The Turkish businessman Eyup Temiz, accused of the murder of the former MEP and businessman Slavi Binev, turns out to be a figure with business interests on both sides of the Bulgarian-Turkish border. Although he is not among the widely recognized public and political figures in Turkey, his name is present in the leadership structures of the Turkish Taekwondo Federation, and his family's business in Bulgaria connects him with investment projects, construction and deals for the transfer of company shares.
The Turkish economic publication Patronlar Dünyası published an investigation on October 29, in which it traces the corporate relations surrounding his wife Niya Stoyanova Temiz and discovers agreements for the transfer of shares in seven companies. The publication raises new questions about the business relationships that are at the heart of the conflict between the Temiz family and Slavi Binev.
Who is Eyup Temiz?
Eyup Temiz was born on May 15, 1973 in Istanbul. He is a Turkish citizen, 53 years old, with secondary education and residence status in Bulgaria. According to the information presented at the court hearing in Sofia, he manages companies in both Turkey and Bulgaria.
His wife is Niya Stoyanova Temiz, an architect who has business interests in the field of construction and real estate. The two have three children and family and business relationships in Bulgaria.
Although Temiz's name is not among the most famous in Turkish public life, he has one specific position that deserves attention – is listed as a reserve member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Taekwondo Federation.
The federation is led by Bahri Tanrikulu – former world and European champion and Olympic silver medalist from Athens 2004. Tanrikulu was elected chairman in October 2024.
Thus, Temiz has access to official sports circles in Turkey, although his position is that of a reserve, not a main member of the board of directors. There is no public evidence that he has held political office or been among the leading figures in the Turkish business elite.
The family business – from precious metals to industrial parks
The more interesting part of Temiz's public profile is related to his family's business interests in Bulgaria.
One of the companies he participates in with his wife is “Polanta“ OOD. According to data from the Commercial Register, the company is involved in trading in precious metals and gemstones.
Niya Temiz also participates in construction and investment projects. Her name is associated with the industrial parks in Tsalapitsa and Stryama near Plovdiv.
According to information cited by the Turkish publication Patronlar Dünyası, the planned investments in the two projects are about 160.4 million euros and 110.2 million euros, respectively. Their total estimated value reaches approximately 270.6 million euros.
These amounts represent announced investment intentions, not evidence of actual invested funds.
Slavi Binev and Niya Temiz were business partners
One of the most significant details in the investigation is that the relationship between Eyup Temiz and Slavi Binev was not just personal.
The wife of the Turkish businessman Niya Temiz was Binev's partner in the company “Evinko“.
According to the ownership data, Slavi Binev and Chavdar Chernev each owned 43.5% of the capital, and Niya Temiz – 13%.
Therefore, there is a previous common company history between the family of the accused and the murdered businessman, which is important for understanding their relationship.
500,000 euros and a dispute over company assets
According to a publication in the Bulgarian newspaper „24 chasa“, also quoted by Patronlar Dünyası, Eyup Temiz provided 500,000 euros to Slavi Binev for mediation in settling a business dispute between his wife Niya Temiz and architect Kalin Tiholov.
The expectation was that Binev would help reach an agreement regarding the distribution of company assets.
According to the media version, however, no agreement was reached. Temiz began to suspect that Binev had taken the side of the other party in the dispute and was no longer protecting the interests of his family.
The publications also describe a telephone conversation between Binev and Niya Temiz, during which the businessman blamed her for the failure of the agreements.
This version is among the main hypotheses for the background of the conflict, but does not represent a definitively established motive for the murder.
Seven companies and contracts for 70% of the capital of Erfolg 1
The Turkish publication pays special attention to the company Erfolg 1, owned by Niya Stoyanova Temiz.
According to documents submitted to the Bulgarian Stock Exchange and analyzed by Patronlar Dünyası, conditional contracts were concluded for the transfer of a total of 70% of the company's capital to seven different companies.
Among them are:
- Tiz Invest – with an intended share of 30%;
- VC Investment Group – with an intended share of 20%;
- Green Property Services – with a planned share of 10%;
- four more companies, for which a total of 10% is planned.
The first contract is from January 10, 2024.
The Turkish publication also draws attention to Tiz Invest because of its connection with the financing of Erfolg 1 and the company's bond issue worth 10 million leva in November 2024.
It is important to clarify that these are conditional contracts. Their signing alone does not prove that all the planned share transfers have been finally implemented.
What is Eyup Temiz's influence in Turkey?
At this stage, public information does not provide grounds for defining Temiz as a major Turkish industrialist, a politically influential person, or a representative of the secular elite in Istanbul.
His most specific public position is in sports - as a reserve member of the leadership of the Turkish Taekwondo Federation. There is no confirmed data on his holding of government positions, parliamentary mandates or leadership positions in political parties.
In contrast to him, his wife Niya Temiz has a more visible presence in Bulgarian business through her architectural activities and investment projects.
This makes the case interesting from another perspective: a Turkish citizen with relatively limited public prominence in his own country turns out to be part of complex business relationships in Bulgaria, related to a famous former MEP, construction investments and companies with multi-million projects.
What happened on October 24?
On October 24, 2026, Slavi Binev was shot dead in his home in the capital's "Pavlovo" district.
According to the data presented by the prosecutor's office and accepted by the court when considering the detention measure, Eyup Temiz visited Binev along with two other men. The meeting was related to the settlement of common business relations.
During the conversation, the two also discussed a further meeting in Istanbul. According to the prosecution, Temiz insisted that it be held in Turkey, but Binev refused due to an upcoming trip.
After the conversation, Temiz fired the fatal shot, the prosecution claims.
On October 27, the Sofia City Court ruled that he remain in custody permanently. The court hearing presented witness statements and results of an examination of gunpowder particles, which, according to the prosecution, link Temiz to the shot.
The defense disputed the prosecution's version and stated that its client acted in a state of strong irritation due to a conflict related to his wife.
At the moment, Eyup Temiz is a defendant, and his guilt is yet to be established in a trial.