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| Bulgaria closes 'umbrella' case 35 years after Georgi Markov assassination | Bulgaria closes 'umbrella' case 35 years after Georgi Markov assassination |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Bulgaria is closing its investigation into one of the most notorious assassinations of the late cold war: the killing of the exiled dissident Georgi Markov with the poisoned tip of an umbrella on Waterloo Bridge, in London. | |
| Markov, a writer, journalist and opponent of Bulgaria's then communist regime, died on 11 September 1978 after a stranger shot a poisoned pellet into his leg. Prosecutors have failed to identify, arrest or charge anybody for the crime, known as the case of the Bulgarian umbrella. | Markov, a writer, journalist and opponent of Bulgaria's then communist regime, died on 11 September 1978 after a stranger shot a poisoned pellet into his leg. Prosecutors have failed to identify, arrest or charge anybody for the crime, known as the case of the Bulgarian umbrella. |
| "The probe will be abandoned as of tomorrow, when the absolute statute of limitations, of 35 years, will expire," the prosecutor's office spokeswoman, Rumiana Arnaudova, said. | "The probe will be abandoned as of tomorrow, when the absolute statute of limitations, of 35 years, will expire," the prosecutor's office spokeswoman, Rumiana Arnaudova, said. |
| "To overcome the statute of limitations, we need to have a suspect for the crime arrested, charged or put on a search list. As of the moment, we have not established the perpetrator and neither of the above actions are undertaken." | "To overcome the statute of limitations, we need to have a suspect for the crime arrested, charged or put on a search list. As of the moment, we have not established the perpetrator and neither of the above actions are undertaken." |
| British police have their own investigation into the affair. | British police have their own investigation into the affair. |
| According to accounts of the incident, Markov, who defected to the west in 1969, was waiting for a bus when he felt a sharp sting in his thigh. A stranger fumbled behind him with an umbrella he had dropped, mumbling "sorry" before walking away. | According to accounts of the incident, Markov, who defected to the west in 1969, was waiting for a bus when he felt a sharp sting in his thigh. A stranger fumbled behind him with an umbrella he had dropped, mumbling "sorry" before walking away. |
| Markov died four days later of what is believed to be ricin poisoning, for which there is no antidote. | Markov died four days later of what is believed to be ricin poisoning, for which there is no antidote. |
| Five years ago, the Bulgarian daily Dnevnik published an investigation into communist-era secret police files identifying Markov's suspected assassin as an agent codenamed Piccadilly. | |
| The files showed the agent had had "special training" from Bulgaria's secret police, and had received two medals, several free holidays and $30,000 (£19,000) after Markov's death, Dnevnik said, adding that Markov's case had been discussed with the KGB in Moscow. | The files showed the agent had had "special training" from Bulgaria's secret police, and had received two medals, several free holidays and $30,000 (£19,000) after Markov's death, Dnevnik said, adding that Markov's case had been discussed with the KGB in Moscow. |
| In 2008, Bulgarian prosecutors extended the investigation by five years, hoping that access to communist-era secret police files would help solve the case. But the Bulgarian authorities say this brought no clarity about the identity of the killer. | In 2008, Bulgarian prosecutors extended the investigation by five years, hoping that access to communist-era secret police files would help solve the case. But the Bulgarian authorities say this brought no clarity about the identity of the killer. |
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