First child-friendly interview room opened in Bulgaria

On 25th June 2008, first child-friendly interview room in Bulgaria officially opened its doors. The room, located in the Complex for Social Services in Pazardzhik, will allow child victims of violence and witnesses of crimes to testify in a friendly atmosphere, without necessity to be confronted with the defendant, his attorney, the prosecutor and the administrator writing down the testimony.

The room is equipped with a Venetian mirror, video and audio recording devices and radio headphones, all of which enables spectators in the other room to listen to the interview and ask additional questions. The usage of such a room for child interviewing will decrease the risk of secondary traumatizing effects for the child and will, at the same time, increase the chances of gathering more and more precise information and evidence material.

The room was adopted by Social Activities and Practices Institute in cooperation with the Municipality of Pazardzhik, the Regional and Area Courts, the Regional Forensic Department, the Regional and Area Prosecutor's Office, the Regional Police Directorate and the Regional Police Department, the Child Pedagogic Room, and the Child Protection Department, the Attorney's Association in Pazardzhik, the Judges' Association in Bulgaria and the Nobody's Children Foundation, Poland.

Before the work on establishing the room started, representatives of SAPI had made a study visit to the Nobody's Children Foundation, where they could learn about standards and operating of the child-friendly interview room.

Establishing the room in Bulgaria was financed by the OAK Foundation as a part of the "Hear the Child" project implemented by SAPI.