Despite the fact the Penitentiary Administration's 2001 budget has increased, the conditions in Bulgarian prisons have worsened, according to data from the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC).

On August 18, detainees from the Sofia prison staged a rooftop protest against the ineffective justice system and living conditions in the Sofia prison.

BHC chairman Krassimir Kanev told a press conference on Monday that the budget has been increased by 50 per cent compared to last year. However, the staff has received more than a 50 per cent pay raise this year, while less money has been invested in the maintenance of prisons. The figures from Sofia, Bobov Dol, Lovech, Sliven and Varna prisons show that the prisoners' food budget has been decreased by 29 per cent.

"There are reports of corruption among the prison administration upon assignment of prisoners to work from all prisons countrywide," Kanev said. He pointed out that the situation in the investigative detention centres was horrible considering that out of 75 such centres countrywide, only 19 had facilities which allowed detainees to spend time in the open air. These facilities hold convicted prisoners prior to sentencing.

After a meeting with the prisoners who took part in last week's protest, deputy justice minister Mario Dimitrov said last Friday that there was no information that prisoners were preparing new protests. "Prison security has not been tightened," he pointed out. According to Dimitrov, more than 100 complaints have been filed, mostly about visiting times and selection for jobs. The Supreme Cassation Prosecution Office is currently running a check into the unlawful keeping of prisoners in Sofia and Varna. Dimitrov said he would analyze a report according to which the security rules were broken at the Sofia prison on August 18 when the protest took place.