site.btaActing Prosecutor General Orders Immediate Action on Increasing Cases of Violence

Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov has ordered the heads of district and regional prosecution offices in the country to demand immediate action from the Interior Ministry authorities on the ground in connection with the increasing cases of violence committed on hooligan or discriminatory motives in public places, while driving motor vehicles, as well as domestic violence, the prosecution service said on Wednesday.

Interior Ministry bodies should notify the relevant prosecution offices of any pending application materials related to violence. If there is relevant evidence of a crime, pre-trial proceedings will be initiated immediately, the statement added.

The relevant structures of the Interior Ministry should immediately inform the competent prosecution office of any new reports of violence, and if necessary, prosecutors will give specific instructions for the prompt conduct of additional operational investigative actions.

Supervising prosecutors in pre-trial proceedings related to violence in public places, driving, and domestic violence cases should consider the increased societal danger of the acts when determining pre-trial detention measures for perpetrators.

Within seven days, the magistrates who monitor such files and cases must prepare reports on the progress of the inspections and investigations to be submitted to their administrative heads. They, in turn, have two weeks to prepare summary reports to be submitted to the heads of the appellate prosecution offices. Within three weeks, the five appellate regions are to send the summary information on the handling of these files and cases, as well as the measures taken, to the acting Prosecutor General, the release said.