Assault on Medical Practitioners, Teachers in Bulgaria Punishable by 3-10 Years in Jail

Under the new provisions, an assault on medical workers/ teachers resulting in light bodily harm will be punishable by up to three years of imprisonment, while causing grievous bodily harm will bring a penalty of up to ten years of imprisonment. Photo by

Penal Code amendments stipulating a penalty of imprisonment for assaults against medical practitioners and teachers passed second reading in Bulgaria's Parliament on Friday.

The legal changes were approved by a unanimous vote.

The move made the offense of assault on medical practitioners and teachers equal to the offense of causing bodily harm to police officers, judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other public officials.

Under the new provisions, an assault resulting in light bodily harm will be punishable by up to three years of imprisonment, while causing grievous bodily harm will bring a penalty of up to ten years of imprisonment.

The amendments specify that the term "medical practitioners"includes physicians, dentists, midwives, masters in pharmacy, and nurses.

Bulgaria's Parliament, however, dismissed the proposal of Svetlana Angelova and Totyu Mladenov, MPs of center-right party GERB, to include social workers on the list of jobs enjoying enhanced legal protection.

In May, all four parliamentary groups submitted Penal Code amendment bills, with nationalist party Ataka suggesting that teachers should also be included on the list.

The step was caused by protests of medical workers in a number of Bulgarian cities and threats to suspend work unless they were granted enhanced legal protection by June 15.

The rallies were triggered by an assault against an emergency squad who had been called to help an alcohol-intoxicated 15-year-old girl in Sofia.

The attackers were initially released by court over a mistake of the investigating authorities but subsequently one of them was again placed under arrest.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!