Sofia, 24 October. Businessman Slavi Binev, vice-president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, has been shot dead in Sofia; three people — a Bulgarian citizen and two Turkish citizens — have been detained, and the main theory is a financial dispute between business partners, acting Interior Ministry chief secretary Lyubomir Nikolov said.
Details of the attack, such as where exactly and in what circumstances it happened, were not given in the ministry's first statement.
The killing came on the eve of the 25 October vote, when Bulgaria holds the first round of its presidential election. Investigators have not named any political motive.
What it means: Police so far link the high-profile killing of a well-known businessman and sports official to a business conflict, not politics.
Who benefits: The sources do not name who ordered the killing; investigators are checking the theory of a financial dispute between partners.
Background: On 25 October Bulgaria holds the first round of its presidential election, with incumbent President Iliana Yotova facing former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov.
We have also reported that Serbia and Bulgaria go to the polls on 25 October.
