site.btaCouncil of Europe’s Committee of Ministers Appreciates Activities to Improve Places of Detention

In mid-June, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers praised the activities carried out to improve conditions in detention facilities and suspended the enhanced monitoring that has been carried out since 2015 in relation to Bulgaria, caretaker Justice Minister Maria Pavlova told journalists on Tuesday in Petrich before the official opening of the new place of detention and probation service in the southern town. The funds for the new detention centre were provided under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the period 2014-2021.

According to Pavlova, this is a completely modern facility, which will provide better conditions for the detainees and staff. She said that the project was completed within a year and cost about BGN 1,500,000. The capacity of the detention centre is for 30 people, Pavlova said.

Head of the General Directorate for the Execution of Punishments, Chief Commissioner Ivaylo Yordanov, said that all detention and imprisonment facilities in the country have been significantly improved, and there is no overcrowding in any of the detention and imprisonment facilities.

Four detention and imprisonment facilities have been built with Norwegian funds to date. All detention facilities are maintained to the required standard, the Director General said.