WorldSofia, Bulgaria · Europe
Bulgaria: Bodyguard Shoves Journalist Sonya Koltuklieva to the Ground
The reporter tried to question Parliament Speaker Dotsova in Sofia. She was taken to a hospital, and the National Protective Service (NSO) ordered an investigation.
By Marcel
Automatically translated from German · may contain errors · Read the original
In Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, an officer of the National Protective Service (NSO) shoved journalist Sonya Koltuklieva to the ground on Thursday, October 22. She had been trying to put questions to Parliament Speaker Mihaela Dotsova. The reporter was taken to a hospital with injuries.
Fall after a question at the car door
The incident took place outside the headquarters of the ruling party Progressive Bulgaria on Hristo Botev Boulevard. A party meeting with Prime Minister Rumen Radev and other representatives had been held there earlier. Koltuklieva, who works for the news agency PIK, wanted to question Dotsova afterward.
She wanted to know why the speaker had repeatedly canceled hearings in parliament. They concerned an alleged drug smuggler who was pardoned in 2022 by Iliana Iotova, now president, when she was vice president. Dotsova did not answer and got into her official car.
According to the news portal Dnes.bg, Koltuklieva opened the car door when Dotsova had already gotten in. According to the video, Dotsova pulled the door shut again from the inside. Koltuklieva filmed with her phone and asked why Dotsova was afraid, saying she should come out and talk to the journalists.
An NSO officer then shoved the journalist away with great force; she fell backward onto the sidewalk and remained lying there. The officer got into the car, which drove off with Dotsova. Neither the security personnel nor Dotsova helped the woman.
The video, about 51 seconds long, spread quickly on social media. A pro-Western account posted it on X with the words “Radev's Bulgaria.”
According to her employer PIK, Koltuklieva suffered a concussion, a broken collarbone and a dislocated shoulder. An ambulance took her to the Military Medical Academy in Sofia. Official bodies gave no details, citing doctor-patient confidentiality. The journalist was later discharged to continue treatment at home.
Protective service announces review
The NSO, which is responsible for protecting senior officials in Bulgaria, ordered an immediate and thorough investigation and informed the military prosecutor's office. If the officer acted disproportionately, the strictest measures would follow, the service said. Protecting the person comes first, it added, but interventions must comply with the law.
Dotsova expressed deep regret “as a human being and as a woman” and stressed her respect for journalism. She said she cannot give instructions to NSO officers, who act according to their own protocols. She called the incident “absolutely unacceptable.” She wanted to visit Koltuklieva in the hospital, but the journalist had already left the clinic by then.
President Iotova condemned the “unacceptable and excessive reaction.” Journalists must be able to work freely and without fear, she said. She expects a swift clarification and that responsibility be taken.
Opposition demands resignations
Boyko Borissov of the opposition party GERB said: “What a disgrace! This job is not for amateurs!” He and the GERB parliamentary group demanded Dotsova's resignation. Asen Vasilev of the alliance “We Continue the Change” spoke of “complete self-oblivion” and added: “The state does not belong to them.”
Deputy Speaker Atanas Atanasov of the alliance Democratic Bulgaria also called for the speaker to resign. Other politicians additionally demanded the resignation of NSO chief General Emil Tonev.
Tensions ahead of the presidential election
Radev was president from 2017 to 2026 and founded Progressive Bulgaria in 2026. The party won April's parliamentary election with about 44.6 percent of the vote and an absolute majority of 131 of 240 seats, and Radev became prime minister in May. Dotsova, a lawyer, has been speaker of the National Assembly since April 30.
The government is under pressure over its stance toward Russia, criticized as too accommodating, including after drone attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea. On Sunday, October 25, Bulgaria elects a new president. The candidates include incumbent Iotova and Andrey Gyurov, who likewise demanded consequences over the incident.