Drug Abuse

1. National Policies and Context

Within the frames of this section the following main topics will be reviewed:

> Social reintegration of the problem drug users and addicted persons;

> Crime prevention.

On reviewing the topic of social reintegration attention has been focused on information and issues related to finding homes for persons with problems and at risk, as well as on finding work, on the vocational training and on the preparation to begin work of the problem drug users who also have problems coping with unemployment. On presenting these issues information has been mainly used provided by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and by the State Agency for Child Protection.

In this report the topic of crime prevention is presented by information referring to the assistance for the drug users in prison (namely prevention, harm reduction and drug related treatment). On presenting these issues information and analyses have been used of the "Penalties Enforcement" Chief Directorate at the Ministry of Justice.

Legal Framework

Laws, Regulations, Directives or Guidelines in the Field of Drug Issues (Demand and Supply)

In 2006 a number of changes were made in the regulations of the Republic of Bulgaria concerning issues and topics related to drugs.

> A bill to amend the Penal Code was passed. It was promulgated in State Gazette, issue 75 from 2006 and it became effective on 13th October the same year. The amendments in the Penal Code refer to all corpora delicti related to drugs and they have been completely revised. With the changes the Bulgarian Penal Code is in conformity with the regulations of the Framework Decision of the Council of the EC 200417571PVR of fixing the minimal regulations referring to the elements of crime and the sanctions imposed in the sphere of drug trafficking.

> The deeds listed in Art. 2 of the Decision, are criminalized in Art. 242, Para. 2 and 3 (transferring across the border of the country drugs and/or their analogues and precursors without proper authorization), as well as in Art. 354a (production, processing, acquisition, keeping with the aim of dealing or dealing with drugs and their analogues or precursors) and in Art. 354b (growing opiate poppy, cocaine bush or plants of the type of hemp) of the Penal Code (PC).

> The regulation to penalize the participation in crime, the attempt and the solicitation to perpetrate drug-related crimes, under Art. 3 of the Decision shall be executed respectively under the regulations of Art. 21 (participation in crime), Art. 18 (attempt) and Art. 242, Para. 2 (preparation for perpetration of the acts under Art. 242, Para. 2 and 3) of the PC.

The penalties provided in the PC for the above mentioned crimes are effective, proportional and preventive in compliance with the regulation of Art. 4, Para. 1 of the Decision.

The criminal offences under Art. 242, Para. 2 and 3 and under Art. 354a of the PC are aggravated offences in the cases when the drugs or their analogues are in large quantities and/or the case is extremely grave and also when high-risk or risk drugs are the case in point-Art. 242, Para.4 and Art.354a, Para.2 of the PC. In these hypotheses the penalties provided are more severe in compliance with Art 4, Para.2 of the Decision.

More severely punishable are also the cases when the deeds under Art.242, Para.2 and 3 and under Art. 354a and 354b from the PC are perpetrated on the order of or as executing a decision of an organized criminal group— Art.242, Parai, section. g), Art.354a, Para. 2, section 1 and Art. 354b, Para. 2 and 3. These texts from the PC correspond to the obligations under Art. 4, Para. 3 and 4 of the Framework Decision.

The object and the vehicle used for the smuggling under Art.242, shall be seized on behalf of the state under Para. 7 and 8 of this article. The object and the instrument of crime under Art. 354a shall also be seized on behalf of the state, under Para. 6 of this article. What has been acquired under the terms of these articles, if not subject to reversion or restoration, shall be seized on behalf of the state under the terms of Art. 53, Para. 2, section b) of the PC. In case of lack or alienation of what has been acquired its equal value shall be adjudged. These norms are in compliance with the regulations of Art, 4, Para. 5 of the Decision.

Art. 354b, Para. 4 provides not penalizing the member of an organized criminal group who has voluntarily informed the authorities of all the facts and circumstances known to him about the acts of the criminal group, as is the recommendation of Art. 5 of the Framework Decision.

The responsibility of the legal entities for crimes committed by their leaders or employees under Art. 242 and Art. 345a — 345b of the PC through which the legal entity got enriched, is provided by Art. 83a of the Administrative Infringements and Penalties Act. The sanction for the legal entities is a penalty payment amounting to BGN 1, 000,000 but not less than the equivalence of the profit, when it is a pecuniary advantage, and when the profit is not a pecuniary advantage, or its amount cannot be determined, the sanction shall amount from BGN 5,000 to BFN 100,000. It shall be imposed irrespective of imposing criminal responsibility on the perpetrator of the crime. The profit or its equal value shall be seized on behalf of the state, if it is not subject to reversion or restoration, or of seizure as provided by the PC. This regulation is in compliance with the regulations of Art. 7 of the Decision.

