Contributed by Liliya Sazonova, National VAW Monitor for Bulgaria

The regional court in Russe ordered for a first time after the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence had been adopted a spouse to be removed from the family home for a period of one year and to not approach his wife and children for the same period.

The wife, a 42-year unemployed woman, had been submitting requests to the Police and the Prosecutor’s office against her husband who is an alcoholic and beat and harassed her and their children for many years. However, it had always resulted only in calling the perpetrator in the Police office, where he would sign a document, prohibiting him to harass physically and psychologically his family. But this had no effect on him.

On 29 April the injured woman addressed Najda Center in Russe and on 3 May a request was submitted in the regional police department to Senior sergeant Kyossev. At the same time, Mrs Ivanova, in her capacity of a lawyer at Najda Center, submitted a request to the Regional Court in Russe.

On 12 May the magistrates issued an immediate protection order to the petitioner. They have ordered that the perpetrator must be removed from the commonly inhabited home for a period of one year and banned him to approach the home and the places of social contacts of the victims for the same period. Additionally, a temporary assignment for the housing of the children with the injured parent has been issued.

The order was send to the regional police department and on 16 May Senior sergeant Kyossev, together with his colleagues removed the perpetrator from the family home.

For More Information

For more information, please visit the Order for Protection page of this website.

For more information on the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence, please visit the Bulgaria page of this website.