Maybe the murder had on the Bulgarian journalist Marinowa no political Background. But the country discussed since then on corruption and freedom of the press. Were pulled also jumping to conclusions?
Viktoria Marinowa, TV presenter from the Bulgarian Danube city of Ruse, was raped, robbed and brutally murdered. Only a few days previously, they had aired in the small cable channel TVN’s an Interview with two investigative journalists who had investigated over corruption and embezzlement of EU funds in Bulgaria. The shocking results of this Research were already for weeks, the murder of the young presenter was immediately brought into a connection with the revelations.
Hardly surprising, because Bulgaria up the rear in terms of media freedom, not only in the EU, but also in the Balkans. Reporters without borders lists the country ranked 111 out of 180 countries in the world. The organization responded in the same way as the Association of European journalists, the EU and the UN with concern the murder, and demanded a quick and full investigation.
An arrest in Germany
Now on Tuesday the German police in Stade has taken a suspect 21-year-old Bulgarians. Meanwhile, the evidence that it is not a targeted murder in connection with the activities of a journalist, the TV presenter Marinowa, but rather a sexual homicide.
Nevertheless, the Research of journalists of Bulgaria’s investigative Online portal is moved by the crime “Bivol” back into the spotlight. The Bulgarian Prosecutor General Sotir Zazarow informed in connection with the murder of Marinowa for the first Time, the Public now under investigation for money laundering had been recorded and that the authorities have frozen 14 million euros. Who are the people affected, he said.
Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boiko Borissov is under pressure
The German Journalist and Bulgaria-expert Frank Taurus believes that the practice of distribution of funds in Bulgaria, will in the future be taken more exactly under the magnifying glass: “I actually would want to have nothing Positive to a cruel murder. But in fact, the death of Mrs Marinowa has led to the EU-look Commission is now more accurate, what has it actually, with the Research results of ‘Bivol’, and the Bulgarian authorities asking to investigate the case in more detail.”
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Quickly the Western media shots
Daniel Kaddik, head of the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation in Sofia, is of the opinion that the tragic murder of Viktorija Marinowa has sensitized international Public opinion for the situation in the small country in the Balkans with a new. He also has some concerns: “because of the major problems in Bulgaria with the help of media freedom and democracy, it is understandable that the question is asked whether the murder could have something to do with the profession. What I find dangerous though, is the setting of many Western media that the motive of the crime actually had something to do with your profession.” Now to the question of not “whether this definition of the Western media is rather counterproductive in the fight for media freedom and against corruption in the country,” says Kaddik.
Another Bulgaria-connoisseurs, the FAZ Journalist Michael Martens, tweeted on Wednesday: “Some of the media have brought the murder of Viktorija Marinowa immediately in connection with their reports on corruption. While the conjecture is quite close to, is part of it but also for the unbiased journalism, to make it clear that her murder could also be a pure sexual crimes.”
Clear your head
A tragic murder, still unsolved, has brought a stone to roll. Yes, in Bulgaria there is media freedom and the fight against corruption is very bad. And not only the EU Commission, but also the whole of the European Public – not only on this occasion – to the Land of more. But at the same time one should keep such events clear head, says Frank bull. “You can see it as an avalanche, where in all the media and also by international organisations such as the EU-Commission and even the UN, in fact, from the looks of it, rashly the murder of a woman Marinowa in connection with their work. You would have been there, so I think, in the media, more restrained method.”