Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria has made significant progress in improving both prison conditions and the working environment for correctional officers, Deputy Justice Minister Stanimir Stanev said Wednesday as inspections of the country’s prisons near completion. Speaking to reporters during the opening of a photo exhibition portraying prison inmates, by photographer Vladimir Karamazov, Stanev said the changes were substantial compared with the situation more than a decade ago, when he worked at Lovech Prison.
He noted that prisons now operate schools and offer inmates vocational training leading to recognized qualifications, helping them reintegrate into society after their release.
Stanev highlighted what he described as a strong focus on rehabilitation and socialization, led primarily by prison social workers and educators, saying the results were already visible.
He said prisons should be viewed as places where sentences are served rather than institutions to be feared. Referring to inmates’ participation in disaster recovery efforts, he argued that society should recognize prisoners as people capable of rehabilitation and redemption.
On staffing, the deputy minister said there was no shortage of prison guards, although some vacancies remain. He added that prison occupancy remains below full capacity and that Bulgaria complies with European standards, including minimum living space requirements, access to water, sanitation and natural light.
Stanev also announced that a new prison in Samoranovo is expected to open soon, describing it as a modern facility unlike any currently operating in Bulgaria.
Regarding funding, he said the prison system is not expected to receive additional budget resources but will instead focus on improving efficiency, including through reforms at the state-run Prison Fund enterprise, with the aim of further upgrading living conditions for inmates and working conditions for prison staff.
The exhibition whose opening the Deputy Minister attended, is titled “In Their Place”, which features portraits and stories of inmates from Belene Prison on the Danube. Justice Ministry Sees Significant Improvements in Prison Conditions 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-01 18:45:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law