site.btaUPDATED Major Human Rights Issues in Bulgaria Remain Unresolved in 2023

In 2023, major human rights issues in Bulgaria remained unresolved, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) writes in its annual report. The topic was discussed by the report's authors, journalists, and politicians at the Europe House in Sofia on Tuesday.

Authors of the report are Adela Katchaounova, Aneta Genova, Antoaneta Nenkova, Bosilena Melteva, Boyana Ivanova, Diana Dragieva, Iveta Savova, Iliana Savova, Krasimir Kanev, Meglena Antonova, Nadezhda Tsekulova, and Radoslav Stoyanov.

BHC's annual report on Human Rights in Bulgaria has been published annually since 1994. Its conclusions are divided into a total of 18 chapters, including Bulgaria's political development in 2023, cooperation with local and international organizations to protect human rights, right to personal liberty and security, judicial independence, freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.

Addressing the event, former justice minister Atanas Slavov said that for some ten years the Specialized Prosecution Office has not obtained a single conviction following the actions of the Specialized Prosecution Office (before closed down). In ordinary criminal cases, the conviction rate is over 90%, while convictions in high-level corruption cases can be counted on the fingers of one hand, Slavov emphasized.

Adela Katchaounova, one of the authors of the report, said the big question is how to separate the prosecuting magistracy from politics, so it becomes truly independent. In her words, this can only happen if prosecutors start acting against 'some of their own'. Katchaounova’s conclusion is that the prosecuting magistracy works in the service of certain politicians, and this can be changed by shining a light on their actions. According to her, the totalitarian state has not left Bulgaria completely. 

Krasimir Kanev of the BHC highlighted some of the topics in the report, according to which Bulgaria's cooperation with international human rights organisations did not improve in 2023. There has been some improvement in cooperation with local organisations, he stressed.

BHC's annual report shows that freedom of expression in Bulgaria in 2023 was in direct correlation with this country’s unstable political situation. According to the authors, there has seemingly been a visible calming of working conditions for journalists, with them being able to work noticeably more undisturbed and less pressured. However, in depth there has been no change in the mechanisms of functioning of the media, in their funding and principles of work, and in the observance of journalism standards.

The report also points out that the reforms in the judiciary in 2023 were achieved against the backdrop of a difficult political environment and an unstable coalition government on a rotating basis, united around the goal of reforming the judiciary. While some of the changes are not satisfactory, Bulgaria’s progress in this area has been significant, the authors said.

The main issue with freedom of association in Bulgaria in 2023 was yet again registration of associations of North Macedonia's nationals in Bulgaria, the report says.

In 2023, no significant changes were made to the legislation governing conditions in detention facilities, the report further says. The number of prisoners continues to decrease, but the reduction rate is slowing compared to the previous two years. However, the number of detainees in custody is increasing in 2023.

BHC's annual report also highlights the large number of complaints it received in 2023 from people against whom the police had used force unnecessarily. Those complaints mainly related to detention of criminal suspects and attempts to control citizen protests.