Access to the National Register for Cases of Paedophilia to be open for citizens

Part of the data in the National Register for Cases of Paedophilia will be public, the National Assembly decided with amendments to the Child Protection Act. The register will provide public access to information with the names of the perpetrator, the type of crime committed and the imposed punishment. When it comes to foreign citizens with residence status in the country and convicted in other countries for sexual crimes, public access will also include information about the country of origin.

Tsveta Rangelova from Vazrazhdane – the party that submitted the new texts, explained why the register needs to be public: “Not only should we not preserve the anonymity of those convicted of paedophilia, but everyone should know who the paedophiles that walk among us are.” According to her, the Petrohan case has made it clear that the institutions called upon to protect children's rights were inactive and therefore parents are forced to protect their children themselves.

Hamid Hamid from DPS-New Beginning stated that more and more audacious crimes against minors are being observed and it is necessary to take measures against the phenomenon.

Editor: Diana Tsankova