Second national protest against violence against women held in cities across Bulgaria

People demanded adequate justice and speedy judicial reform in the second national protest against violence against women on August 8.

Protesters gathered in a number of cities to say "No to violence".

The reason for the discontent was the case of Deborah from Stara Zagora, who was brutally abused and slashed on the body with a carpet-cutting knife, for which Georgi Nikolaev was accused.

Thousands came out in protests across the country against violence

Deborah (the girl who was attacked and cut with a carpet knife by her boyfriend at the end of June) spoke out for the first time since the abuse. In a video message, she thanked everyone for their support.

Court remands man accused of slashing 18-year-old girl with a knife and inflicting injuries that required 400 stitches

People in Stara Zagora want to introduce policies for the prevention and protection of women victims of violence. Protesters say there should be easier access to justice for victims, immediate judicial reform, and more crisis centres for women victims of violence.

"We only want justice, those who are guilty, those who made a mistake, voluntary or involuntary, to take responsibility. What is most important to us is that our child gets better and recovers as soon as possible, we want justice," said Deborah's father.

Part of the demands of the protesters in Sofia are that personal responsibility be taken for any court decision or medical expert opinion issued and that the National Council for the Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence be immediately operational.

Protesters say the definition of intimate relationship of 60 days is not clear.

Amendments to the Domestic Violence Act were passed in Parliament yesterday to put intimate relationships lasting more than 60 days on the same footing as marital partnerships and cohabitation without marriage, and to give victims the same protection. Protesters believe this is difficult to prove and insist that there should be more changes and another extraordinary sitting of the Parliament. They also demand adoption of the ombudsman’s proposal for law changes to the Penal code, that incriminate acts which humiliate human dignity.

The march in Sofia started from the Court Palace building and reached the National Assembly.

People in Plovdiv carried placards with the inscription "No more!". The protest is under the slogan "We will not be silent!". The protesters believe that increasing the punishment for mid-level bodily harm from 6 to 8 years of imprisonment, and for minor bodily harm to 2 years, will not have the expected effect. They define the interpretation of intimate relationship as stretching. They want to hold accountable all the persons who had a hand in the medical examination and the court decision that initially led to Georgi Nikolaev's release on bail.

"I hope that with these protests we will one day have a real fair system and not this imitation of justice," said Vassil Dobrev.

"If 400 stitches are considered a minor injury, it could be me tomorrow, it could be my child, this is unacceptable, the laws must be changed and respected in our country," added Hristomira Bozhinova.

"A person can be harassed in an intimate relationship much earlier than 60 days," Gergana Yakimova added.

In Varna, the protest took place in front of the Courthouse under the slogan "No to violence!". Protesters demanded that more cases like the one involving Deborah from Stara Zagora should not be brushed aside, and that adequate punishments should be given to people who commit violence. They pledged that the protests would continue, with the aim of putting public pressure on MPs, judges and prosecutors to do their jobs.

They put up posters saying - "If you want her to shut up, just kiss her", "Varna is sympathetic", "I am not a victim".

"We see inadequate behaviour from judges and prosecutors, they cannot convince the public that they can act justly. So far, there has been no accountability from those responsible," Svetlozar Nikolov said.

"Apparently, the only way for our institutions to work turned out to be this wide public pressure. Its absence wills most likely lead to them stop working. So go out and don't just leave things like that - No more," Konstantin Dimitrov added.

“Girls, get out of toxic relationships you are in because things will never change, no matter how much you hope and are promised," Eva Dobreva added.