Security in key public spaces – schools, shopping centers, and establishments – was the main topic of a national meeting held in the Black Sea city of Burgas. The event, organized by the Association of Commercial Security and Protection Companies, brought together representatives of state and local institutions, as well as leading experts from the security industry. In the shadow of a recent incident in a shopping center, which this time led to a tragic death, experts tried to find ways to improve security.
The air in the hall where the meeting was held was heavy with the need for urgent measures. The debates focused on specific solutions, among which proposals for establishing clear standards for the number and training of security guards, integrating more technical surveillance equipment, and strengthening cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs stood out.
In this context, new legislative changes are being prepared that would enable the Minister of Internal Affairs to set minimum requirements for security in shopping centers and public catering establishments.
Manoil Manev, chairman of the Committee on Internal Security and Public Order in the National Assembly, stressed the need to separate security activities in shopping centers and establishments as a separate category. "When you introduce these minimum requirements, you say: on the territory of the mall with a certain area there will be so many teams of so many people, and this solves the problem to some extent. Owners have to invest money in salaries and equipment in these malls."
Manev again stressed the importance of this measure: "Let's separate the security in malls and public catering establishments into a separate activity. When you introduce these minimum requirements, you say: on the territory of the mall with a certain area there will be so many teams of so many people, and this solves the problem to some extent. Owners have to invest money in salaries and equipment in these malls."
Despite the urgent measures, the industry is facing a critical shortage of qualified personnel. A problem that threatens to compromise efforts to improve security.
Petko Ivanov, deputy chairman of NAFTSO and manager of a security company, highlighted the challenges facing the profession. "The security guard profession is not prestigious and is underpaid. It is very difficult for us to provide employees who are young and motivated, and about 60% of them are of retirement and pre-retirement age. There is a minimum program of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for training security guards. It is 78 hours, which is completely insufficient."
Ivanov reiterated his concerns, raising the question of the future of the sector. "The security guard profession is not prestigious and is underpaid. It is very difficult for us to provide employees who are young and motivated, and about 60% of them are of retirement and pre-retirement age. There is a minimum program of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for training security guards. It is 78 hours, which is completely insufficient."
Improvement in security is also being sought in school institutions. The reforms here are proving no less urgent.
Commissioner Marin Dimitrov, head of the "Security Police" department, commented on the existing practice in some educational institutions. "In some educational institutions there are porters who carry out the access control. It is necessary to upgrade and increase the number of security guards who will respond to incidents."
Dimitrov reiterated the need for changes. "In some educational institutions there are porters who carry out the access control. It is necessary to upgrade and increase the number of security guards who will respond to incidents."
The Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized that, according to the current legislation, searches of children cannot be carried out. Therefore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasizes the key role of parental control.