Five arrested after disturbances in roma neighbourhood in Galabovo

Five people from the Roma neighbourhood in the town of Galabovo, South Bulgaria, were arrested on 15^th of October. The reason is that the roma people did not observe a police order and attacked the police officers, who were there in response to several alerts about loud noise. The arrested have previous convictions.

According to the police, all detainees had more than 2 promiles of alcohol concentration in then blood. There was a 14-year-old boy among them who attacked a police officer with a hatchet. The tension in the mining town has been quenched after the arrival of the gendarmerie. The District Prosecutor's Office is about to bring charges against the arrested.

Krassimir Karakachanov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense said that the situation has been brought under control. “The truth is that the police have, in the past year and a half in many cases, managed to prevent escalation of such events. There is, however, one big problem that needs to be mentioned. The so-called mediators of this community are mostly local barons. These mediators do absolutely nothing at all. They are paid small amounts of money for the job. They are appointed by the mayors. They get some money from the budget, but they do not do any work, i.e. the leaders of such events are made mediators. There is no effect of it, as if having the wolf to look after the sheep,” he said.