Български
EnglishImportant note: This text is translated with ChatGPT. Although I've checked it, it may have factual errors. The source of thruth is the source video which is in the end of this article.
The mother of Nikolay Zlatkov – Ralitsa Asenova (Ралица Асенова) – states that more than a month after the tragedy in which three young men died, their relatives are being kept in complete informational blackout. According to her, they have no access to the results of the forensic examinations, receive no official information about the progress of the investigation, and are not even allowed to see the bodies of their children.
Attempt to identify her son’s body
Ralitsa Asenova says that on February 10 she called to ask when she could come to identify her son’s body. She was told she would receive a call by the end of the day, but no call followed.
Since then, her lawyer has been trying every day to obtain information from the institutions. When this produced no result, Asenova decided to go herself to Vratsa (Враца), where the morgue is located.
There she met the forensic doctor who had performed the autopsy. During the conversation it became clear that none of the relatives had officially identified the body. When she asked how it had been established that it was her son, the doctor replied that Nikolay’s ID card was in his office.
Asenova insisted on being shown the body, but the forensic doctor said he needed permission from the supervising prosecutor.
Refusal to allow access to the body
After contacting the prosecutor’s office, the forensic doctor informed her that there was a ban on showing the body. According to the explanation she received, there was a risk that she could “contaminate the investigation.”
She offered a compromise solution – to be dressed in sterile clothing and enter in the presence of witnesses, only to see her son. Despite this, her request was rejected.
After the refusal, she went directly to the prosecutor’s office in Vratsa to meet the supervising prosecutor, but learned that he was no longer in the building.
New requests from the relatives
A few days later, Asenova together with the father and sister of 15-year-old Sasho went again to the prosecutor’s office. They submitted new requests to see the bodies of the children and to receive information about the progress of the investigation.
According to her, they were refused again. There was not even a prosecutor in the building who could speak with them, and another prosecutor had to be called from outside.
Asenova says the situation is unprecedented and absurd, because the relatives of the deceased have been recognized as injured parties in the case and have a legal right to receive information.
Doubts about the official version
In the first days after the tragedy, a version appeared in the public space claiming “two murders and a suicide.” According to Asenova, this version has been actively spread in the media and even discussed in parliament.
At the same time, the relatives are not being provided with information about the results of the investigation. She emphasizes that she does not want to speculate with theories, but believes there are many unanswered questions.
In her view it is strange that, after the official version has already been publicly announced, the families still cannot see the bodies of their children.
Uncertainties around the expert examinations
During her visit to Vratsa, Asenova learned that the expert report had already been sent to the prosecutor’s office but had not yet been reviewed.
After her pressure, a letter was later received stating that additional examinations were being appointed. According to her, this is strange because an entire month has already passed since the tragedy.
She raises the question of what exactly has been done with the bodies during this period and why the process is taking so long.
Among the relatives’ demands are:
- to be allowed to see the bodies of the deceased;
- to receive the results of the autopsies;
- to learn the approximate time and date of death;
- to receive information about all appointed expert examinations;
- to verify all possible versions of what happened.
Questions after the released video footage
Asenova also commented on the video footage showing the last hours of the three young men. According to her, these recordings raise new questions.
She points out that the footage shows her son not leaving together with the other two, something that had not been clearly stated by the investigators.
In her words, there are many questions that still need to be clarified by the investigative authorities.
Call for public support – protest on March 13
At the end of the conversation, Asenova addressed the public. She said she had sought assistance from institutions and from the President of the Republic, but so far had received no result.
For this reason, she is turning to the public with a call to support a peaceful protest.
The protest is scheduled for March 13 at 17:30 in front of the Palace of Justice. The main demand of the relatives is to be allowed to see the bodies of their children and to receive full information about the progress of the investigation.
Asenova also states that after they are able to bury their relatives, they intend to seek responsibility from those who, according to them, spread information damaging the memory of the deceased.
Below is the full text of the interview, edited for better readability.
Host: In the studio now is Ralitsa Asenova – the mother of Nikolay Zlatkov, who was found dead together with Ivaylo Kalushev (Ивайло Калушев) and a 15-year-old child. Hello.
Ralitsa Asenova: Hello.
