The condition of the director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Ruse, Senior Commissioner Nikolay Kozhuharov, is improving, but he remains in the intensive care unit for observation. He is in contact, conscious, and out of danger to his life. We recall that a few days ago the Court of Appeal in Veliko Tarnovo released from custody all those involved in the case of the beating of the head of the regional directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Ruse, Nikolay Kozhuharov. For the three adults - 18-year-old Julien Kyazumov and Kiril Gochev, and for 19-year-old Viktor Ivanov, house arrest was set, which will be monitored with an electronic bracelet, and for 15-year-old Stanislav A. - supervision by an inspector from the Children's Pedagogical Room. Why was the initial information about the incident a total mess… Assoc. Prof. Milen Ivanov, former vice-rector of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, spoke to FACTI.
- Mr. Ivanov, how do you view the incident with the beaten police chief in Ruse, Senior Commissioner Nikolay Kozhuharov. Somehow a case was created out of the whole thing?
- The incident bears the marks of a domestic conflict, but due to the strong political tension and the society's accumulated distrust of state institutions, the case received significantly more publicity than would normally be expected.
- He was going to the gym, returning from the gym, either in the afternoon, or it turned out to be after midnight. A lot of words, and every day after the incident we learn new facts. How much has the factual situation become clear to you now, after many videos have appeared in the public domain?
- After the ruling of the Veliko Tarnovo Court of Appeal on the preventive measures, it became clear that a significant part of the initial information does not correspond to the facts. The incident occurred shortly after midnight. Initially, Senior Commissioner Kozhuharov did not feel seriously unwell and refused transportation by ambulance, which is why the four young men were not immediately detained. Later, after he returned home, his condition worsened and the medical assistance sought showed that there was a serious bodily injury. This also necessitated a reclassification of the act and the police took the appropriate measures - the young men were detained.
- A feeling of opposition between the Ministry of Interior and society has been created. Where did the communication go wrong?
- The Ministry of Interior traditionally experiences serious difficulties in communicating with citizens and even more so in managing crisis situations. This is evident both from the reactions of various ministers to problems and from the way in which police chiefs present themselves at briefings to the public and the media. Although there is a special structure in the ministry called upon to provide assistance in such cases and to support relations with citizens, to this day the actual practice is left to the discretion of the individual responsible persons. They quite logically make mistakes because they do not have the necessary training. There are several basic rules in this activity. I will mention only two: only professionals should speak on professional topics, and the police chief should always be in uniform when contacting the public.
- Interior Minister Daniel Mitov very categorically determined guilt with his first statements. What do you think…
- In the case in Ruse, we witnessed a classic violation of the presumption of innocence. Although the investigative bodies in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are not directly subordinate to the Minister, they are dependent on him, since it is he who appoints, dismisses and punishes the employees. Such statements from the very beginning create a risk that the case will reach Strasbourg, where Bulgaria would almost certainly be convicted of violating the rights of the accused. In this sense, the Minister was either misled by his advisors or made a mistake by not seeking professional advice.
- Then Minister Mitov talks about speeding, but the sign on the street was put up days after the incident… What is this…
- There is one basic rule in crisis PR – you do not talk about information, but only about facts. This avoids the possibility of being misled. In this case, it is completely obvious, and there is already evidence, that the road sign was installed only the day after the incident. In the absence of such a sign, the general rule for speed limits in a populated area applies – 50 km/h.
- In general, how will Minister Mitov's behavior affect the case in your opinion…
- In view of the evidence already disclosed, Minister Mitov's behavior is unlikely to have a significant impact on the case itself. Unfortunately, his statements are sufficient grounds for filing a case with the European Court of Human Rights.
- The Ministry of Interior is a tough system, but how does it sound to you that a head of a Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior was beaten up by teenagers?
- In this case, the director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior was not attacked as an institution, but a citizen who even tried to introduce himself and identify himself as a police officer. The incident has nothing to do with the professional activities of Senior Commissioner Kozhuharov, but was provoked by his neighbor with excessive self-confidence.
- In Ruse, the detained young people have difficulty finding local lawyers to defend them. Legal defense against the chief of police - how does this happen in a medium-sized Bulgarian city?
- This is a normal situation for a medium-sized city, where everyone knows each other and is connected in one way or another. Some of the lawyers are former police officers or colleagues of the prosecutors, judges and investigators who will work on the case. Others are relatives, neighbors or classmates of the participants in the trial. That is why the need for civil servants in the justice system and the Ministry of Interior to be appointed outside their native places has long been ripe. This would lead to additional costs for the state - for example, for housing - but it would reduce corruption pressure and dependencies.
- The Ministry of Interior - must protect or respect us. The attack on a police officer was a blow to statehood, and where does the presumption of innocence go? After all, we are a state governed by the rule of law...
- The main problem is that society has lost trust in the words of the state, because its actions often show otherwise. In small and medium-sized towns, everything is known - there is no way to hide from your fellow citizens. There are many employees in the Ministry of Interior system who conscientiously fulfill their duties, but the actions of those who do not do so shape the overall public attitude. The ministry does not work purposefully to protect the image of the Bulgarian police officer, and this is the key to restoring trust. The best way for the state to be respected is to fulfill its legal functions. The Ministry of Internal Affairs must clearly prioritize its priorities - along with speed control on the roads, it is no less important to be present on the streets, squares and parks every day, because its main mission is to combat crime and maintain public order.