Bulgarian juvenile crime legislative and school reforms

The Bulgarian government is advancing legislative and organizational reforms to address rising juvenile crime and aggression. These efforts follow violent incidents, such as a fatal assault in Plovdiv involving several minors.

Central to the reform is the replacement of the Law on Combating Anti-Social Behavior of Minors and Juveniles, which officials noted has not seen significant updates since 1958 and is considered outdated for modern social realities. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev stated the goal is to present a modern legal framework within weeks to improve prevention and control, addressing a sense of impunity caused by inconsistent policies.

On the educational front, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Interior are launching a joint nationwide initiative titled ‘Violence is Powerlessness’. Following a pilot in six Sofia schools, the program aims to reach at least 100,000 students in the upcoming school year. To support this, the Ministry of Education will establish 28 working groups comprising coordinators, psychologists, and pedagogical counselors. Minister of Education Georgi Valchev noted that existing programs are currently fragmented and will be consolidated into this single, targeted program to increase efficiency.

Additional measures include increased monitoring by the Ministry of Interior of illegal online content promoting violence, stricter penalties for distributing drugs and alcohol near schools, and the extension of the National Program for the Prevention of Violence and Abuse of Children through 2030. The government continues to review social media restrictions and is shifting its focus toward the prevention of violence committed by minors.