On 15 November, farmer Stoyan Dimov from the village of Vinarsko, Burgas Region, was attacked in front of his home by two men dressed in camouflage clothing. According to an investigation and a video uploaded by BIRD, the two attackers used metal batons to inflict the beating. According to the publication, the attack was related to a long-running conflict between Dimov and Nikolai Filippov, known as Nikki the Customs Officer.
Dimov and Filipov have a long history involving lawsuits and commercial disputes over the ownership of the company AgroRing Invest. Recent court rulings have been in Dimov’s favor, which is likely the motive for the attack. Days before the incident, Dimov had filed a report with the Ministry of Internal Affairs about threats from Filippov’s cronies. However, the tip-off did not lead to any preventive action by the police.
The video clearly shows the moment of the attack. The two attackers lie in wait for Dimov in front of his home, knock him to the ground and hit him with batons. His wife, who witnessed the beating, screams for help, possibly preventing more serious injuries.
The assailants and another man driving a getaway car were apprehended. But all three were released after 24 hours without charges, despite evidence – camouflage clothing and masks found in their homes.
According to BIRD, the Burgas Police Department demonstrated a lack of adequacy in its investigation. The publication also points to a possible connection between Vladimir Marinov, the director of the Border Police Department, and Nikolai Filippov, as the two were photographed together at a wedding in Turkey, raising questions about a possible conflict of interest. Questions about a possible umbrella over the perpetrators remain unanswered, as does the fact that the perpetrator of the attack has not been investigated.
Protest by MoEW employees blocked key intersections in Sofia and Blagoevgrad
[…] A farmer was beaten in Burgas. Is Nikki the Customs Officer connected to the attack? […]