Interior Minister Vows Zero Tolerance for Violence: Calls for Accountability and Unity

The Ministry of the Interior has initiated disciplinary actions against law enforcement officers following the recent protest against the Bulgarian Football Union leadership. Three officers, including a department commander and two senior police officers, have been removed from their positions, announced the Ministry.

Minister Kalin Stoyanov emphasized his firm stance against any form of violence, stating, "I do not tolerate or accept any form of violence, whether against civilians or law enforcement officers." He assured that those responsible for violence would face investigation and accountability.

Stoyanov stressed the need for a comprehensive analysis of all violence instances and specified that instances of excessive authority cannot be equated with the overall work of the Ministry.

Accelerated internal checks and preventive measures have been ordered by Stoyanov to prevent future incidents similar to the recent protest. He expressed full support for Prime Minister Denkov's call for an in-depth analysis of the violence during the protest, lauding the collective efforts of Ministry employees during the event.

The Minister condemned any interference in the Ministry's work, referencing Kiril Petkov, and highlighted the principle of innocence until proven guilty, cautioning against judgments made in media spaces.

Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against three police officers for alleged abuse of authority, with two others under investigation to determine their level of involvement, according to the director of the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs, Lyubomir Nikolov.

Chief Secretary Zhivkov Kotsev urged unity, advocating against polarization between society and law enforcement, emphasizing the need to unite against hooliganism and illegal actions, while calling for an end to politicization.

Ahead of an upcoming football match, Kotsev urged citizens to exercise restraint, common sense, and emotional restraint.

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