Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

US State Department defines Bulgaria as country with high corruption and endangered human rights

Photo: Wikipedia

In its annual report on human rights for 2021, the US Department of State reports that Bulgaria has significant human rights problems. The report also highlights serious problems with judicial independence, corruption, intolerance and restrictions on free expression, including threats of violence against journalists and corporate and political pressure on the media. 

The part of the report concerning Bulgaria was published by the US Embassy in Sofia. The document expresses concern about the "lack of judicial control against a prosecutor's decision not to initiate an investigation" and the influence of the prosecution on the Supreme Judicial Council and magistrates. 

The US State Department does not omit the data on illegal wiretapping and surveillance in Bulgaria, referring to the conclusion of the special commission in the National Assembly for over 900 people, including politicians, magistrates and journalists, monitored during the anti-government protests in 2020 . The investigation into police violence against protesters pulled by police under the columns of the Council of Ministers was also mentioned.

The document also cites a statement from May last year of former BNR director general Andon Baltakov that the law favours political interference in media management through controlled funding, as an example of how independent media have been pressured at all levels.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Saturday brings more heat

Saturday will be hot and sunny. Cumulus clouds will develop over the mountainous areas in the afternoon, but there will be no rain. There will be light to moderate east-northeast winds in eastern Bulgaria. Maximum temperatures will be between 32°C and..

published on 8/23/24 7:05 PM

Water losses amount to 57%, says NSI

In 2022, 2.78% of the population in Bulgaria was experiencing water shortages (drought), mainly on a seasonal basis. The most affected districts are Lovech (24.9%), Targovishte (19.0%), Blagoevgrad (14.8%) and Pernik (12.9%), according to the National..

published on 8/23/24 6:10 PM

Crypto-assets law will regulate trade in Bulgaria

The Ministry of Finance has drafted a law on crypto-assets markets to regulate trading in this type of instruments, BNR’s Radio Sofia reports. The initiative comes in response to the European Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) which comes..

published on 8/23/24 4:32 PM