Democratic Bulgaria wants a parliamentary hearing into the pardon of Ognyan Atanasov, known as "the Petrich Escobar", the coalition's press office said. MPs want to question the prison service, the state security agency DANS, the interior ministry and the head of the prison hospital.

The call follows a video that surfaced today, filmed a month before the pardon. "A video came out today, filmed a month before the pardon, showing him fit and healthy, fighting four men, apparently inside the prison hospital," said Yes, Bulgaria co-chair Bozhidar Bozhanov.

He said there are rumours that Atanasov threatened doctors and their relatives to get certain medical findings.

Yes, Bulgaria's other co-chair, Ivaylo Mirchev, questioned whether vice president Iliana Yotova used sound judgment when she pardoned drug dealers. He asked whether she had come under pressure, since the man is clearly in good health. Mirchev added that it's unclear how many other pardoned prisoners used fake health grounds to get out. "To enjoy this kind of cover, was the Petrich Escobar an informant for the security services?" he said.

At a briefing in parliament on September 11, Yes, Bulgaria said it would ask the president and the prosecution for the documents behind Atanasov's pardon. We Continue the Change also asked why a drug dealer was pardoned 10 years before his sentence was due to end.