Bulgaria’s most powerful oligarch targets caretaker Interior Minister amid pre-election tensions

Bulgaria’s Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has quickly opened an investigation into caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev following a formal complaint by Delyan Peevski, the influential leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS – New Beginning) who is subject to U.S. and UK sanctions for corruption.

According to prosecutorial sources, preparations for possible charges against Dechev are also underway. The move stems from an interview Dechev gave on 11 March to Eualive’s partner Sega, in which he suggested that a genuine organized-crime probe – triggered by a signal from Bulgaria’s European Public Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva – should include questioning high-profile figures such as acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, Sofia City Prosecutor Emilia Rusinova, and Peevski himself. Dechev stressed that calling someone for information does not automatically mean they face criminal charges.

In response, Peevski accused Dechev of “inadmissible interference” in the professional work of the Interior Ministry. He described Georgieva’s submission as a mere “denunciation” and claimed he had already alerted prosecutors twice about the matter. Peevski further suggested that possible connections between Dechev, Georgieva, and caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov should be examined.

Investigators have already questioned all officers from the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) involved in handling Georgieva’s signal. The case has been assigned to a supervised investigator.

Wider context: power struggle before elections

The complaint is part of a broader clash between Peevski – widely regarded as Bulgaria’s richest and most powerful figure – and the current caretaker government. With snap parliamentary elections scheduled for 19 April 2026, polls indicate that Peevski’s party is likely to be pushed into opposition. The interim administration, led by Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, has been praised by independent observers for stepping up pressure on vote-buying networks and supporting independent anti-corruption efforts – areas long associated with Peevski’s influence.

Dechev, a former judge and prominent member of the Union of Judges in Bulgaria (which has frequently criticized shortcomings in the judicial system), rejected the accusations. He described them as an attempt to divert attention from stalled high-profile cases and warned of a “panic attack” by the prosecution against him personally.

The controversy is closely tied to allegations made by European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva. She reported pressure, threats, and attempts to undermine the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) by senior Bulgarian prosecutors and a politically connected figure sanctioned for corruption (widely understood to refer to Peevski). Her signal highlighted major cases, including the expansion of the Chiren gas storage facility, and drew links to the notorious “Eight Dwarfs” influence network — an alleged scheme involving judicial manipulation, extortion, and trade in influence, reportedly led by fugitive former investigator Petyo Petrov, known as “The Euro.”

Georgieva has claimed she was taken by Sofia City Prosecutor Rusinova to a meeting with Petrov and has raised serious concerns about conflicts of interest. Following her complaint, the Interior Ministry provided her with protection, and the signal was forwarded to a special prosecutor empowered to investigate the chief prosecutor.

Dechev has publicly highlighted potential conflicts of interest in the handling of these files, noting that the GDBOP probe was rapidly transferred to the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office with little time for key interviews. He has also questioned the legitimacy of Sarafov continuing as acting Prosecutor General after legal deadlines expired, though he described any direct intervention by the ministry as an “extreme measure” that could spark an institutional crisis.

Peevski’s complaint is not the only one under review; separate signals from MPs and Interior Ministry staff alleging pressure in other cases have been merged into another ongoing check.

No official comment has yet been issued by the Prosecutor’s Office. The episode underscores deep tensions in Bulgaria’s justice system and political elite just weeks before voters head to the polls on 19 April.