Throughout the entire school year in Sofia, a constant presence of uniformed officers is planned around the 226 schools and kindergartens in the capital, with an emphasis on peak hours during morning arrival, afternoon departures, and shift changes. This was announced by Krasimira Stoyadinova from the Security Police Department at the Sofia Directorate of the Interior (SDVR), adding that all security inspections and measures at the facilities have already been completed.
To ensure the safety of students, the General Directorate of National Police (GDNP) has organized inspections of security and access control systems in educational institutions. Inspector Irina Rodeva from the Security Police at the GDNP emphasized that following consultations with mayors, regional governors, and heads of private security firms, a series of sustained operations to curb aggression and drug distribution among students have been planned, which will not be one-off events.
The specialized Ministry of Interior campaign titled "Children are going back to school, let's keep them safe on the road" will take place between September 17 and 21. Commissioner Sergey Aleksov, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police at the GDNP, explained that during this period, control around kindergartens, schools, and playgrounds will be stepped up. As part of the Roadpol initiative, September 17 has been designated as a day without road fatalities. Aleksov also noted that since the beginning of the year, over 8,000 notices have been issued to road infrastructure owners, and for the start of the school year, over 400 additional warning letters have been prepared regarding the need for refreshing road markings, repairing insecure fences and railings, and replacing missing or obstructed road signs.
For the first day of school, the full staff of uniformed officers has been mobilized, stated SDVR police inspector Ivo Bikov. He specified that the police will strictly monitor for proper pedestrian crossings, driver behavior regarding failure to yield, and illegal parking near crosswalks. According to Inspector Bikov, parents should set a personal example for their children by following the laws, as the foundation built in early childhood will greatly facilitate the work of law enforcement. He urged drivers to drive with increased caution and readiness to stop when passing by schools, and urged children to look both ways more than once, not to run out suddenly, and not to use mobile phones or headphones.