The data for the activity of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Interior for 2020 confirms the tendency for reducing crime. This states the spokesperson of the Prosecutor General Siyka Mileva during a joint consultation meeting of the managements of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria and Ministry of Interior. “In the recent years we were challenged to operate in conditions of pandemic and despite of this thanks to the effective cooperation between states institutions we achieved a serious decrease of the crime aiming to ensure the well-being and security of each Bulgarian citizen”, said Ms. Mileva.
With regard to the fight against domestic crime in 2020 were conducted 1249 specialized operations on the territory of 3090 towns in the country. As a result of this are registered 2306 offences and were indicted 1186 persons.
The Phone frauds in 2020 are pointing a decrease of 77%. The mobile operators are reporting 29 049 fraudulent calls in comparison to 222 605 in 2019.There are cities, where none phone frauds were conducted or were registered only one in comparison to more than ten in the previous year.
“We were asked multiple times – what is point of those specialized police operations on the territory of small towns, furthermore why often there are also the Prosecutor General, Minister of the Interior and the Secretary General taking part. The results are clearly showing what the point is! The aim is mainly prevention and through systemic and uncompromising actions to ensure the security of the Bulgaria citizens and furthermore to prove that all persons are equal before the law”, commented the spokesperson of the Prosecutor General Siyka Mileva.
A key priority in the work of Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Interior is continuously the fight against human trafficking, as well as the production and spread of drugs, stated Mileva further.
With regard to an order of the Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev for the period from September, 15 to December, 31 2020 were conducted 981 operation for countering the spread of drug on the territory of educational buildings. 508 minors were registered in relation to drug offences. 221 persons were arrested and 297 criminal proceedings – opened. The data about the activity of the law enforcement institutions are showing that as a result of multiple operations against the spread of drug were seized 863 kg. cocaine, 49 027 kg. cannabis, 890 kg. marijuana and 360 kg. synthetic substances.
A main focus in the statement of the spokesperson of the Prosecutor General and the Secretary General of the MoI are also actions of the state institutions in relation to the protection of the public interest, fight against economic crimes, corruptions, etc.
As a result of the checks, ordered by the Supreme Administrative Prosecutor’s Office in the recent year were reported 1426 illegal landfills, 370 of which are already cleaned. 440 contaminations were found out, 122 of which already cleaned. During the checks are seized 307 985t expired pesticides.
The spokesperson of the Prosecutor General pointed out also on the impact of the National Investigation service /NIS/, which led in 2020 investigations for illegal management and storage of hazardous waste. 15 criminal proceedings were opened for its illegal management.
In result of the activity of NIS are opened also 279 criminal proceedings for financial and tax offences following of which was avoided a damage amounting more than 320 Million dollars.
Upon request of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria, only in the recent year the Commission for combating corruption and confiscation of illegal acquired property secured assets amounting 189 484 331,87 BLV, furthermore in the period from January, 01 2014 to December, 31 2020 the total amount of the secured property is around 2,5 Milliard dollars.
The Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria had shown also a strength commitment to protecting the freedom of speech in Bulgaria. Arrested and brought to justice were the perpetrators of the brutal beating of the journalist Slavi Angelov in center of Sofia. It was also achieved a criminal conviction of the indicted for hooliganism person tried to interfere the work of another journalist – Polina Paunova.
Attached you find a short presentation focused on the main activities of Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Interior and other state bodies with regard to the countering crime in 2020. The used data are preliminary; the final statistic data will be summarized and presented within the Annual report of the activity of the mentioned institutions.