Bulgarian Hometown Names Street after Prof. Killed by Stray Dogs

Professor, Botio Tachkov, became the latest victim of Sofia stray dogs and died in a tragic mauling incident. Photo by bTV

Bulgaria's western city of Pernik is going to name a street after one of its most prominent sons, Professor, Botio Tachkov, who died Sunday, after being brutally attacked by a large pack of stray dogs in Sofia at the end of March.

The street will be located in Pernik's "Varosh" district where Tachkov was born and grew up, the Bulgarian Standard daily reports.

The proposal has been submitted by municipal councilors from Pernik's City Hall from the left-wing Bulgaria Socialist Party, BSP. The City Hall had already started work on gathering an initiative committee which will include representatives of other parties and citizens.

"Such a pity, he achieved so much, had a brilliant career in the US, and came back home to be eaten by Bulgarians mutts. The tragedy happened in Sofia, but it could have been Pernik as well. Packs of stray dogs are roaming all over the city and attack people," locals are quoted saying.

Professor Tachkov, who was attacked and mauled by stray dogs in the Malinova Dolina quarter in the Bulgarian capital at the end of last month, died early Sunday morning at the Military Medical Hospital in Sofia. The cause of death was listed as multiple organ failure. He had serious cardiac problems during the entire hospital stay, despite the fact that his wounds had been heeling well.

Tachkov, 88, is one of the most prominent Bulgarians in the US. He was born in Pernik and was a graduate of the Sofia University with a Major in Economy. He immigrated to America in 1962.

There, he became an associate professor at the Columbia University in New York and PhD later. The year 1968 marked the start of his Wall Street career, where he rose to President of an investment bank. He had worked for the US State Department, the UN, as economic advisor for the government of Indonesia, and had lectured at many universities in the US and Germany.

The Professor, who returned to Bulgaria wishing for a quiet retirement, was fluent in six languages, and had four published books.

The accident triggered public outrage, as the city has been struggling to cope with its increasing stray dog population for years now.

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