The Second Edition of the Sofia Human Rights Forum took place on 11th Match 2023 and was attended by EGPA President, Alain Parmentier and MBP (Bulgarian LGBT Police Association) President, Petromir Genchev.
Pictured (from Left to right) Petromir Genchev (MBP President), Krum Zarkov (Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria) and Alain Parmentier (EGPA President)
The programme for the event can be found here including the input by Alain Parmentier representing EGPA under the topic heading "The Police : LGBTIQ+ Allies".
The presentation demonstrated the work being carried out by EGPA and our member organisations across Europe including the progress being made in the area of positive engagement with our LGBTIQ+ communities. Working in partnership with and bringing the police and European citizens closer together.
Those attending the Human Rights Forum in Sofia were incredibly supportive and receptive to the work of EGPA and encouraged by the efforts being made by EGPA and MBP in Bulgaria in conjunction with the Bulgarian authorities.
In addition to the Human Rights Forum, EGPA President attended the Bulgarian Ministry Of Interior and met with Georgi Georgiev, Director of Internal Investigations and Ethics for the Bulgarian Police.
Following a presentation of the EGPA and its works, the Director expressed an interest in EGPA/LGBT awareness training in police academies and more engagement between the police and Bulgarian LGBT citizens. Future meetings have been expressed with Petromir and MBP with the possibility of a specific communication to mark 17th May.