The topic of pedophilia has come into focus for the outgoing Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev, who noted that over the last two years there have been over 700 reports related to pedophilia. This is precisely why legal changes are planned.
Until now, persons who were sexually abused while they were minors could file reports until their 26th birthday. This is exactly what is being raised to 38 years.
Georgi Georgiev, outgoing Minister of Justice: "There have been nearly 700 reports received in two and a half years for various assaults, sexual assaults against children. About 434 of them, more precisely, 434 are registered sexual crimes against children. 64% of the victims are under 14 years old, which is about 290 Bulgarian children. In 80% of the cases, it is a question of the crime of fornication."
And two more reforms, which were announced by the Minister of Transport in resignation, Grozdan Karadjov, concerning the Recovery and Sustainability Plan. One is related to the so-called electronic ticket, which can be used for different types of transport, and the schedules of the different types of transport to be synchronized. The synchronization will be carried out in accordance with the train schedules, the Minister of Transport commented. This law should come into force in its full scope within 3 years.
Karadzhov also commented on another topic - the transportation of passengers by trains by private carriers. It became clear that today he was authorized by the Council of Ministers to sign a contract with the first selected private company to serve two of the three regions. This concerns Northeastern and Southeastern Bulgaria, which is about 25% of the territory that this private carrier will serve. The remaining 75% remains with BDZ, and the key routes or so-called profitable routes Sofia - Varna, Sofia - Burgas and Sofia - Ruse remain with the state railways.
Grozdan Karadjov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, resigning: "If these two reforms are not completed, then there will be no money for the Public Transport Plan at all, or it will be sharply limited. Both decisions are infinitely late due to the inaction of the previous administrations, which for three and a half years had not advanced either of these two reforms."