The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office has charged the woman who stabbed three men in Sofia yesterday with attempted murder. Tomorrow, the prosecutor is expected to decide whether to request her to be remanded in custody or have her admitted to a psychiatric ward for assessment. Meanwhile, today in Veliko Tarnovo, another woman carrying a knife was detained at a local clinic. These incidents once again raise the issue of mental health care and whether people with such problems can receive treatment before harming themselves or others.
In the early afternoon today, February 5, doctors from the polyclinic in Veliko Tarnovo reported that a woman was shouting in the corridors and, most concerningly, was holding a knife. The clinic is located just metres away from the police station, and authorities responded quickly. The woman was detained without any injuries, but there were frightened people. She has been taken to the local mental health centre.
Coincidentally, the story we bring today also takes place in Veliko Tarnovo, highlighting the struggles of a man who has lived in fear for years due to his unruly next door neighbour. Unfortunately, the story has become all too familiar—numerous reports have been made, but no real action has been taken.
Dr. Kalin Vassilev: "She's screaming furiously, all day long, shouting, knocking down walls with a lot of physical force and power. This person roams the neighborhood freely. Some time ago, there was the first incident—this person became aggressive toward a store employee with scissors."
Reports have been made to the institutions but no action has been taken. So, Dr. Vasilev has lived in fear for nearly five years, worried that the situation could escalate.
"The police have said, 'We can't do anything. This person refuses to speak to us, and we have no grounds for action.' It's a vicious cycle in which things slowly escalate."
The question remains—where is the solution to this vicious cycle? Must something irreparable happen before measures are taken?
Lawyer Lyudmil Rangelov: "If these individuals are exhibiting behaviour that endangers their own lives or the lives and health of other people, for example, the prosecutor can request compulsory treatment."
For years, experts have been calling for a system of outpatient care for mentally ill patients.
Dr. Tsveteslava Galabova, Director of the State Psychiatric Hospital "St. Ivan Rilski", explained: "The problem is that patients with psychosis, once stabilised in a treatment facility—after about 45, 50, or 60 days—goes back outside and is left to themselves and the care of their family. These are the only diseases in human pathology, in which those with psychosis lack awareness or insight into their condition. That’s why they stop taking medication, and that’s why a supportive and controlled system for managing mentally ill individuals is necessary."
Is Mental Health Care Adequate? This question resurfaces after every incident. Cases like the one from Veliko Tarnovo—a ticking time bomb—highlight the urgency. But without the will to create a functioning system, no one knows when it might explode.
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