Bulgaria To Free 200-300 Prisoners Early

The Socialist-led government initially planned an early release of about 3,000 inmates with light sentences.

Bulgaria’s parliament passed an amnesty law on Thursday but cut the number of offenders that the bill initially aimed to free to avoid public outrage before elections.

The Socialist-led government initially planned an early release of about 3,000 inmates with light sentences or nearing the end of their terms to relieve overcrowded jails.

Lawmakers cut the scope of the law, limiting the number of offenders to go free to 200-300.

Analysts said a wide amnesty could have eroded further support for Socialists months before parliamentary elections in June or July.

“Letting thousands of prisoners free ahead of elections would anger Bulgarians,” said Krasimir Kanev of human rights group Bulgarian Helsinki Committee.

Deputies from the ruling Socialists said the limited amnesty aimed to protect society and demonstrate that the European Union newcomer respected the rule of law.

Human rights groups have slammed Sofia for failing to bring its jails up to the bloc’s standards and improve living conditions for inmates. Some 12,000 people in the Balkan country of 7.6 million are behind bars.

The EU has criticised Bulgaria for failing to crack down on corruption and organised crime and overhaul its inefficient and graft-prone judiciary.