/ world today news/ Again tension in the metropolitan district “Orlandovtsi“. 20 people were detained after trying to break through the police cordon and invade the Roma neighborhoods.
The reason for the conflict is a quarrel that broke out between Bulgarians and Roma. The first made a remark not to listen to loud music, and the second attacked them. This incident sparked protests among the local Bulgarian population, which was joined by other citizens. Bulgarians are unhappy that in recent years there have been many illegally settled Roma from different parts of the country in the Roma neighborhoods. The locals insist on equality and that the law applies to all “Bulgarians, Roma and Turks”.
Today’s protest began at 6:30 p.m. in the square in front of the community center “Raina Knyaginya”. It is organized in social networks. Along with local residents, many citizens joined the protest, as well as young people, who can be assumed to be sports enthusiasts. There is an increased police presence in the area, gendarmerie and even water cannons.
The Bulgarians…
Mrs. Bachvarova is out of place, she doesn’t know what it’s about and she’s whining on TV. If he really wants to do something, then those who are illegal in the neighborhood and without address registration should move out of here. This is what Kristina Petkova, who was one of the protesters in the quarter, told BGNES. “Orlandovtsi” against the Roma raids in the area. She emphasized that they do not have a problem with the local Roma because they work and make a living. Those who started coming here 10-15 years ago create problems.
Among the protesters was Nikolina Georgieva, who said that she wanted peace and tranquility for her children. She clarified that she went to the street in support of the youth in the neighborhood and said that there was no house that the Roma did not enter to pick up something. Georgieva explained that after the complaints submitted to tel. 112 the only thing the law enforcement officers did was to demolish 6 illegal buildings. However, many more have emerged in their place since then.
The police
Around 7:00 p.m., the director of the SDVR, senior commissioner Mladen Marinov, came to the area. He explained that measures have been taken and throughout Sofia there is a police presence in places with compact groups of Roma population. When asked by BGNES why this situation has come to this, the director of SDVR replied that there is most likely a built-up tension, because of which even the smallest problem escalates. According to Marinov, the police prevented a very serious fight yesterday evening.
He assured that security would be 100 percent guaranteed and that law enforcement officials would have no room for retreat. Senior Commissioner Marinov said that according to the data of the SDVR, domestic crime in the capital has been decreasing in recent months. Despite the repeated claims of the citizens that after they filed a complaint on tel. 112 no one responded, Marinov stated that checks were carried out on all complaints.
…and the Roma
A few days after the start of the riots in “Orlandovtsi”, the Roma from the ghetto live in fear. They welcomed the BGNES team peacefully and calmly. They say that they do not want hatred and conflicts, but at the same time, they do not hide that if someone attacks them, they will not stand idly by.
George is 40 years old. He earns his living by collecting waste from the containers, which he then sells for secondary raw materials. He shared that for several days the people of the ghetto did not dare to even go to the store for food. “Along with this story, the innocent also suffer. We go to work with fear and return with fear. And then they say that the Roma steal! And how can they not steal?”, he indignantly. Georgi explains that the police catch the thieves and then let them go. No logical explanation. According to him, however, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is also not to blame, and the Roma from the ghetto are grateful that the police still protect them.
As he tells us all this, the group of a dozen people behind him starts shouting that they will not vote in the next election because people don’t have jobs. The main thing women do here is to sweep the streets for two weeks to get social benefits afterwards. The lack of money is visible, but nevertheless they claim that they live with hope… “unlike the Bulgarians, in whose families everyone goes to work”.
59-year-old Dafinka explains the conflict as something that grew out of a trifle. “They were drinking / the Roma – note ed. / and wanted to have fun, and the Bulgarians jumped into battle”. “They call us: “dirty gypsies”, but we are also from Bulgaria”, she believes. She says she has to go sweep tomorrow, but she will bravely leave the neighborhood because otherwise her family won’t have anything to eat.
Escalation and arrests again
At first, the protest was peaceful, but as the evening came, some of the people gathered tried to break through the police cordon, which did not allow the protesters to enter the Roma neighborhoods. During the short standoff that ensued, a group of about 20 youths managed to break free and break through, but were quickly stopped by law enforcement officers. The demonstrators were detained for disturbing public order and taken to various metropolitan police stations.
At the moment, the situation is calmer, the protesters are completely blocked by the police and cannot move from the place where they have gathered.
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