Minister of Defence: The serviceman who patrolled with the border police officer shot dead by unidentified person, acted professionally

The military serviceman, who was on patrol with the Bulgarian police officer who was shot dead by an unidentified person at the border with Türkiye, acted in a very professional manner and according to instructions, Bulgaria’s caretaker Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on November 8 after a conversation with the survivor of the shooting at Bulgaria’s border with Türkiye, in which a Bulgarian border police officer was shot dead.

30-year-old Bulgarian border police officer shot dead at border with Türkiye

"The military serviceman hid behind the vehicle and acted extremely professionally according to the instructions. I spoke to him, he feels fine. He says what you also know - that they saw a damage on the barbed wire border fence facility, then the border policeman got out and at the moment when the military serviceman also got out of the vehicle, shots rang out. The colleague from the Ministry of Interior fell, the military man retreated inside so as not to be visible for the attackers and fired several shots in the direction of Türkiye," caretaker Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said.

He reminded that there are clear instructions when weapons can be used.

"The force must be commensurate. You cannot come across a mother with a child and use a weapon," he said.

There is currently no request to the Ministry of Defence to deploy more troops along the border.

Dimitar Stoyanov added that the servicemen are extremely well prepared and pointed out that this is not subject to comment.

At around 8.35 pm on Monday evening, November 7, an unknown person shot at a Border Police officer and a military serviceman guarding the border in the area of the village of Golyam Dervent. Meters away from the village is the border furrow where the incident happened.

It was reported last night, when an unidentified person fired at a joint patrol by a Border Police officer and a military serviceman who were carrying out their duties of guarding the border. Following the shooting, the border policeman was shot and died on the spot, while the serviceman managed to retreat from the scene. Other teams guarding the border were also deployed there.

According to unconfirmed information, it was a shootout with migrants or smugglers. The perpetrators have fled.

Earlier this morning, caretaker Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov commented that there is information that the serviceman did not retreat, but took the necessary position by taking cover, but this is subject to verification. "It is too early to comment on any hypothesis. His life was endangered after he was a patrol pair with the border policeman," Stoyanov said.

"I believe this is a criminal case of migrant smugglers who in one way or another are trying to continue their illegal activities with necessary protective equipment," the minister said. Unfortunately, paid for at the cost of a human life. Measures will be taken - the most anticipated is to better equip our servicemen with necessary protective equipment," caretaker Defence Minister said.