site.btaRecent Incidents in Sofia Criminal, Not Ethnically Motivated or Xenophobic, Interior Ministry General Secretary Kotsev Says

The incidents from March 6 and 8 were criminal and not on ethnic grounds or as a result of xenophobic sentiments, Interior Ministry General Secretary Zhivko Kotsev said here on Thursday during the extraordinary meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council (SMC) on security. Kotsev recalled that the case from March 6 was a brawl between two groups, and a pre-trial procedure has already been initiated for inflicting minor bodily harm. We have identified the perpetrators, who are six people from third countries that have applied for humanitarian status, he added. He was referring to an altercation between young foreigners and Bulgarians in central Sofia allegedly over a girl.  

In the case of 8 March, it was established that it was a robbery committed by minors. "They have also been detained, brought to criminal responsibility, charged as of Wednesday and detained for 72 hours," Kotsev added.

The incidents sparked protests and rallies in Sofia. The police increased security in the central parts of the city.

Kotsev praised the good work between the institutions in Sofia and announced that he was satisfied with the concern of the city councillors to find a solution to the security problem of the city's residents, as well as foreign citizens and tourists.

He added that for the year 2023, the Sofia police has recorded a reduction in crime by about 2 percentage and an increase in crime solvency by 4 percentage points. 

Crimes committed in the context of domestic violence remain a problem, Kotsev said, but pointed out that this applies to the whole country, not just Sofia.