From Novinite News 04/03/2011


A UK expat has stabbed a Bulgarian neighbor in Northeast Bulgaria in a midnight brawl over loud music.

The incident reported Friday by the police occurred the night of March 3 in the village of Trastika, Popovo Municipality, Targovishte District.

It was caused by a gathering in the home of a 51-year-old Bulgaria whose loud paying of chalga music - a genre mixing folklore with Balkan and Arab motifs - disturbed the entire street.

A 48-year-old Englishman living in a neighboring house came out of his home armed with a bat and a knife after asking earlier the partying Bulgarians to turn down the music.

In the ensuing brawl, the Englishman whose name is reported as Roger K., stabbed the home-owner Stefcho G. After that the Brit himself called an ambulance.

The Bulgarian's life was saved in the hospital in Targovishte.

According to the Trud daily, Roger K. has been in Bulgaria for 2 years. He has been living off a retirement pension.

The paper reports two more UK families also have houses in Trastika but they spend only their summers there.

Wow. I've had a run-in with one neighbour over his music. However, I wouldn't go that far. I just called the local bobbies and let them deal with it. Had no problem since.

What a shame people have to resort this kind of behavior and shame on the man Roger. K for even contemplating using a knife or baseball bat, surely armed with such weapons would automatically instigate trouble. What was he thinking

Sincerely hope the Bulgarian man makes a good recovery.

Oddy

Well we did have a noisy neighbour many years ago. This guy when he was working asked if our kids could be quite at night as he got up for work at 5 am. We duly agreed and a happy relationship was had. He retired early and then we heard radio 4 through the walls of our quite well built semi. I asked him to turn it down to which he said 'up yours' or words to that effect.

So one night we waited until his racket had ceased which was 3 am. Then turned our speakers to face the wall and then when all was quite at about 4 am we played Suza Marches for the next half hour. Problem solved!!!!

My god this is as bad as that Australian who stabbed someone and got 20 years for it.

it can be frustrating when you have neighbours that are loud and despite negotiations they do not comply, but when you resort to that level of confrontation you have really lost it and the outcome is serious.

having experienced noisy neighbours, those who have no respect for others, it can really have an affect, i had young children and next door had teenagers playing music in the early hours, arguing and just loud really, it can take its toll and they were not prepared to play fair.

so, my brother being in a band, we borrowed his full drum kit and let rip, it was not long before they came round complaining, i told them my son was an up and coming pop star and needed all the practice he could get.

we came to an agreement, but they did not stay long,

respect, a value that has lost its way .

I've reopened this topic as I think there is a bit of mileage here for a sensible discussion.

Please note: this is a very emotive subject and people tend to react quickly. No personal attacks please and also note: this could happen in any village anywhere in the World and is not an indication that Popovo is known for this kind of behaviour. It's a one off event which could have happened in any village, in Bulgaria, or elsewhere.

Chris wrote:

I've reopened this topic as I think there is a bit of mileage here for a sensible discussion.

I agree, a sensible decision to continue where the topic was when it was locked

I'm really pleased to see that this forum has taken a more responsible view of this crime and dealt with it as adults should, I've just been reading about this on another forum and I'm disgusted that they have allowed a senior member to make a remark as follows "
He was playing chalga and therefore deserved death"
I can not believe that people can say such things when they know nothing about the case and even if what the press has said it surely doesn't deserve this kind of comment. For that reason I will not be returning to that forum again if that the kind of members it has ? I'm sorry if some of you disagree with me but I can not condone this kind of behaviour or comment from adults.

Andy wrote:

I'm really pleased to see that this forum has taken a more responsible view of this crime and dealt with it as adults should, I've just been reading about this on another forum and I'm disgusted that they have allowed a senior member to make a remark as follows "
He was playing chalga and therefore deserved death"
I can not believe that people can say such things when they know nothing about the case and even if what the press has said it surely doesn't deserve this kind of comment. For that reason I will not be returning to that forum again if that the kind of members it has ? I'm sorry if some of you disagree with me but I can not condone this kind of behaviour or comment from adults.

Well said Andy, :Great:Your post on this topic is the reason that I congratulated Admin (Mods) for re-opening this very important topic
Had it not been re-opened we adults on this forum may not have known what had been posted on another forum :Thank you:for that
As far as I am concerned, you don't have to apologise and I am sure you will not have anybody disagreeing with your comments

No one is deserving of a stabbing, but you might say that playing your music in the small hours;
regardless of others may well deserve a talking to, I understand that sometimes other peoples music can be a pain in the neck but this is drastic and taking things to the extreme ? maybe the perpetrator wasn't all the ticket?

Well this is vey disturbing and I know from my own experience that sometimes music from others can drive you a bit nuts but to stab someone is taking things way over the top, its a shame that one of the other bulgarians in the village didn't go and ask him to turn his music down a little maybe the out would have been completely different coming from one of their own, I know the english bloke had been in the country for 2 years but even so we are and always will be guests in this country and I think we all need to respect that life here in bulgaria isn't the same as the uk or wherever you come from. Looking at Andy's comments about what was said on another site I totally agree to make such comments is extremely dangerous and very immature and I would expect any decent admin to remove such remarks.

Lets look at this who actually started this? the expat who was at home and should have been minding his own business ? or the neighbour? well lets remember as pointed out we are guests and in Bulgaria in some places is perfectly fine to play loud music of any sort then there was the English nutter who took a knife to him? lets also remember he didn't go empty handed? yes he called for help but in my opinion only to save his own skin ie a murder charge, he should have called the police to but according to the press he only called for an ambulance? so who is to blame ? in my opinion its the Englishman he went around to see this man armed and if he was armed then there is intention just as there was/is with the young man from Australia. so whatever the law decide and for me I would throw the book at him and throw the key away.

Gimp wrote:

Lets look at this who actually started this? the expat who was at home and should have been minding his own business ? or the neighbour? well lets remember as pointed out we are guests and in Bulgaria in some places is perfectly fine to play loud music of any sort then there was the English nutter who took a knife to him? lets also remember he didn't go empty handed? yes he called for help but in my opinion only to save his own skin ie a murder charge, he should have called the police to but according to the press he only called for an ambulance? so who is to blame ? in my opinion its the Englishman he went around to see this man armed and if he was armed then there is intention just as there was/is with the young man from Australia. so whatever the law decide and for me I would throw the book at him and throw the key away.

Whilst I agree with most that has been posted on this topic I must remind everybody as I have been reminded during my association with Bulgaria over the last 4 years that everybody is innocent until proven guilty ::
The only account of what happened is what was printed in Novonite. Do any forum members live in the same area of the incident

As i live in the same village as roger i feel i should defend his character if not his behaviour. He has been very kind and helpful towards my family and gone out of his way to show us around the area and introduce us to people. Unfortunately he was extreemely unhappy living in bulgaria and found himself in a position where he felt unable to leave. I personally think its awful for things to have got so out of hand, and i'm glad that stefan is ok. But as he has always been kind to me i hope they take his mental state into consideration when they sentance him.