site.bta Media Review: August 11

HOME SCENE – INTERIOR MINISTRY 

"There is definitely a purge in the Interior Ministry - they are aiming to implement what we heard in a leaked recording: 'Our Interior Ministry should organize the elections'," former caretaker Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told bTV, commenting the recent reshuffles of senior police chiefs.

On Thursday, heads of regional police directorates were summoned to the Interior Ministry for a meeting with Minister Kalin Stoyanov and were offered to vacate their posts and be reassigned to other positions.

Demerdzhiev said that he is aware some of the police chiefs have been told that there are not issues with their professional work, but their replacement is politically-motivated. "When people who are doing their job are replaced for political reasons, the question "why?" arises," Demerdzhiev said.

The former interior minister said he believes the reason for the reshuffles is the upcoming local elections this fall, adding that almost all regional police heads will be replaced by the time the local elections are held. 

Demerdzhiev added that the summoned police chiefs were appointed during President Rumen Radev's first two caretaker administrations.

PENAL CODE AMENDMENTS - DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE 

The recently adopted amendments to the Penal Code, which aim to curb driving under the influence by allowing police to seize the vehicles of such drivers, are covered extensively by the media in the past couple of days. The many uncertainties, including false positive drug tests, long wait periods for the blood test results to come, and the seizure of vehicles have received the attention of experts and lawyers. 

Mediapool: Having come into force only a few days ago, the new amendments to the Penal Code against motorists driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are already causing serious tensions. In an attempt to take some measures against the war on the roads, the majority in Parliament adopted new texts, according to which the cars of those driving after drinking and taking drugs are confiscated. The Interior Ministry rushed to implement the provisions and reported results of "confiscated" cars in some regions.

However, the truth is that nothing has been confiscated. This can only happen after a final court decision, i.e. when the driver is found guilty. Until then, we can talk about seizing or handing over the vehicle. However, that is where the big problem lies.

Cases against people caught driving under the influence generally drag on for years. Even when the defendant is ready to plead guilty and enter into a plea agreement, several months can pass. The reason is that blood samples, which confirm or reject the results of the initial positive field test, are processed in only a few laboratories across the country. That is, anyone who doesn't trust the field test and wants a blood test done, has to wait until their turn comes. In the meantime, these people may endure various restrictions - being without a license, being without a car, and sometimes being under house arrest.

Confidence in the Ministry of the Interior's field tests is another big issue that no one seems to have taken into account when the changes were adopted. Even the very police officers who use them speak of massively erroneous readings from these tests. That's why lawyers advise citizens not to agree to surrender their cars voluntarily if they give a positive test for alcohol or drugs.

Dnevnik also covers the news by writing that the Penal Code amendments concerning vehicle seizures are ill-considered from a legal standpoint. 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 

Zornitsa Shumanova, head of the new unit for combating domestic violence in the Interior Ministry, is quoted by Mediapool as telling bTV that the Interior Ministry has registered a wave of domestic violence reports after the case of 18-year-old Debora Mihaylova from the southern city of Stara Zagora. The girl was assaulted with a box cutter and sustained 21 injuries requiring some 400 stitches.  In addition, her nose was broken and her hair was shaved. The case gained publicity and caused public outcry and protests.  

Georgi Georgiev, 26, was charged with the crime. He is currently in custody, but on another case - for making threats against Debora. He was initially released in the bodily injury proceedings, which sparked widespread public discontent and protests in dozens of cities. 

"After the case with Debora, we have had an avalanche of reports of domestic violence, as well as petitions that have been filed with the district courts. The more we talk, the more this crime will not be latent," Shumanova said. 

In fact, the institutions were activated by the serious pressure from the public. In the past two weeks, there have been hundreds of reports of arrests and domestic violence investigations opened.

After the protests in support of Debora, institutions became particularly sensitive to the problem. The Government also announced 15 measures to tackle domestic violence. 

In the first half of 2023, the National Police General Directorate received 1,950 immediate and permanent protection orders issued by district courts. "We have had an 18% increase in the number of orders issued. We have a 40% increase in pre-trial domestic violence proceedings - that's a lot and it's a startling number," Shumanova said.

She said that there could be more cases, but often times victims of domestic violence hesitate to seek help. Shumanova explained that a working group had been formed to draw up methodological guidelines for action in cases of domestic violence.

The guidelines will cover what the police officer must do starting with the phone call, to the units on duty, the precinct inspector, the investigating officer - everything will be spelled out, she said. "We hope this unit will support the work of all officers in Interior Ministry and coordinate with other ministries. This unit has defined competences. It will assist in better work and prevention. One unit cannot combat domestic violence alone. It can be a coordinator between all ministries and NGOs," explained Shumanova.

***

NOVA TV interviews lawyer Ivena Anadolska and psychologist Lilia Stefanova, who comment the instances of domestic violence and if the 15 measures against violence proposed by the government can tackle the problem, which has reached epidemic proportions.  

According to the experts, the measures for protection from domestic violence are formal and therefore do not yield results.

