Viktoria Marinova. IMAGE: TVN.bg / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
On October 6th, a Bulgarian journalist, Viktoria Marinova was found brutally raped and murdered in Bulgaria’s northern town of Ruse.
The body of the 30-year-old woman was found by a passerby in bushes near the pier on the Danube river, according to Ruse regional prosecutor Georgy Georgiev. “Her mobile phone, car keys, glasses and part of her clothes were missing,” he said.
Initially, the Ministry of Interior confirmed the murder, without providing any additional information.
According to reports, later confirmed by the Interior Minister Mladen Marinov, prior to the murder Marinova was also raped. She was disfigured due to blows to the head and suffocated to death.
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov expressed hope that the investigation would succeed because of the “work that has been done.”
“Thanks to the large amount of DNA material collected it is just a matter of time before the perpetrator will be found,” he said.
Bulgarian Police is working on several versions, however there is no information that her killing is linked to her work.
She was a TV host, and her last aired show happened on September 30th when she interviewed investigative journalists Dimitar Stoyanov from the Bivol.bg website and Attila Biro from the Romanian Rise Project, about an investigation of alleged fraud with EU funds linked to big businessmen and politicians.
The pair were briefly detained by police, drawing condemnation from Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Her colleagues from TVN were staggered by the event. “We are in shock. In no way, under any form, never have we received any threats – aimed at her or the television,” a journalist from TVN told AFP under a condition of anonymity, adding that he and his colleagues feared for their safety.
Bulgarian media reports said that over the last year Marinova had reported on an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption involving European Union funds for the broadcaster TVN. She also worked on a program focusing on social issues and was involved with charity work.
“With enormous pain and insurmountable grief the team of TVN television is experiencing the loss of our beloved colleague, Victoria Marinova,” TVN said in a statement. “Therefore we ask for sympathy for the sorrow of relatives and colleagues. A bow in her memory!”
The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Bulgarian authorities to conduct a “rigorous, thorough investigation” into the killing.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) media freedom representative Harlem Desir condemned Marinova’s killing on Twitter: “Shocked by horrific murder of investigative journalist Victoria Marinova in #Bulgaria. Urgently call for a full and thorough investigation. Those responsible must be held to account.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Bulgarian authorities to conduct a “rigorous, thorough investigation” into the killing.
“CPJ is shocked by the barbaric murder of journalist Victoria Marinova,” said CPJ European Union Representative Tom Gibson in Brussels. “Bulgarian authorities must employ all efforts and resources to carry out an exhaustive inquiry and bring to justice those responsible.”
Bulgaria was ranked in the lower half regarding world press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders. The country ranked 111th out of 180 countries.
Three journalists have been killed in the EU this year. Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bombing in October in Malta and Jan Kuciak was murdered in Slovakia in February.
Benjanyahu a child butcher and a terrorist will now negotiate for other countries in Moscow. Due to his aggression on Latakia Russia lost IL-20 and 15 servicemen. Now the question is that Putin will allow the US and UK this stooge to cross the border of Russia to visit Moscow. His existence in this world is also a big question.
Rob is a bot. Constant unrelated comments. The two above at the same time.
LOL! I suppose that they have forgotten to install the Artificial Intelligence module at Rob. He keeps running in a loop. That promises when the humanoids come to replace us, … You can prepare yourself in advance so that you have enough batteries in stock !!! Bye bye Rob …
Switzerland is a haven of black money account holders i.e. of International corrupt politicians. They are the world’s notorious banksters of all times.
The story is about the EU corruption, not Switzerland.
Yes many EU countries’ regimes are corrupt but Switzerland have brook the record in corruption.
no, about bulgarian corruption
Do you really think the EU doesn’t know what happens to the money?
one thing is to know, second is the competicy. brussel has no right to affect this field. after 2020 will be new situation.
My sympathies to her family, friends and colleagues. The world is less without her.
No doubt due to her inveatigations. Even it is found it was a rapist or killer ,for sure he was enabled to do it or encouraged to do it by other more powerful people. Probably powerful people in sex-slave ring etc. These people know lots of politicians and do lots of favours for them.
Our “country” is a banana republic dictatorship.
GRU again, right?
I expect the DNA analysis to implicate Putin.
No.. The blood spatter was found on Putins trousers.
Sadly this is what happens to people who try to expose the criminal acts of Governments. Seth Rich Bradley Manning, Julian Assange have all tried to expose the criminals, just like this poor woman. The authorities will not catch the culprits, because it’s the authorities who killed her. They might however frame some innocent person.
What a sad story. Beautiful dedicated lady. May her murderers burn forever in hell.
The crime of journalism
RIP Viktoria Marinova, I wished I could wish you this in life and well-being. So you see that an honest and committed person is nowhere safe, truth is a fragile line in this crime world. Unfortunately, it will cost another immense amount of innocent lives before the crap that controls our lives behind the scenes is cleared away! Your death will forever remind us of the importance of continuing to fight for justice!!!!
This is proof that the Elite has gone rogue in every country. EU and non EU. There is really no democracy. Might as well have a more efficient system like China.
Had this happened in Russia , MSM would have reported that Putin personally killed her.
in russia regularly kill journalists russia is mexico of europe
A perfect example of the West’s “press freedom” in action.
and your sentence is a perfect example of your stupidity
She Was Covering Investigation Of Financial Frauds Of EU Politicians, Businessmen
do big lie!!!
she investigated BULGARIAN politicians and businessmen, who defrauded EU-money.
R.I.P., brave girl!