A Russian, killed two or three hours after the assassination attempt on Iliya Pavlov, was probably the person who committed the murder of the businessman. This was stated to NOVA by Gen. Vasilev Vasilev, former director of the National Police Service.
“I think this was Pavlov's killer“, said Vasilev, specifying that this was his assessment, and not a fact established by the investigation. Pavlov's murder, committed in 2003 in Sofia, remains unsolved.
Shooting from a prepared position
According to Vasilev, the assassination attempt was carried out professionally. Investigators found the place where the shot was fired, and the weapon was placed on a bracket so that the shooter could aim.
Vasilev also pointed out the actions of the security guards as one of the problems in the attack. According to him, Pavlov went out in the winter, when it was already dark, but stood in a well-lit place and talked on the phone. “The killer shot, Pavlov was fully illuminated“, said the former police director.
According to him, the security guards made serious mistakes and went to “Pirogov“ to find out if Pavlov was dead, instead of pursuing the attacker. Vassilev used harsh language about the work of private security guards in the ostentatious murders of Iliya Pavlov and Georgi Iliev.
Comment on the murder of Iliyan Filipov
Vassilev said that there are professional killers in Bulgaria, but there is no fixed “price list“. According to him, orders can be for amounts from 20 euros to 5 million euros, depending on the agreement.
Regarding the murder of businessman Iliyan Filipov, he pointed out that the most important thing in the investigation is to find the weapon and cartridges. After that, ballistic and technical expertise must be carried out, said Vassilev, urging investigators not to be pressured and to be given time to work. NOVA presented the conversation with him as part of a material on unsolved and contract killings.
According to the former director of the National Service “Police“ The murder of Iliyan Filipov does not mean a return to the Mutren years, but an episode that accompanies public life.
Sources: Focus, NOVA, Mediapool