Yavor Georgiev, a 36-year-old man from Varna, died on June 7 following police intervention and subsequent hospitalization in a psychiatric clinic. The case sparked a strong public response and a series of protests, leading to internal investigations, dismissals, and a new autopsy. While authorities insist that his death was due to drug intoxication, his relatives suspect police violence.
What happened?
In the early hours of June 7, Yavor Georgiev personally called 112 while walking towards a gas station in the Briz neighborhood of Varna. He reported that his mother was in danger, the electricity in his block had been cut off, and someone was digging around him.
Arriving at the scene, two police officers found Yavor in an apparently disoriented state, dressed only in shorts. They were joined by two more officers and an emergency medical team. According to the official version, Yavor resisted when he realized he would be taken to a psychiatric facility. The officers reportedly subdued him to the ground, there was a scuffle, and he was handcuffed. It remains unclear why he was taken to the Psychiatry Department at St. Marina Hospital instead of the Emergency Center or a Toxicology unit.
In the intake room, Yavor collapsed, and while doctors tried to save him, he died without being transported to intensive care.
Initial Expert Opinion
A forensic medical examination established that his death was due to poisoning with cocaine—his blood levels were several times above the toxic threshold. Alcohol and traces of cannabis were also found in his system. According to the experts, the cause of death was cardiovascular and respiratory failure, accompanied by brain edema. No traces of violence were detected on his body that could explain the brain swelling.
Reactions and Doubts
Friends and relatives of Yavor have expressed suspicions about the official version from the very beginning. They claim that Yavor did not use drugs and insist that he was a victim of police violence. Photos and videos from security cameras circulated on social media, showing the moment of his detention. The footage depicts police officers pressing him to the ground before escorting him into the ambulance.
Protests followed in front of the Varna Court House and the Second Police Department in Varna. Demonstrators carried posters with messages like “Murderers” and “The Truth About Yavor,” demanding an independent investigation. In response to public pressure, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov ordered disciplinary measures against the police officers involved in the incident and appointed a second autopsy.
Second Phase: Re-examination and consequences
A second forensic expert evaluation, conducted in Sofia, confirmed the initial findings: the death resulted from cocaine intoxication. Medical experts asserted that the injuries sustained during the altercation with police officers were superficial and not responsible for the brain edema.
During the incident at the gas station in Varna, police officers did not use their body cameras.
However, public pressure remains intense. Yavor Georgiev’s relatives do not accept the conclusions and call for an international investigation, arguing that the expert results do not explain why Yavor felt so unwell that he himself sought help.
Yavor Georgiev’s death continues to be surrounded by doubts, and the tension surrounding the case in Varna persists. The investigation is ongoing, but this case has already raised serious questions about transparency, accountability, and professionalism in law enforcement actions.
