. With the security measures that they imposed there. With their actions towards people who are in the area, checking their identity documents, prohibiting them from passing along certain paths, such security measures, video surveillance and perimeter security. Signs that say that shooting is allowed without warning. Arsenal, which suggests rather that these people are preparing to defend themselves against an attack by commandos. These are not environmentalists.
The association submits reports on its activities to the Commercial Register for 2022, 2023 and 2024. In them, as a result, it reports the complete prevention of game poaching in a large territory in the area under the supervision of private patrols, which has led to sustainable reproduction of animal species and peaceful nesting of birds.
They also report the prevention of illegal logging, through constant monitoring and reporting to the control authorities. However, the Forestry Agency replied to "Around the World and at Home" that no signals had been received from the association "National Agency for Control of Protected Areas".
And they added that during an inspection they found that a large area around the hut had been fenced with an electric fence, which was corrected by the owners of the site after instructions. However, this turned out to be the only action of a state institution against the private association in 2022.
Tsvetlin Yovchev, former chairman of SANS and former Minister of Interior:
In an extremely short period of time, events occur that actually legitimize the activity in this area as well. Some 5 acres are transferred, after which an Order is issued declaring a fairly large area a protected area. After which this organization is registered, it is unclear how the Registry Agency accepted to register an organization with the name "National Agency".
In "Speak Now" the Dean of the Faculty of Law of Sofia University commented that the registration of the association is very controversial.
Prof. Daniel Valchev, Dean of the Faculty of Law of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski":
How can a non-governmental organization, a non-profit association be registered as the "National Agency for Control of Protected Areas". Every single one of the words speaks of statehood. There is a very clear provision in the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act, and it says that the name cannot be misleading. Excuse me, but this name is frankly misleading.
Tsvetlin Yovchev:
And then, 10-15 days later, an agreement is concluded with the Ministry of Environment and Water. All these things, taken together, raise doubts.
In its activity reports, the private association writes that it maintains a base in the "Petrohan" area for training rangers. It also advertises the organization of training camps.
Tsvetlin Yovchev, former chairman of the National Agency for National Security and Defense and former Minister of Internal Affairs:
To carry out such activities over a long period of time by so many people requires enormous resources.
However, in the financial reports for the three years, zero leva of income from business activity are noted. And the company through which the organization of the training camps for children is announced has not been re-registered and has not submitted financial reports after 2012.