Martin Varadinov, a guard with the National Service for Protection (NSP) who is accused of causing medium bodily injury to journalist Sonya Koltuklieva, told the Sofia Military Court on Friday that he believes he lawfully performed his duties during Thursday’s incident and asked the court to impose a less restrictive measure against him than remand in custody.
Varadinov’s lawyer Tervel Georgiev made a similar request on his client’s behalf, while Colonel Georgi Zaev, Deputy Military District Prosecutor, said he maintained his request for Varadinov to be remanded in custody.
The court is expected to rule later on Friday evening on whether to impose a pre-trial restraint measure on Varadinov and, if so, what that measure should be.
Video footage of Thursday’s incident outside the Progressive Bulgaria headquarters shows an NSP officer pushing PIK journalist Sonia Koltuklieva, knocking her backwards onto the pavement after she opened the door of Parliament Chair Mihaela Dotsova’s car to ask a question. The journalist reportedly suffered a fractured shoulder in the fall.
NSP chief Emil Tonev submitted his resignation after the incident. The NSP said it will investigate the case.
During Friday’s court hearing, it emerged that Varadinov, a colleague of his, and the head of the personal protection team assigned to Parliament Chair Dotsova had been temporarily suspended from duty.
On Thursday night, Dotsova went to the Military District Prosecutor’s Office to speak to the journalist in person and expressed regret over what had happened. After spending two and a half hours at the prosecutor’s office, Koltuklieva said that pre-trial proceedings were opened and the guard was detained.
Protection Service Employee Accused of Injuring Journalist Asks Court for Lighter Measure 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-23 18:15:57
Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news. Bulgaria news, Bulgarian news, news from Bulgaria, latest news Bulgaria, breaking news Bulgaria, Bulgaria today, Bulgarian politics, Bulgarian government. Bulgarian economy, Bulgarian business, Bulgarian society, Bulgarian culture, Bulgarian tourism, Bulgarian sports, Bulgarian media, Bulgarian parliament. Sofia news, Plovdiv news, Varna news, Burgas news, Ruse news, Stara Zagora news, Pleven news, Sliven news. Dobrich news, Shumen news, Pernik news, Haskovo news, Yambol news, Pazardzhik news, Blagoevgrad news, Veliko Tarnovo news. Vratsa news, Gabrovo news, Asenovgrad news, Vidin news, Bulgarian local news, Bulgaria current affairs, Bulgaria breaking news, Bulgaria headlines. Balkan news, Southeast Europe news, Bulgarian international news, Bulgaria world news, Bulgarian elections, Bulgaria events, Bulgaria analysis, Bulgaria updates.Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law.
BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-23 18:15:57