Suspect arrested in Germany for murder of Bulgarian journalist

Viktoria Marinova, who highlighted corruption in Bulgaria, was found dead on Saturday.

German authorities are yet to confirm the arrest. EPA

A suspect in the rape and murder of Bulgarian television journalist Viktoria Marinova has been arrested in Germany, say officials.

The arrest of Severin Krasimirov, a 21-year-old Bulgarian citizen was confirmed by Bulgaria's prosecutor general, Sotir Tsatsarov, but no further details on his location were given. German authorities were not immediately available.

"We are currently following a European arrest procedure. The German prosecutor has arrested the suspect, they will then assess how to proceed," Mr Tsatsarov said.

He said  that evidence suggested it was "a spontaneous attack, not premeditated."

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Interior Minister Mladen Marinov said investigators had found DNA evidence on the clothes and body of Ms Marinova, who was raped and strangled on Saturday in the northern town of Ruse.

"There is physical evidence to link to the murder," Mr Marinov said Wednesday. He said Mr Krasimirov, a resident of Ruse, had a criminal record for scrap metal theft.

The minister said investigators had spoken to Ms Marinova's family and friends and "there is no apparent link to her work."

Ms Marinova hosted a show last month featuring two investigative journalists who were detained for their work on suspected fraud involving European Union funds.

While Ms Marinova didn't appear to have been closely involved in the fraud investigation, her show touched on a sensitive subject in Bulgaria, where corruption is endemic. The Balkan nation, which joined the EU in 2007, was ranked 71st on Transparency International's corruption list last year.