Parliament speaker Mihaela Dotsova told reporters she regrets the incident between an officer of the National Protection Service (NSO) and journalist Sonya Koltuklieva.

Dotsova said the NSO guards the speaker and its officers follow set protocols. She cannot tell them what to do or how to do it.

Earlier on this story: Bulgaria's National Protection Service reviews officers' conduct after incident with journalist

She said Koltuklieva opened the car door as she was getting in, which startled her. The guards got out and shut the door, and the car drove off. She does not know what happened next.

"As a person and as a woman, I express my deepest regret for what happened," Dotsova said.

She said that when she realised how serious the situation was, it made her very sad. She then set off for the Military Medical Academy to meet Koltuklieva in person, face to face. She called what happened completely unacceptable.

Dotsova added that she greatly respects the journalistic profession and values everyone's work, whatever their views. In her words, that is how it should be in a democratic society.