Todor Slavkov’s Relationships and Life in Sofia
Veneta Raykova, a television presenter, publicly discussed her past relationship with Todor Slavkov, grandson of a former Bulgarian leader, shortly after the 40-day memorial following Slavkov’s death. Raykova stated her intention in speaking about the relationship was to preserve his memory, noting they first met at the beginning of the 21st century. Friends of slavkov referred to him as “the grandson of the king,” and he reportedly told Raykova he held only positive memories of his childhood. She last spoke with him two years prior to the publication of the report, recalling a phone call where he seemed in good spirits.
According to local accounts, Raykova and Slavkov first encountered each other at Slavkov’s disco in Sofia. By that time, slavkov and his father, Ivan Slavkov, had relocated from a large 373-square-meter apartment – considered the largest in Sofia and possibly the country at the end of the last century – to the Sports Hall in Sofia. This apartment, a hub for social gatherings featuring political and entertainment figures in the 1970s and 1980s, was later purchased by Vasil Bozhkov, with funds from Bozhkov reportedly assisting Slavkov Jr.’s buisness ventures.
Slavkov’s Escape Disco was a prominent establishment, and after his death, it was revealed he had briefly been involved in the arms trade alongside Hristo Krusharski. The disco attracted notable attention from Sofia’s social scene, with many women vying for Slavkov’s attention, earning him a reputation akin to a “Playboy.”
His longest-term relationship was with top model Ilona Tsakova, who enjoyed a accomplished fashion career 25 years prior to the report’s publication, featuring in advertising campaigns and television commercials. Their multi-year relationship was considered unusually stable for the entertainment industry.
Raykova also recounted her initial encounter with Slavkov at Escape Disco: “Todor Slavkov and I met at the Escape Disco. He whent directly to the dust, and I don’t like it. After I refused to dance together, he changed his tactics and started drinking me. I am one from a kid, I do not wear a glass of white wine, and I start to do it.” Slavkov, when directly questioned about their relationship, stated, “I like taller. But if they have no thought in the head, nothing works out.”
Slavkov’s death led to the cancellation of his niece Ludmila’s wedding, named after his grandmother.Ludmila and her fiancé, a real estate broker, were planning to marry in Lozenets, a resort on the Southern black Sea, but both now reside in America with their child.
