Journalist Dimitar Stoyanov pointed a combat pistol at a tax official, spent 24 hours in custody (Review)

• The conflict was over improper parking
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs released a video showing the investigative reporter pulling out the weapon
• The prosecution: He behaved indecently

The journalist from “Bird” Dimitar Stoyanov got involved in a scandal for improper parking with a NRA employee, for which he spent 24 hours in custody. The reason for his arrest is that, in the midst of the argument, Stoyanov pointed a combat pistol at the head of his opponent, which caused fear in the unknown man. Before that, however, he threw an object at him, after which there was an exchange of blows between the two, and finally – the investigative journalist pulled out the weapon. This exact moment was captured by cameras in the area, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs published the footage.

The fight took place around 6 pm on Monday on “Vasil Petleshkov” street in the “Hadji Dimitar” quarter of the capital. The police responded to a report. On the spot, they found 40-year-old P.L., who told them that there was an argument between him and an unknown man over improper parking, and the other pulled out a weapon. The uniformed officers quickly found the man and arrested him. It turned out to be the 43-year-old journalist.

According to the prosecution, Stoyanov’s actions were obscene, grossly violating public order and expressing clear disrespect for society, as, in addition to pulling out a combat pistol in a public place, he also inflicted numerous blows with his feet and hands on the head and body of P.L. He also made numerous offensive qualifications address of the man, having threatened that

“will break him

the head”

Before being taken to the custody of the 5th RU, Stoyanov presented his version on his personal Facebook profile. He also posted a photo of his scalp showing an injury. In his defense were the statements of the editor-in-chief of “Bird” Atanas Chobanov, again on Facebook.

According to Stoyanov’s version: Even when you shop gently, there’s always some jerk who will attack you because you’re shopping at a store he doesn’t like. If you don’t get scared, he’ll run away and then attack you in the back, beat you like an angry woman and explain how he’s going to kill you. And you have no idea where it came from. I’m still wondering if it’s a provocation or an idiothe wrote on Facebook before the arrest.

On Tuesday in the late afternoon, the journalist was taken to the Sofia District Court. He asked the court to quash the police detention order. The law provides such an opportunity, although few take advantage of it. However, the court refused, arguing that it was legal. The magistrates ruled that after the 24-hour detention expired, Stoyanov would be released. The prosecutor’s office charged him with threatening to kill and hooliganism and imposed a bail of BGN 5,000.

In court, the journalist again presented his version of what happened, which overlapped with what he wrote on Facebook.

He was attacked around 5pm on Monday for no reason by a stranger. First with insulting words, and then he tried to hit him. According to Stoyanov, the situation escalated when the man, who turned out to be a NRA employee, showed aggression towards his wife. Then he pulled out his legal gun and issued a warning.

Witnesses were questioned in the case and Stoyanov’s home was searched, the prosecutor’s office said.

They were there

discovered and seized

two battles

the gun

and a carbine

The supervising prosecutor gave instructions for the preparation of three expertises – video-technical, ballistic and forensic-medical.

Stoyanov was tested for drugs and alcohol, which were negative. He asked why tests were not done on the taxman as well.

I stand behind every honest and valiant NRA employee. The activity of the revenue agency is part of the national security of the country and it is unacceptable for its employees to become the object of threats and aggression. I expect the investigation authorities to establish the objective truth in the case. This was announced by the head of the NRA, Rumen Spetsov, who urged not to politicize the case.

The editor-in-chief of “Bird” Atanas Chobanov also commented on the scandal, who linked the incident to an email he had sent to the head of the National Narcotics Agency in connection with his investigation.

All this is happening while I am finalizing an investigative material, which describes how the brother-in-law of Minister Kalin Stoyanov, who is a former policeman and former taxman, in 2021 extorted a trader in a NRA uniform, Chobanov wrote. However, the former tax official he quoted and the person with whom Stoyanov had a fight on the street are not the same person.

In his post, he explains that “Mitko did very well to draw his legal gun against this assailant and not disembowel him, considering the difference in weight and skills. Chobanov recalls that this is not the first time Stoyanov has been behind bars.