A witness heard a female voice telling Sonya Koltuklieva on the phone: "Act, you will be paid"

The Military Court of Appeal in Sofia has imposed a "subscription" measure on National Security Service employee Martin Varadinov in the case of the incident with journalist Sonya Koltuklieva. The prosecutor's office insisted that he be detained in custody on charges of causing moderate bodily harm.

The defense requested that the court confirm the decision of the first instance, which had released Varadinov without a detention order. The lawyers presented new evidence and challenged the way the prosecution interpreted the video recordings and witness testimonies.

What the defense claims

According to the lawyers, a witness who is not related to the NSO heard a female voice say on the phone to Koltuklieva:

„Act, you will be paid“.

The defense also referred to a video technical examination. According to its interpretation, Varadinov grabbed the journalist by the hand without pushing her. The lawyers also challenged the claim that Koltuklieva fell unconscious after the physical contact.

The witness testimonies cited by the defense indicate that she continued to shout and take pictures. This was used as an argument against the theory of loss of consciousness immediately after the incident.

The position of the prosecution

The state prosecution maintains that it was Varadinov who inflicted the blow that led to Koltuklieva's injury. According to the prosecution, the video technical examinations support this version and justify the request for permanent arrest.

The case began after an incident in front of the headquarters of “Progressive Bulgaria“. Koltuklieva opened the door of the car of the Speaker of the National Assembly Mihaela Dotsova, after which a physical conflict arose between her and the NSO employee.

The main dispute in the case is related to the manner in which the contact was made, the nature of the injury caused and the significance of the video recordings and witness testimonies. The measure determined “subscription“ does not resolve the issue of Varadinov's guilt, who remains a defendant until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

Sources: btvnovinite.bg