site.btaInterior Ministry Staff Issue Statement on Recent Death in Varna

The Trade Union Federation of the Employees in the Ministry of the Interior (TUFEMI) expresses its deepest condolences to the relatives and family of Yavor Georgiev. The tragedy in Varna shocked society, but also triggered a wave of unacceptable generalizations, insinuations and pressure directed at the employees of the Ministry of Interior as a whole, TUFEMI said in a press release Friday.

The federation opposes attempts to demonize police officers and tarnish the police profession through isolated cases that are still under investigation and for which no court rulings have been issued. “Responsibility for what has happened is not collective… We would like to remind you that the presumption of innocence… applies to all citizens, including police officers,” the release says.

“We strongly condemn the insinuations made by Members of Parliament who have already called the tragedy involving Yavor Georgiev ‘the murder in Varna’. This is a serious manipulation that pre-empts the investigation and creates public hostility towards people against whom no court decisions have been handed down. The responsibility for the words of MPs is enormous. Passing judgement in live broadcasts serves only one purpose: party populism and political gain. This does not improve the quality of the work of institutions, which is one of the main tasks of Bulgarian lawmakers,” the federation’s statement reads.

It expresses concern that street justice is imposed in the public sphere: through social networks, media studios and political speeches. This pressure distorts the facts, destroys trust in institutions and puts Interior Ministry employees under psychological and moral attack. Public lynching is not justice – it is an attack on the rule of law, TUFEMI said.