Prison Workers Stage Protest over Fired Colleague

Dimitrina Solakova

BTA Photo

Sofia,

06.10.2023 13:46

(BTA)

Prison workers Friday staged a protest over their colleague Emil Velkov's dismissal. He told the media that employees of the prisons in Sofia had been summoned under the pretext that they had to give explanations.

Junior inspector Emil Velkov, who led the protest of the Sofia prison employees back in May, was sacked about a month ago.

The protesters demand resignations, including of General Directorate Execution of Sentences Director Ivaylo Yordanov.

The head of the trade union of prison employees in Bulgaria, Yassen Todorov, said that the protest is not only in support of Velkov but also in disagreement with the recent changes in the system, particularly the reintroduction of 12-hour shifts.

The protesters were also backed by the trade union federation of Interior Ministry employees.

Yordanov told the media that Velkov had been penalized several times, including for a missing gun. Velkov has already turned to the court over the penalties. Employees have been penalized for offensive comments in social media, including the use of swear words against a minister, Yordanov commented.

/КК/