site.btaSofia One of Safest EU Capitals, Law Enforcement Chief Says

Sofia is one of the safest EU capitals, the chief of the city's Interior Ministry Directorate, Lyubomir Nikolov, told the media on Wednesday. Although the population of Sofia is growing steadily, crime rates have fallen significantly, he said.

In 2024, people killed in traffic accidents in the city were nine fewer than in 2023, and there were no children among the fatalities, Nikolov said. He reported a steep decline in car thefts and home burglaries, and higher clearance rates. The police uncovered quite a few major groups of car thieves last year. "Many people from the criminal world spent time at detention centres, many of them staying there for quite long," he noted.

Crime clearance has improved with drug distribution cases as well, according to Nikolov. Between 10 and 15 suspected drug pushers are arrested daily. The field work of anti-drug enforcers is concentrated around schools. Ten drug labs were busted in 2024, and large amounts of narcotics were seized.

The Sofia police prioritize curbing traffic accidents and fighting drugs, Nikolov said.