Recently in Sofia, the Ministry of the Interior and Konrad Adenauer Foundation held a debate on the subject of ”Protecting the interests of the Police Force”. The forum was designed to gauge the dynamics of public trust in and approval of Police Force performance in the years of democratic transition in Bulgaria.

According to sequence of relevant studies, in 1992 Police Force approval ratings stood at 44%, which in 2000 in dropped down to 37%. However, approval established an ascending trend over 2001-2004, to literally slump over 2005-2008 to its lowest in recent years. According to most recent polls, 9 out of 10 Bulgarians consider that the law is not abided by in Bulgaria. And this comes to account for why so many Bulgarians refrain from seeking the services of the Police Force. The same goes for giving testimony in court- most people fear eventual reprisals. According to sociologist Antonyi Galabov poll figures are indeed alarming. When the greater number of adult citizens consider that the law is not abided by, that all are not equal before the law, that the law is applied depending on the individual concerned, their social status, contacts and patrons, this comes to indicate that we do have trouble in the very foundations of the modern state, the guarantees of democracy and the observation of human rights.

“In the last 17 years there’s been a major amplitude of fluctuation in public credit or lack of it. To me, most of the trouble with the public image of the police force depends on the consolidation of the democratic institutions of society. Any police officer is aware that politicians could abandon him at the moment he needs them most. Until this state of affairs continues, the police will have no confidence nor the authority to vindicate the law”, commented Antonyi Galabov.

Antonyi Galbov pointed out it was difficult to draw any relevant parallels with EC countries since the history of police development in Western Europe was different.

“The National Police Force is an institution which emerged later in Western Europe. First came municipal and metropolitan police forces, while we seem to have been going the other way round. We’re only now beginning to eventually build municipal police forces.”

Is the Bulgarian public today more inclined to uphold higher protection for Bulgarian policemen, notably those patrolling the streets?

“This is a difficult question to answer because the better part of Bulgarians feel unequal, threatened and insecure. There isn’t even minimal basic solidarity where one would say that they do risk their lives. I suppose there is no definite and unequivocal support for police calls for better protection. However, we can easily wade through this difficulty by way of debate, openness and integrity on both sides”, said in conclusion sociologist Antonyi Galabov.

English version: Margarita Dikanarova