Sofia's Orlandovtsi Will Now be Video Monitored Following Ethnic Tensions

The first stage of the installment of the video-monitoring system in Sofia's neighborhood of Orlandovtsi started Wednesday.

The announcement was made by Sofia's Mayor Yordanka Fandakova in an interview for Focus radio station.

Locations of the cameras have been selected alongside with local police and aligned with the opinions of citizens on where the risk locations are. All broken street lamps are now being rapaired.

A number of public discussions arose on the matter of Roma integration, its effectiveness and the means to prevent any further ethnic conflicts. The discussions were triggered following the protests in the village of Garmen and Sofia's neighborhood of Orlandovtsi aimed against illegal Roma buildings and smuggling practices.

According to the opinions of experts, education is the most powerful tool to allow Roma people to become full-right members of the Bulgarian society. Additionally, in order for them to start paying their taxes, they need to start living along with other people in urbanized areas.

Meanwhile, a petition is now distributed across the residents of Orlandovtsi, calling for people and order.

A new protest is scheduled on Wednesday evening. The four people arrested on account of their participation in the unrest remain din prison as per the order of the Sofia Regional Court. Another person is still wanted as a suspect of having participated in the turmoil.

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