Incident Involving Journalist Sonya Koltuklieva: Protection Service Officer Detained; Prosecutor's Office Is Investigating the Case

The National Service for Protection (NSP) bodyguard has been detained following the incident involving journalist Sonya Koltuklieva. The NSP announced last night that an immediate investigation had been ordered into the actions of its personnel following the incident in which the journalist was knocked to the ground by an NSP officer assigned to protect the Speaker of Parliament. This happened when Koltuklieva tried to ask the speaker of Parliament, Mihaela Dotsova, a question and opened the door of the Parliament Speaker's car, which had already been closed. Sonya Koltuklieva has suffered a fractured shoulder.

Thirty minutes after midnight, Martin Varadinov was led out of the Military Prosecutor’s Office building in handcuffs. He voluntarily gave a statement regarding the incident involving journalist Sonya Koltuklieva.

After two and a half hours of questioning at the Military District Prosecutor's Office, Koltuklieva said that pre-trial proceedings had been launched in connection with the incident and explained how it had happened.

Sonya Koltuklieva, journalist: "I asked her why you had derailed the hearings on the pardon of the alleged drug trafficker known as 'Escobar from Petrich'. She said nothing, got into the car and they closed the door. But I pulled the door open and continued asking her about it. My next memory is lying on the ground, with a headache, feeling sick and in severe pain in my shoulder. They are trying to make me out to be the guilty party. Me, the victim."

Following the incident, National Assembly Speaker Mihaela Dotsova went to the Military District Prosecutor's Office to speak to Koltuklieva in person. She described the incident as absolutely unacceptable.

• Mihaela Dotsova: I express my deepest regret for what happened

Mihaela Dotsova, Speaker of the National Assembly: "I specifically wanted to meet her in person to share my views and, above all, to express my deep regret over what happened. It is absolutely unacceptable. As a person and as a woman, I express my deepest regret over what happened. I have the utmost respect for the journalistic profession. I value the work of every journalist, regardless of their views."

Dotsova added that NSP protection service officers operate according to specific protocols and that she cannot influence their actions.

Mihaela Dotsova, Speaker of the National Assembly: "Believe me, I cannot tell my colleagues from the NSP what to do or how to do it, nor can I influence them. When I got into the car, Ms Koltuklieva opened the door and I was startled. My colleagues closed it and the car drove off. I learned from the media about what happened afterwards."

Journalist Sonya Koltuklieva was admitted to St. Sofia Hospital late last night and is under medical observation.