Slavi Bineev, Vice President of European Taekwondo Union, Shot Dead in Sofia; Three Suspects Detained

The Fatal Shooting of Slavi Bineev in Sofia

According to 5 канал: On October 24, Slavi Bineev, head of the Bulgarian Taekwondo Federation and vice president of the European Taekwondo Union, was fatally shot in Sofia. Police responded to reports of gunfire around 10:30 a.m. and found Bineev deceased at the scene. The 60-year-old was also a member of Bulgaria’s National Assembly and the European Parliament. This assassination occurred just one day before Bulgaria’s presidential election, during a period marked by heightened political tensions.

Investigation and Official Response

Authorities have arrested three suspects on a highway outside Sofia. Among them, two hold Turkish citizenship, while the third possesses a Bulgarian ID card. The suspects were armed at the time of their detention. Law enforcement continues to probe the circumstances surrounding the killing. Although Bineev’s murder is part of a series of high-profile violent crimes, officials have not linked it directly to the election campaign.

Bineev, elected through nationalist political party lists, was a prominent figure in both Bulgaria’s sports and political arenas. His death has sparked public outrage, recalling the wave of targeted killings of public figures connected to organized crime that plagued Bulgaria in the 1990s.

• Recently, Bulgaria’s parliament approved a new government led by former president Rumen Radev.
• This government enjoys backing from the Progressive Bulgaria party, which holds a parliamentary majority.
• Separately, eleven out of seventeen antennas supporting the Starlink satellite system were set on fire in the Sofia area.

The killing of Slavi Bineev highlights ongoing security challenges faced by public officials in Bulgaria, especially amid the political unrest surrounding the upcoming presidential vote. This tragedy could deepen public concerns about the country’s political climate, where organized crime has historically played a significant role. Furthermore, recent attacks such as the arson targeting communication infrastructure suggest rising tensions that demand urgent attention from law enforcement and society alike.