Host: Time is passing – more than a month already. One would expect that over time the answers would become more than the questions, but in this case it seems to be the opposite. It seems there is not much desire for the answers to outnumber the questions during the investigation.
Ralitsa Asenova: That’s putting it mildly.
Refusal to allow her to see her son’s body
Host: You say that the relatives are being kept in complete informational blackout about the progress of the investigation, even though you have the right to know how far it has gone. In addition, you are not even allowed to see your son’s body. It was said that you could contaminate the investigation. Is that a direct quote?
Ralitsa Asenova: Yes, a direct quote.
Host: Who told you that you could not see your son because there was a risk you might contaminate the investigation?
Ralitsa Asenova: On February 10 I called to ask when I could go to identify my son. I was told I would receive a call by the end of the day. That never happened.
My lawyer has been calling every single day since then trying to obtain information. There is none. So I took matters into my own hands and on Friday I went to Vratsa. I found the forensic doctor who performed the autopsy and spoke with him directly.
I have not identified my child. None of the relatives have identified the child.
“How do you know this is my son?”
Ralitsa Asenova: I asked the forensic doctor: “How do you know this is my son?”
The answer was that his ID card was in the office.
I said: “Let me see his ID card.”
Of course, that did not happen.
I insisted on seeing my son, who was in the morgue. The doctor said he had to ask and then received a ban from the supervising prosecutor preventing the body from being shown to me.
After that I went directly to the prosecutor’s office to look for the supervising prosecutor. My lawyer has been trying to reach him for more than two weeks.
“I might contaminate the investigation”
Ralitsa Asenova: At the prosecutor’s office I was told that I might contaminate the investigation.
I said: “Dress me in sterile clothes. Let two witnesses come and observe. I want to see my child.”
But I was not allowed.
Questions without answers
Host: Is it possible there is an explanation that is in the interest of the investigation?
Ralitsa Asenova: Maybe someone should come out and explain, because no explanation has been given to me.
On Monday, together with the father of 15-year-old Sasho and his sister, we went again to submit new requests to the prosecutor’s office in Vratsa to be allowed to see the bodies of our children.
We were refused again.
At that moment there was not a single prosecutor in the entire prosecutor’s office. They had to call one from outside to speak with us.
Doubts about the official version
Host: Do you have any explanation why you are not allowed to see the body?
Ralitsa Asenova: For me the whole thing is obvious.
Host: What is obvious?
Ralitsa Asenova: One single version has been promoted since day one.
We are injured parties in this case. My rights were explained to me when I was questioned on the 13th. I have the legal right to receive information and to see my son.
Yet throughout this entire time the information has been released publicly – carefully selected – only for that single version.
“Two murders and a suicide”
Ralitsa Asenova: It was officially stated that the version was two murders and a suicide.
If everything is already clear, why can we not see our children?
Why can we not reach the bodies of our loved ones?
What exactly is not ready?
No results from the autopsy
Host: Do you have any official information about the results of the autopsy?
Ralitsa Asenova: No.
Even though we have full rights and have submitted requests. We are injured parties in this pre-trial proceeding.
We are being denied this information.
The relatives’ demands
Ralitsa Asenova: Our most important demand is to see our children.
We want to see the results of the examinations. We want to know at least the approximate time and day of death.
We have many other requests as well.
All of them have been published.
Questions after the released footage
Host: Do the video recordings from the last hours at Petrohan (Петрохан) raise new questions?
Ralitsa Asenova: Yes. Many things were not said.
For example, the footage shows that my son did not leave together with the other two.
I have many questions. I have submitted them officially.
Call for protest
Ralitsa Asenova: I want to make an appeal.
I addressed the President of the Republic, institutions, and the media. There was no result.
So I am now turning to ordinary people.
Please support us next Friday – on the 13th – at 17:30 at a peaceful protest in front of the Palace of Justice.
The protest is for us to be able to see the bodies and take our children home.
And for the truth about this horrific killing to become known.
End of the interview
Host: One last question. Did anyone who spoke publicly about the case contact you or apologize?
Ralitsa Asenova: No. No one has contacted me. Neither me nor the other affected families.
But I hope that once we bury our loved ones, we will have the strength to seek justice from those who tried to tarnish their memory.
Host: Ralitsa Asenova, thank you for gathering the strength for this conversation.
Ralitsa Asenova: Thank you. I hope for the truth.
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