Text size

Parliament to address mental health

published on 11/23/23 2:53 PM

Photo: Facebook/Mental Health

With 137 votes in favour, the National Assembly has set up a temporary committee to protect the rights of the mentally ill.

The committee will examine violations found in the country by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment at the end of March this year, as well as those reported by the Bulgarian Ombudsman.

Legislative amendments are being prepared. The sponsors of We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria aim to abolish compulsory detention and deinstitutionalise mental health institutions. "Obviously, the authors have no idea what compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act is - on what occasions, when, how and in what way it is imposed," said Branimir Balachev of GERB.

The European Committee report said that patients complained that orderlies shouted at them and hit them, that rooms were often overcrowded and conditions in wards were distinctly prison-like, and that staffing was grossly inadequate.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Radio Bulgaria News ammendments European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment investigation mentally ill parliament temporary committee

More from category

Warmer weather and mostly sunny Easter

During the night, the cloud cover will break and decrease. There will still be light rain showers in some places in the southern regions of Bulgaria until midnight. On Sunday morning, visibility will be reduced in some places in the..

published on 4/19/25 6:45 PM

BOC sends Easter message to believers in and outside the homeland

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, headed by Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil and members of the Holy Synod, sent a patriarchal and synodal Easter message to Christian believers. "May the joy of the news of..

published on 4/19/25 5:30 PM

Nearly 2,400 overdue fines were handed out to drivers at the border in April

When carrying out border control and compensatory measures, Border Police officers also carry out checks in the automated information system of the Ministry of Interior for undelivered electronic tickets and for fines imposed that..

published on 4/19/25 4:25 PM