Bulgaria's Interior Ministry Refutes Claims of Bloated Workforce, Insufficient Police

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has dismissed a recent critical report by the Institute for Market Economy (IME) that highlighted inefficiencies within the department, particularly noting an excess of employees but a shortage of police officers "on the ground" in regions like Northwest Bulgaria. The MIA stated that the analysis was based on incomplete data and, as a result, did not reflect the true situation. According to the Ministry, the report formed "false ideas" about the Interior Ministry's structure and diminished its efforts to ensure citizens' safety.

The Ministry further argued that the IME's interpretation of data from its website regarding the structure and staffing of regional directorates was inaccurate, as the analysis failed to account for regional offices that fall under the regional directorates. Currently, 86.6% of the staff in the regional and metropolitan directorates are involved in field activities, with 11,149 officers carrying out police duties within the Ministry's main departments, including National Police, Gendarmerie, Border Police, and others. The Ministry also emphasized that the fire department is part of its structure, which wasn't considered in the IME analysis.

In response to claims about administrative staff, the Ministry noted that the general administration for regional and metropolitan directorates makes up only 10%, with the overall share of administrative employees in the Ministry at just 12.52%. This reportedly places the Interior Ministry among the lowest in administrative staffing compared to other government departments. Additionally, the Ministry pointed out that between 2009 and July 2023, the number of Ministry employees decreased by 14,658, despite new responsibilities being assigned without an increase in staff numbers.

The IME analysis also raised concerns about the Ministry's increased budget, stating that it was not tied to reforms and would not enhance public trust in the police or significantly improve working conditions. Bulgaria continues to allocate the highest proportion of GDP to police services in the EU—2.5%, compared to the EU average of 1.7%. The report highlighted that, within the Ministry's regional directorates, fewer than 3,000 employees are dedicated to security, crime prevention, and investigation, while similar numbers work in property management, social activities, and administrative services.