Ivan Markos Hristanov

Public record

Compiled from publications and official records as of 18.10.2026. Every statement links to its source; claims made by others are marked as such, with who makes them. Quotations in English are our translation.

Communist Party and State Security

• His father – a State Security staff officer. Ivan Hristanov's father, Markos Ivanov Hristanov (born 23.01.1948 in the village of Izgrev, Levski municipality, Pleven region), was a salaried State Security officer in the Pleven regional directorate, according to Dossier Commission decisions No 2-566 of 16.10.2015 and No 2-623 of 10.03.2016. They state: „Със заповед № 169/ 20.08.1974 г. е назначен за разузнавач III степен. ЛКД-7737“ (our translation: "By order No 169/20.08.1974 he was appointed intelligence officer, 3rd grade. ЛКД-7737"). The decision is also quoted in a signal from the party АБВ, published by dnes.dir.bg. АБВ says it makes no accusation against Hristanov and only asks for the facts to be established. According to the outlet, the father was an АБВ mayoral candidate; the year differs between sources (2015 or 2012). No follow-up has been found. — Dossier Commission, dnes.dir.bg, 20.08.2026
• Claim that his father recruited people for State Security. Trud writes in its series Октоподът на промяната (part II), republished by Marica, that Markos Hristanov „е вербувал хора за Държавна сигурност.“ (our translation: "recruited people for State Security.") The paper refers to Dossier Commission decision No 2-1495 of 04.12.2018, which concerns another person and in which the father, a retired officer, appears as a recruiter. The text of the decision has not been checked. The series targets the PP government. No confirmation from another source has been found. — Marica, 02.07.2022
• Claim that his father proposed people for the Belene camp. According to Blitz, which repeats lupa.bg, the father proposed people for internment at Belene. The claim rests on unnamed local people and no document. The piece further alleges brutality towards a woman and problems with his own State Security superiors. The outlet published it while Hristanov was serving as minister and says it is ready to publish his view. No document, court case or official finding has been found, and the claim is not corroborated by another source. — Blitz, 03.03.2026
• Remark about being brought up by his grandfather and father. Ivan Hristanov said in an interview that his grandfather and father brought him up on morals and that he is grateful to them, Blitz writes, citing lupa.bg. The original interview has not been found, and the outlet paraphrases it. No response or retraction from Hristanov has been found. — Blitz, 03.03.2026
• View of his father in a sympathetic piece. According to a Narod.bg text that is sympathetic to Hristanov and was republished by Marica, he believes his father worked for Bulgaria and „е имал сериозни проблеми с режима заради принципите си“ (our translation: "had serious problems with the regime because of his principles"). It also says the father's file is published on the Dossier Commission site and that he was never a very important figure in State Security. This is the outlet's paraphrase, not a verbatim statement by Hristanov. The author of the original is unknown. — Marica (from Narod.bg), 26.02.2023

Corruption and scandals

• Conflict-of-interest signal as deputy minister. In 2022 the association Българска легия антимафия filed a complaint with the National Assembly alleging that, as deputy minister, Hristanov remained on the board of directors of И Ем Пи Инвест България АД, which the association describes as a conflict of interest. КПКОНПИ opened a check against him personally for such a conflict, afera.bg writes. Булевард България repeated this. Register data collected by Papagal show his board role in the company running until 24.06.2022. The outcome of the КПКОНПИ check has not been found. — Boulevard Bulgaria, 19.02.2026
• His wife's companies in the Commercial Register. According to the Commercial Register (papagal.bg), his wife Iva Dimitrova Palma was from 2015 manager, and from 2019 also beneficial owner, of the food companies Leya EOOD, Hitar Petar Foods EOOD, Unique Foods EOOD, The Barberian EOOD and Nomadi Foods Distributors EOOD, and beneficial owner of The Crooks Foods EOOD and Mama's Foods EOOD. On 21.12.2021 Hristanov was appointed deputy minister of agriculture (government press service, via Bgonair). On 10.01.2022 his company Credit Revolution Bulgaria EOOD (capital BGN 550,000), of which he had been sole owner and manager since 2016, was transferred to Iva Palma; the same day she became owner and manager of Hermes Strategic Alliance EOOD. Between 22.06 and 04.08.2022 she left all of them. The register confirms the claims of the daily Trud of July 2022 about the transfer and about his wife's food business. — Commercial Register (papagal.bg): Iva Dimitrova Palma, Commercial Register (papagal.bg): Credit Revolution Bulgaria EOOD, Bgonair, 21.12.2021
• Claim that his wife's and brother's businesses depend on the ministry. The daily Trud writes in its series Октоподът на промяната, republished by Burevestnik, that his wife Iva Dimitrova Palma is, according to the Commercial Register, owner, manager or board member of 9 food distribution and production companies, and that the funds and companies Hristanov took part in before becoming deputy minister were transferred to her. The paper adds that his brother Chavdar is also in the food business; he is a bread producer known from the reality show "Фермата" (The Farm). According to the series, these businesses depend on the Ministry of Agriculture. The series targets the PP government. No investigation or finding by any authority has been found. — Burevestnik (from Trud), 04.07.2022
• Claim of personal interests in food production and laboratory sampling. Breaking.bg writes that the deputy minister of agriculture „има лични интереси в производството на храни и извършването на лабораторни проби“ (our translation: "has personal interests in food production and in carrying out laboratory samples"). The same piece also asserts that his father was a State Security recruiter. The excerpt available contains no documents. It is unclear who stands behind it. The claims have not been verified. — Breaking.bg, 2022

Other

• Business roles according to the commercial register. According to Papagal, which collects data from the Commercial Register, Hristanov is linked to these companies: БНП Париба Пърсънъл Файненс (2008); Директ Сървисис (2009–2011); Емпауър Кепитъл Адвайзърс (partner with a 10% share, 2014–2016); И Ем Пи Инвест България АД (board member, 2014 to 24.06.2022); Кредит Революшън България (manager from 2016, „Едноличен собственик на капитала (100% дял)“ (our translation: "sole owner of the capital, 100% share") in 2016–2022); КалърКредит (beneficial owner, 2019–2021). — Papagal (from the Commercial Register), 2026
• End of term as caretaker minister, 08.05.2026. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food passes to Plamen Abrovski in the Radev cabinet, who takes the post „от служебния министър Иван Христанов“ (our translation: "from the caretaker minister Ivan Hristanov"), Tribune.bg writes. On 14.08.2026 Hristanov told dir.bg that he would run for President. — Tribune.bg, 08.05.2026, Dir.bg, 14.08.2026