Crime in Bulgaria: Overall Decrease, But Domestic Violence Spikes

In an interview with the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, Chief Secretary Zhivko Kotsev of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported a 3.7% decrease in overall crime compared to last year. Notably, crimes against persons, car thefts, and property theft have seen a decline, while crimes solved have increased by 3%. However, a concerning rise of 81.4% in domestic violence cases has raised alarms, with 1,359 cases reported compared to 749 in 2022.

On human trafficking, Kotsev revealed that 153 victims were identified in 2022, including eight children. Despite ongoing efforts, cases have seen a fluctuation over the past two years. The Chief Secretary outlined 11 special operations against human trafficking this year, resulting in the neutralization of nine organized crime groups, with 49 individuals detained and 32 facing criminal charges.