NMD for Reforms in Child Justice Following Case in Kableshkovo

The National Children's Network (NCN) has for years been categorical in its insistence on large-scale reforms in the child justice system in our country. The goal is clear – to guarantee the rights of children who have suffered from crimes or have witnessed such. This position has been expressed by the organization in a special address to the responsible institutions, on the occasion of the widely publicized case of violence against a four-year-old child in a kindergarten in Kableshkovo.

The NCN's position emphasizes that when the victim is a child, it is necessary to accept that there are specific protection needs. The organization points out that in such cases, an individual assessment should be carried out, based on a careful conversation with the child.

Even more serious criticism from the NCN is directed at the reaction of the administrative head of the Regional Prosecutor's Office – Burgas, Ms. Maria Markova. The organization emphasizes that this reaction is "indicative of the lack of progress regarding children's rights and procedural guarantees for them in our justice system".

The position states that the number of cases of child abuse that remain unreported far exceeds the cases of testimonies given by children that do not correspond to reality.

The organization also directs sharp criticism at the reaction of the educators and employees in the kindergarten. The NCN emphasizes that "The kindergarten is a place that should be a space of care, security and trust, where children grow in an environment of support and respect for their needs, and not of fear".

In its address, the National Children's Network also presents specific proposals for improving work with children. These include better selection of personnel, as well as mandatory regular training and supervision for everyone working with young children. In addition, the NCN proposes the introduction of special training programs for the children themselves, to familiarize them with personal safety and protect them from sexual and other violence, as these programs are age-appropriate. Among the proposals is the creation of a register of persons who have committed crimes against children, and these persons should no longer be able to work with children.

Earlier today, the prosecutor's office made a statement stating that by order of the acting Chief Prosecutor Borislav Sarafov, the investigation into the pre-trial proceedings for alleged violence against a child in a kindergarten in Kableshkovo has been transferred to the Regional Prosecutor's Office-Varna. The state prosecution emphasized that the transfer of the investigation aims to guarantee the objectivity, effectiveness and impartiality of all actions in the pre-trial proceedings, as well as to demonstrate the categorical uncompromisingness of the prosecutor's office towards the perpetrators of crimes.