site.btaInterior Ministry's, Firemen's Unions Object to Proposed Legislative Amendments

Sofia, November 15 (BTA) - In letters to the MPs, the Trade Union Federation of Interior Ministry Employees and the Fireman Trade Union have criticized proposed amendments to the Interior Ministry Act providing for firefighting crews of two to operate in settlements with a population of up to 5,000. The firemen claim that this would pose a risk both to crews and the public.

Rather than solve personnel issues in the security sector, the revisions will further deepen them in the long term, the firefighters said.

Population numbers cannot determine the number of crew members because homes burn just the same in both large and small settlements, they said. They explained that a crew of three is needed because the driver of the fire engine should not enter the burning building and a firefighter cannot rescue a victim on his own.