site.btaTrade Union of Interior Ministry Employees: Attacks on Law Enforcement Officers Threaten All Bulgarians' Security

Attacks on law enforcement officers pose a threat to the security of all Bulgarian citizens, the Trade Union Federation of Ministry of Interior Employees said in a statement on their website regarding the September 4 attack on Senior Commissioner Nikolay Kozhuharov, the chief of police in Ruse (on the Danube). "Any attack on a police officer, regardless of their position in the Ministry of Interior hierarchy, is interpreted by us as an attack on the State," the statement reads.

The statement comes after security camera footage of the altercation released on social media disproved some aspects of the authorities' version of the events in favour of the detainees' version. The first announcement by the authorities was that Kozhuharov was in hospital in critical condition after being brutally attacked in a confrontation with a group of men drifting their cars. It was later announced that he was assaulted even after identifying himself as the police chief. Also, they said that the youths initiated the clash. The four youths, who were later arrested and charged, insisted that there was no car-drifting, that they didn't start the fight and that the Ruse police chief did not tell them who he was. The Yes, Bulgaria party, part of the opposition coalition of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), demanded on Tuesday that Interior Minister Daniel Mitov dismiss everyone who participated in "spreading disinformation" about the incident, because the video footage shows this is not a case of contempt for the State, as Mitov described it, nor is it an attack on Bulgaria's institutions. Later in the day, Deputy Interior Minister Filip Popov commented that various versions of the incident were being spread by sources outside the Interior Ministry, who perceive the events "in a subjective manner". According to him, the Ministry's version is clear. "The disinformation does not come from the Ministry of Interior," he added.

In their statement on Wednesday, the Trade Union Federation of Ministry of Interior Employees condemn the September 4 incident. "We are convinced that the State's response must be firm, consistent and unequivocal," the union said. They also condemn any attempts at vigilantism and taking the law into one's own hands. According to them, such actions not only undermine the authority of the investigating bodies and institutions, but also pose a direct threat to the rule of law and democratic order.

"Today's international environment is marked by political, economic and financial instability. We are witnessing increased migration flows, hybrid threats and organised crime, which often exploit the weaknesses of the State to exacerbate crises. As an external border of the European Union, Bulgaria faces particularly serious challenges in maintaining public order and national security. Any attack on a police officer and any form of aggression against Ministry of Interior employees not only has a national dimension, but also directly affects the stability and security of our country as a member of the EU," the union further state. According to them, undermining the authority of the Ministry of Interior and aggression against its employees are not simply criminal acts, but a direct threat to the stability of the State and Bulgaria's role as a reliable partner in the European security system.

"Security is a shared responsibility between the State, society and individual citizens. Neither the institutions nor the police can guarantee order and peace on their own if they do not rely on the solidarity and support of society. Only through trust, respect and mutual responsibility can we counter the threats that undermine the democratic order."

The trade union calls on the political and professional leadership of the Ministry to respond in a unified, categorical and unconditional manner to any case in which the authority of those working in the Interior Ministry is undermined, regardless of their position. This is the only way to protect institutional authority and send a clear signal that the State will not tolerate aggression against its employees.

The trade union also insist on ending the political use of the Interior Ministry. "Only by focusing on professionalism, the law, national security and the public interest can the trust of citizens and the effective implementation of the mission of the Ministry be guaranteed," the position reads.