Interior Minister: What Happened in Gurmen Was Petty Incident Followed by Political Speculations,
Attempt at Classifying It as Ethnic Conflict

Sofia, May 29 (BTA) - What happened in Gurmen (Southwestern
Bulgaria) several days ago was a petty incident followed by
political speculations and an attempt at classifying it as an
ethnic conflict, Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova said
during Question Time in Parliament Friday.

She said that charges have already been brought against five
persons for the row between Bulgarian and Roma communities in
Gurmen Municipality, including against Roma representatives who
threw stones. Two persons have been arrested, one of whom is
from Shoumen (Northeastern Bulgaria) and will be escorted to
Gotse Delchev (Southwestern Bulgaria). Several other persons,
who have been accused of causing minor bodily harm and
hooliganism, have been released on bail. The incident's
instigators among the five persons in question have been
identified, Buchvarova explained.

If there have been Roma living unlawfully in Gurmen, they have
already left the area and cannot be sanctioned, she added. She
was referring to the local people's claim they are often
victimized by thieving Roma, many of whom live in unlawful homes
built in the last few years.

Buchvarova proposed the re-establishment of the council for
fighting conventional crime and reported that the leadership of
the police in Gurmen has been replaced.

She said she expects the tension in Gurmen to recede so that
surveillance cameras can be installed in the village, which will
reduce local crime.

In the days after the incident in Gurmen, several TV channels
covered the developments in the village. The local residents
said on camera that the crimes and raids of the Roma living
unlawfully in the area, make them fear for their lives. They
showed the cut fences around their properties and said that the
Roma go from one property to another and not only steal repair
and agricultural equipment but also make open threats to the
local residents.

Police officers said on camera that the thefts of repair
equipment, particularly if it costs up to 180 leva, are
classified as low-value thefts and are not a priority in the
police's work. Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov
said that the crimes registered by the Interior Ministry in the
area are very few.