Thousands of people protested against the National Strategy for the Child 2019-2030 in Sofia

Thousands of people from the capital and in another dozens of cities in the country came out toprotest on Saturday, May 11, within a national protest against the National Strategy for the Child 2019-2030.

The protest in Sofia began at 17:30 on Sunday in front of the Council of Ministers then continued with a procession along Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. and ended at the National Assembly.

The protesting people insisted on absolute rejection of the Strategy for the Child and of all deriving from it plans, programs, orders and amendments to the legislation. With banners and chants they declared against the principles of the Scandinavian Juvenile Justice and their legalization in Bulgaria and insisted on investigations of the even more frequent cases of children being illegally taken out of their families and sending them into institutions or foster families.

In connection with this the parents expressed their concern that the rights over their own children have been taken and given to social officials and institutions.

“Has there remained anything sacred, anything worthy in this country, to fight for, except for our children?!  They have left us only this and now are trying to take this from us as well.” – commented protesting people during the procession.

Besides in the capital, parents in nearly 20 cities in the country protested against the National Strategy for the Child. Despite of the fact that the work on the Strategy was suspended with an order of the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov about two weeks ago, the protesting people warry that its texts will continue to be silently adopted.

The protesting people expressed readiness to come out again for another, larger protest, if their demands are not taken into consideration.

The full text of the “National Strategy for the Child 2019-2030” can be read HERE.

You can sign the Petition against the “National Strategy for the Child 2019-2030” HERE. 

Author: L. Chausheva