According to Anadolska, they should be concrete and the first results will be seen only after a year. "There is an epidemic, but not only in terms of domestic violence," she said, adding that acts of aggression between neighbours, in schools and on the road are neglected. According to the lawyer, violence is seen as entertainment even in school, which is a very dangerous process.

Lilia Stefanova believes that violence is everywhere, especially in people's vocabulary. An example is social networks, where negative comments prevail on every topic. According to the psychologist, the prevention of aggression lies mainly in making people aware of whether they are ready and willing to become parents at all. Abusers have usually had a difficult childhood, statistics show. 

According to Iveta Anadolska, it is very important to work with the bully. In many cases, however, they refuse, which is why the measure should become mandatory. "The process is very long. You can't change a bully with 2-3 formal talks," the lawyer argues.

ECONOMY 

Capital: Exports are 3% less than last year. The decline is due to electricity, fuel and oil. In the first six months, the value of goods exported from Bulgaria stood at around BGN 44.4 billion, or BGN 1.4 billion less than in the same period of 2022.

Sales to the EU are declining year-on-year, while those to third countries are still growing, but slowly.

Weak activity in energy and coal mining, as well as in some manufacturing sectors, is leading to yet another decline in industrial production.

Lower prices and reduced demand from Europe are likely to continue to pull down sales. So far, machinery exports are stable. 

***

There will be firewood for this winter, Deputy Agriculture Minister Miroslav Marinov told Bulgarian National Radion. Marinov's portfolio is forestry. 

After last yearr's hysteria with firewood, the Deputy Minister said that this year the market has calmed down, fuel prices are back to normal. 

"This year the market has calmed down, the fuel is at a normal price, while firewood demand is being satisfied. "We have no problems on the ground. Since the spring we have started to supply the population with firewood on a regular basis. At this point, the figures show that we have already supplied more than 47% of the quantities that have been ordered from us. We have quantities in stock waiting for people to buy them'. He said last year's wood restocking will be beneficial for this winter.

HEALTHCARE - HOSPITAL DIRECTORS’ SALARIES - PARALLEL TRADE IN MEDICINES

An analysis, prepared by economic experts of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour, refutes claims made by Finance Minister Assen Vassilev about the remuneration of directors and managers of public hospitals. 

In an interview at the end of last week, Vassilev announced that there are hospital directors who receive about 40 to 50 times the average salary in their hospital, which adds up to some BGN 80,000 per month. 

According to the analysis of the trade union, the average public hospital director's salary is BGN 7,303 per month, and the highest salary received is BGN 19,349 - by the Director of Sofia's Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment in Obstetrics and Gynecology “Maichin Dom”.

Many directors of public hospitals also receive additional income as doctors and teachers, but they are reported in a separate column in the filed declarations, the trade union said. These declarations are available on the website of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Podkrepa also points out that it remains unclear who exactly the Finance Minister is referring to, and why these people are not being prosecuted by the authorities for false statements in their declaration, and possibly for tax evasion. 

The salaries of the managers of private hospitals exceed many times the highest ones in public hospitals. Salaries in the range of BGN 80,000 a month can only be seen in private hospitals, the trade union argued. 

The analysis also points out that average public sector salaries in 2021 are 8.5% higher than those in the private sector and 4.4% higher in 2022.

The trade union points out that there is a huge percentage of "grey economy" in the private sector, i.e. the average private sector wages reported by the National Statistics are far lower than the real ones.

***

"We're playing cat and mouse with insulin," Deputy Health Minister Ilko Getov told bTV, as quoted by 24 Chassa. 

"The latest alert is about the absence of Tresiba, which was on the export ban list last week. We got the supply and this week it is no longer on the ban list. It is being held in warehouses, parallel export deals are being negotiated and once these are done it will appear on the domestic market. So probably next week 'Tresiba' will be on the ban list again," Getov commented the alerts about the constant disappearance of insulin types from pharmacies.

Parallel trade within the EU is a legal practice and is allowed. Due to price differences and lack of control, this is the case - quantities from Bulgaria are sold on other markets, Getov said.

Commenting the shortage of certain specialists in hospitals, Getov said that the Ministry of Health is setting up a national fund to support the equal distribution of doctors and nurses across the country. It will be operational from next year. 

EDUCATION 

Limiting it to one textbook per school subject would not be a good approach. It needs to be balanced in terms of approved textbooks, Education Minister Prof. Galin Tzokov told Bulgarian National TV.

In his words, teachers should have more freedom to choose the appropriate textbooks.

The Education Minister expects that at some point textbooks may even become optional due to the development of digital platforms in education.

The curricula are open for public consultation, he said. 

According to the Minister, the plan is that changes in the curricula will lead to a reduction in factual complexity.

Tzokov also said that when quality indicators are introduced for each teacher and school, it will be possible to determine the contribution to the personal development of each student. This is linked to changes in school and pre-school education in order for the regulation to be adopted. It is possible to link the school budget to the quality of education.