site.btaInterior Ministry Reports on Investigations and Disciplinary Actions against Ministry Employees in 2024

In 2024, the Inspectorate Directorate carried out 36 inspections of structures, activities, and reports of malfeasance involving employees of the Interior Ministry, Minister Daniel Mitov said during Parliament's Question Time on Friday. Mitov responded to a question from MP Yavor Haytov of Alliance for Rights and Freedoms regarding the activities carried out in the past year by the Interior Ministry’s Inspectorate and Internal Security Directorates.

Mitov stated that of these 36 inspections, six were scheduled, three - comprehensive, two on specific topics, and one concerned the failure to submit a declaration under the Counter-Corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Act. Additionally, 30 ad hoc inspections were carried out, 61 conflicts of interest and incompatibility of office declarations submitted by senior Interior Ministry officials were checked. A total of 115 responses were drawn up on the reports of unlawful actions by the Ministry’s employees, Mitov said.

The Minister added that reports on the results of these inspections were prepared. They contain findings, conclusions, and propose measures for improvements.

In 2024, the Inspectorate Directorate conducted 27 inspections based on information about alleged misconduct by Interior Ministry employees. Twenty-two were carried out under the Administrative Procedure Code, and five under the Judiciary System Act.

Daniel Mitov called attention to an inspection into the legality of actions by Interior Ministry officers during the protest on November 16, 2023, in Sofia against the leadership of the Bulgarian Football Union. The inspection found evidence of disciplinary violations committed by 17 officers.

The Minister also cited an investigation of the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry in Stara Zagora concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of a detainee and the legality of the police officers' actions. Evidence of disciplinary violations was found involving 13 officers, the Minister said.

Regarding the Internal Security Directorate, Mitov said that in 2024, a total of 1,536 reports of alleged violations by Interior Ministry employees were received. Work has been completed on 1,304 of these, with 100 deemed valid and 162 unfounded. A total of 593 inspections assigned by the prosecution have also been completed. Fifty-six reports were forwarded to another competent authority for further investigation.

Additionally, 119 rulings assigned by investigative officials and prosecutors in connection with pre-trial proceedings were processed, according to Mitov. He said that 109 pre-trial proceedings were initiated by prosecutor’s offices across the country. A total of 306 reports of potential corruption-related acts were reviewed. Of 153 completed inspections, 38 reports were found to be valid, and 75 unfounded.

At the initiative of the Directorate, 29 pre-trial proceedings related to corruption offenses were initiated by prosecutor’s offices across the country, Mitov added. He said that pre-trial proceedings were initiated against 145 Interior Ministry employees; 21 were dismissed; other disciplinary sanctions were imposed on 171 employees.