Acting Prosecutor General Sarafov Мeets Representatives of Jewish Community in Bulgaria

Jerusalem, 8 August, 2023 (TPS) -- SOFIA, 08.08.2023 (BTA)
Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov and Deputy Prosecutor General Maria Pavlova met with representatives of the Jewish community in Bulgaria at the Court Chamber in Sofia on August 8, 2023, the Prosecution Office said Tuesday. The talks were attended by Prof. Dr. Alexander Oscar, Shalom Chairman, the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria, Maxim Delchev, chairman of the Central Israeli Spiritual Council (CISC), Julia Dandolova, Shalom executive director, Eli Anawi, chairman of Shalom Sofia, Dr. Alina Levi, chairwoman of the Beth Shalom Foundation, Leonid Hazday, Chairman of the Dupnitsa Regional Organization of Jews Shalom, Nikolay Galabov, Chairman of the Zionist Federation, Robert Jerassi, Chairman of the National Council of Religious Communities in Bulgaria (NCRCB), Victor Melamed, representative of the American Jewish Committee for Bulgaria, Assoc. Prof. Todor Tchobanov, Chairman of the Negev Organization, Mihailina Pavlova, Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Community of Bulgaria “Jewish News”.

The guests briefed the leadership of the Prosecution office on information they had gathered about the increase in the last two years of manifestations of anti-Semitism, xenophobia and homophobia, hate speech, aggressive behavior and other undemocratic practices focused on groups of Bulgarian society. Oscar pointed out that in a number of European countries such extremist manifestations have long been criminalized and the preservation of democratic values should be a common priority of institutions and civil society. In the course of the conversation, the Prosecutor General emphasized the commitment of the prosecution to counter hate crimes and to prevent attempts at anti-democratic manifestations that threaten the security and freedom of expression of every citizen.

Borislav Sarafov assured that the Prosecution Office of the Republic of Bulgaria will continue to make active efforts to counter anti-Semitism and xenophobia and to prevent anti-democratic manifestations among the society.