The director of the Blagoevgrad Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, Iliya Tuparov, has been removed from his post following the controversial detention of activist and journalist Gergana Petrova during Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s visit to flood-hit Strumyani.
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev announced the decision on Friday, saying it was linked to the actions of police officers during the incident and the way the case was handled by the regional directorate.
“The director did not report the case in a timely manner, and the reaction of the employees on the spot exceeded the necessary actions,” Demerdzhiev said. He added that “guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of Bulgarian citizens is a top priority for the Ministry of Interior.”
Tuparov had been temporarily serving as head of the Blagoevgrad regional police directorate after being reassigned to the position by former Interior Minister Emil Dechev during the caretaker government of Andrey Gyurov.
The decision came after footage emerged showing three police officers attempting to force Petrova into a police vehicle during Radev’s visit to Strumyani. In the video, Petrova repeatedly says she has done nothing wrong and asks to be allowed to return home to her child. Citizens can also be heard questioning the officers about the reasons for her detention.
