site.btaBulgarian Football Union Welcomes Discussions on Combating Football Hooliganism Bill

The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) welcomed the discussions of a countering football hooliganism bill in the National Assembly, the BFU said on its website on Thursday. The organization expressed support for the adoption of the law and stressed that it will be an active partner of the State institutions with the aim of ensuring that the game is safe, attractive and accessible to all.

"This is a long-awaited and extremely necessary step towards ensuring the safety of everyone who loves football and sport as a whole. […] We believe that this law is key to achieving a higher level of organisation, prevention and control over incidents surrounding football and sporting events. For years, we have been calling for clearer, more effective and enforceable rules and sanctions that would provide real tools to institutions and to organisers of sporting events," the BFU added.

"In this context, we welcome the inclusion of the Bulgarian Football Union in the process of finalising the text between the first and second readings. This will allow us to contribute our expertise and ensure that the measures in the law are workable and aligned with European practice," the statement reads.

"We are convinced that, through joint efforts, it is possible to achieve a sustainably functioning environment that will bring families back to the stands and enable Bulgarian football to develop in a safe and positive atmosphere. The Bulgarian Football Union will continue to work actively and constructively with all institutions to ensure that the new legal framework provides the level of safety at sporting events that we all desire," the statement concluded.