Bulgaria: Regional governor says situation in Garmen is calming down

The Focus Information Agency (FIA) reports that the Regional Governor of Blagoevgrad, Biser Mihailov, met with Bulgarian Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova this week to discuss recent anti-Romani unrest in the town of Garmen. "CCTV will be installed in the municipality by the municipal administration at the order of the mayor," Mahailov said.

The governor said the goal of the equipment is to prevent both non-Roma and Roma from escalating tensions. He also said the situation in Garmen is getting back to normal and that both local and state institutions are doing their jobs.

"What was demanded by the protesters and their representatives is being implemented step by step," the governor said; the protesters’ demand that the illegal Romani-occupied housing on the outskirts of the municipality be closed was not mentioned in the FIA report. The governor also reportedly refused to comment on allegations that Romani children had stolen food and money from a local church, insisting that such matters are for police to investigate.