Locales are youth gangs whose members are between the ages of 12 and 18, and among them there may be adults. For the prosecutor's office, it is not important whether they are skinheads, locales, football hooligans, extreme ultras and others, but whether these are children who commit crimes. Not all young people who call themselves “locals” should be considered criminals. The opposite is also true. This was said by the prosecutor from the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office Liliya Karieva in the studio of “Offensive with Lyubo Ognyanov” on NOVA NEWS.
She added that the actions of specific individuals are being monitored, not entire groups, since not every group commits crimes. Karieva said that currently about 56 individuals are being monitored for aggressive actions and crimes.
“Some members of one group become members of another. These structures are dynamic, their members change. Therefore, it is possible for one person to be a member of several youth gangs”, the prosecutor also pointed out.
She explained that five pre-trial proceedings are underway, three of which are for robbery, one for hooliganism and one for inflicting moderate bodily harm.
Karieva commented that most parents do not accept such actions by their children as normal and accept them as a personal failure. However, she added that there are also parents who neglect their children and do not even attend court hearings, and others who are unable to cope with their upbringing.
The prosecutor said that these groups gather in public places - malls, areas around the National Palace of Culture, parks, gardens.
In her words, prevention is extremely important.
Domestic violence
Karieva said that children who grow up in an environment of domestic violence are much more likely to carry this pattern over into adulthood. However, for psychologists, this is not mandatory, since there needs to be at least one adult to get the child out of this vicious circle, she added.
The prosecutor explained that the data for the period 2019 – 2024 indicate that there is an increase in cases of domestic violence.