site.btaReform to Combat Pedophilia Prepared in Penal Code, Outgoing Justice Minister Says

The Ministry of Justice prepared a reform of the Penal Code to combat pedophilia and various forms of sexual abuse against children and adolescents, outgoing Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev said at a briefing at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

He said that a draft bill has been prepared, published for public discussion and consultation, and is expected to be approved by the Council of Ministers.

Nearly 700 reports of abuse against children have been received over the past two and a half years. Of these, 434 concern registered sexual crimes against children, and 64% of the victims are under the age of 14, around 290 Bulgarian children. In 80% of cases, the crime involved lewd acts, the Minister said.

According to Georgiev, the Ministry has conducted a thorough analysis of European legislation and European Commission recommendations, resulting in a reform proposed for public consultation in three key areas. First, the statute of limitations, which currently runs from the moment the crime is committed, will be shifted to start from the victim reaching adulthood. This change significantly extends, by decades, the possibility of investigating such cases given their complexity, fear, stigma, and other factors that often prevent timely reporting.

Second, the Ministry proposed harsher penalties when victims are children under 10. The principle behind the changes, Georgiev said, is that the younger the child, the greater the social danger posed by the crime, and therefore the stricter the punishment. The draft envisages up to 15 years in prison for crimes committed against children under the age of 10.

Third, new aggravated offense categories will be introduced. Georgiev expressed hope that the reforms will be approved by the Council of Ministers within the next two weeks.