Bulgarian Top Cop 'Sorry' about Latest Brutality Case

Bulgaria's Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, says cases of police brutality in Bulgaria are not that frequent, but find wide coverage in the media. File photo

Bulgaria's Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, has issued an official apology to a family in the Black Sea city of Varna over police bursting in their home by mistake.

Tsvetanov pointed out these cases are very few, but find wide coverage in the media, saying the Interior Ministry try their best to avoid such incidents.

The Minister informed the case is being investigated, while, for the time being, the policemen involved in the operation have been sanctioned by a "written warning."

Early Monday morning, policemen dressed in hoods and carrying machine guns smashed the door and forced their way in the home of a Varna family. Before even asking the father for identification, they handcuffed him with his two terrified small children witnessing the incident. After realizing they had the wrong man, the police released him and left.

The mistake happened during a special operation aimed at a gang dealing with racket and loansharking, codenamed "The Players." The police offer as excuse the fact the family had not legally divided ownership on their real estate properties, leading the special task team to the apartment of the sister of the man they have been looking for.

The Interior Ministry has provided specialized psychologist's help to the family.

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