site.btaCorrectional Officers Mark Their Professional Holiday

Officers of Bulgaria’s General Directorate for the Execution of Penalties mark their professional holiday on Monday, declared under a decision of the Council of Ministers of December 15, 2006. 
 
On January 29 1879, Russian emperor’s commissioner A.M Dondukov-Korsakov to Bulgaria signed a historic document, laying the foundations of the country’s penitentiary system. 
The Directorate oversees 12 prisons with 26 open and closed prison hostels, two correctional homes for underage boys and girls in Vratsa and Sliven respectively and seven District Penalty Services. 
 
The construction of a new prison in the village of Samoranovo near Dupnitsa is expected to be completed by the end of April this year, which is one of the priorities of the Justice Ministry. 
The new prison is planned to meet all European standards. It will be the first one built in the country in over 60 years. Its capacity is for 400 prisoners.  The project includes the construction of a new training centre for staff, where candidates will be trained according to specially developed programmes and methodologies. 
The Justice Ministry said that the first steps have been taken to create two pilot "green" prisons in the country. Options are being discussed for inmates and staff from the prisons in Belene and Pleven to be the first to be trained to acquire knowledge and skills in the field of green economy.