SEEMO Condemns Hammer Attack on Bulgaria Journalist

23-year-old journalist Dimitar Varbanov, from bTV, was taken to the Veliko Tarnovo hospital after being attacked with a hammer. Photo by BGNES

The Southeast Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) strongly condemns Wednesday's physical attack on 23-year-old journalist Dimitar Varbanov, from the bTV program Master of Broadcasting in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.

In a press announcement Thursday, SEEMO, which is an affiliate of the International Press Institute, reminds that on February 10, 2010 “Varbanov intended to have an interview with a construction entrepreneur after the bTV program Master of Broadcasting received alerts from families living in Veliko Tarnovo who had contracts with the construction entrepreneur for new flats that they have never received even after payment was made. After the construction entrepreneur introduced himself as a common builder, he hit Varbanov with a hammer against the head.

After the hammer attack, Varbanov was directly taken to the local hospital. An ambulance and three police cars arrived soon after they got alerted by the cameraman. The alleged perpetrator was arrested and taken into police custody.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said, "SEEMO strongly condemns the physical attack on Varbanov."

"It is very alarming that journalists in Bulgaria seem to be threatened and attacked at a regular order and within a short time frame," Vujovic added. "SEEMO welcomes the quick reaction of the police who arrested the alleged perpetrator and SEEMO urges the Bulgarian authorities to do everything in their power to secure safe working conditions for journalists and to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."

SEEMO recently condemned the the attack on TV SKAT in Bulgaria and sent a letter to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov over a Blagoevgrad journalist facing threats from the notorious Galevi Brothers.

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