Ministry of Interior to Boost Security Presence in Shopping Malls to Ensure Public Safety

A working meeting was held at the Ministry of Interior between Minister Daniel Mitov, the ministry’s senior leadership, and the top management of major shopping centres in Sofia on October 21. The discussion focused on enhancing and optimising security measures in malls.

The meeting comes in the wake of the tragic incident involving the murder of a boy in a Sofia shopping mall, which prompted relatives and friends of the victim to stage a protest in front of the Sofia Metropolitan Directorate of the Interior (SDVR) to call for justice. They also demanded a life sentence for the suspect in the murder of the 15-year-old child..

At a press briefing following the meeting, Minister of interior Daniel Mitov said:

“We are talking about security in shopping malls these days, but the real discussion should be about what is happening in families. The focus must be on how we raise our children — whether we know where they are and what they are doing. The family and the school have the most important role at this moment.”

Minister Mitov added:

“What are youngsters doing in malls carrying knives? Why are they going to school with weapons in their pockets? These are questions that must be addressed not only to families and parents, but also to the education system.”

photo by BTA

Minister Daniel Mitov explained that the Ministry of Interior can and should ensure some form of security presence in shopping malls, particularly in the coming months, to guarantee public safety within these commercial spaces.

He added that mall management has committed to investing both in security technologies and in the capacity of the security firms operating in the centers. The Ministery of interior will assist in methodologies, deployment of personnel, and identification of high-risk visitor profiles to enhance overall safety, according to Mitov.

Regarding the case of the assaulted prosecutor Ivo Iliev, a pre-trial investigation for attempted murder has been opened. His condition is stable but still considered life-threatening, and investigators are working on all possible leads, explained Ministry of interior Chief Secretary Miroslav Rashkov.