Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

National Customs Agency head Petya Bankova detained for 72 hours

Petya Bankova
Photo: BTA

National Customs Agency Director General Petya Bankova has been detained for 72 hours, the Bulgarian news agency BTA has reported.

Bankova’s lawyer Adelina Natina told reporters that her client had been charged with participation in an organized criminal group for trading in influence, contraband, bribery, together with three other people whom she does not know. Adelina Natina stated, that in an informal conversation, employees of the counter-corruption commission told her that the home of Zhivko Kotsev, Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior, had been searched. Earlier today, Zhivko Kotsev submitted his resignation. Natina also showed the decision by the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office with the charges against Petya Bankova. The other people who have been charged are Stefan Dimitrov, Marin Dimitrov and Nikola Nikolov, while Bankova’s deputy Lyudmil Marinov has been released. Lawyer Adelina Natina stated further that Bankova does not know the other people who have been charged with participation in a criminal group and added the prosecutor’s office could demand that the court issue a pre-trial detention order for Bankova. Adelina Natina confirmed that ten people had been arrested during yesterday’s operation, but that charges have only been leveled against four of them. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

August begins with warmer weather and rain showers in the mountainous areas

On Friday, the lowest temperatures will range from 14°C to 22°C, 16°C in Sofia. During the day, it will be mostly sunny over the northwestern and far eastern parts of the country. Cloud cover will be significant in the rest of the country and..

published on 7/31/25 6:45 PM
Alexander Dzhartov

All wildfires have been contained, the fire in Pirin is under control

All serious fires in the country have been contained, said Alexander Dzhartov, Chief Commissioner and Director of the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection, quoted by BTA. He added that efforts are currently underway to purchase new..

published on 7/31/25 4:25 PM

Cap on retail mark-ups and quotas for Bulgarian produce under consideration

A new draft law on the supply chain for agricultural products and food proposes the introduction of quotas for Bulgarian produce in large retail outlets, as well as limits on trade mark-ups across the supply chain . Under the proposal, at least..

published on 7/31/25 4:15 PM