Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev Says He Donated 251,000 Leva to Group Linked to “Petrohan” Case

Vasil Terziev, the Mayor of Sofia, has said he donated 251,000 leva to the group connected with the so-called “Petrohan” case.

His comments came after prosecutors announced that banking secrecy had been lifted on 44 accounts linked to the non-governmental organisation associated with the “Petrohan” group.

“These are my own funds, on which I have paid my taxes. I decided that I wanted to give them to support a cause. And if you ask me, I would donate them again,” Mr Terziev said during a briefing at the Sofia Municipal Council, where the council’s regular session was under way.

He said it was convenient for attention to be diverted while “various armchair heroes tear their shirts in outrage about this or that, when they cannot look in the mirror and see everything they themselves have said over the years”.

According to Terziev, the far more important question is not what an individual chooses to do with personal funds, but what others do with public money.

He argued that it is often easier to strike an emotional tone and direct the spotlight elsewhere in order to distract from genuinely serious issues. As an example, he cited a number of scandals involving hundreds of millions of leva, including one discussed the previous day in parliament’s energy committee, as well as others which, he said, affect every citizen.

“Should I remind you what happened with those high-profile operations against Nexo?” Terziev added. “There were dramatic statements and strong emotions, but the only outcome will be that the state is sued for several billion, which all of us will ultimately have to pay.”

He also said the Prosecutor's Office had begun to resemble something “closer to the production of film content than to genuine investigations”.

Terziev previously stated at a briefing at the Sofia Municipal Council on 12 February that he had last visited the Petrohan mountain lodge in June or July 2025 with his children. At that time, he said he had personally donated between €70,000 and €80,000 to the account of Ivaylo Ivanov, also known as Ivey.