Pursuant to Art. 8, Para. 1 of the Framework Decision the Bulgarian Penal Law provides that the PC shall be enforced: for all the crimes committed on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria — Art. 3, Para. 1 of the PC; for all the Bulgarian citizens for crimes committed by them abroad — Art. 4, Para. 1 PC; for foreigners having committed indictable offence, by which the interests of the Republic of Bulgaria or of the Bulgarian citizens are affected — Art. 5 from the PC, as well as for crimes committed by foreigners abroad, when this has been provided by an international agreement, in which the Republic of Bulgaria has participated- Art. 6, Para. 2 of the PC.

Pursuant to Art. 8, Para. 3 of the Decision the crimes under Art. 242, 354a and 354b of the PC are major crimes and are grounds for extraditing the perpetrator or this is done on the requisition of another member country. Besides, the Republic of Bulgaria after the amendments made in 2005 of Art. 25, Para. 4 of the Constitution and after the Act on the Extradition and the European arrest warrant in its part referring to the execution of the European arrest warrant came in effect on January 1 s' 2007, delivers its own citizens on the petition of another member country of the European Union.

> In May 2006 a Bill to amend the Drugs and Precursors Control Act was prepared. The Bill was introduced on 16th January 2007by the Council of Ministers in the National Assembly and is under discussion. Passing the Bill to amend the Drugs and Precursors Control Act is necessitated by the need to provide conditions for the direct implementation of the regulations of the European Union, regulating the control of the activities with precursors and drugs- Regulation N2 273/2004/EC on drug precursors, Regulation N2 11112005/EC on the rules to monitor the trade with drug precursors between the Community and third parties and Regulation N2 1277/2005/EC on the rules of implementing Regulation Ne 273/2004/EC and Regulation N2 111/2005/EC. The three regulations settle completely the matters related to precursors, and contain detailed regulations referring to the control measures on the activities with precursors, the requirements for import and export and the obligations of the operators. After the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union the regulations have a direct effect, but their implementation has to be provided by the national legislation. Because of their legal essence they are not subject to transposition or to the national regulations duplicating them, and they have to be dropped out, but with the bill suggested all the provisions included in the regulations are nullified.

In relation to these amendments the interdepartmental work group prepared an amendment to the Drugs and Precursors Control Regulation passed by Decree N2 105 from 4th May 2006 of the Council of Ministers come into force on 16th May 2006. The amendments to the regulation are aimed at introducing Regulation (EU) N2 111/2005 on the rules of monitoring the trade with drug precursors between the Community and third parties and Regulation (EU) N2 1277/2005 for implementing the procedures introduced by Regulation (EU) N2 27312004 and Regulation (EU) 111/2005 in the national legislation.

> On 5th June 2006 a Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria was adopted (DCM 136 from 5th June 2006) to amend the Statute on the organization and the activity of the National Drugs Board.  It was promulgated in the State Gazette, issue 49/16th June 2006

The amendment to the Statute on the organization and the activity of the National Council on Drugs was prepared in compliance with the Bill to amend the Drugs and Precursors Control Act passed (promulgated in the State Gazette, issue 79 from 4th October 2005). By this Act Art. 15 was amended and a new Art. 15a was passed, which regulates the establishment of the Regional Councils on Drugs at the municipalities, the administrative centers of which are also administrative centers of regions. It also regulates the option for the rest of the municipalities to establish their own Municipal Councils on Drugs should the case arise and if there is a financial resource available.

For better thoroughness and precision when establishing the Regional Councils on Drugs, in the Decree to amend the Statute on the organization and activity of the National Council on Drugs their members, the way of approval, the organization of their activity and their functions and interrelation with other bodies of the local and state authorities are specified. 1

> By Decree N2 105 dated 4' May 2006, come into force on 16th May 2006, of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria the Amendment to the Drugs and Precursors Control Regulation was passed. 2

> Regulation to amend Regulation 1\12. 3/2001 to destroy legally produced acquired  and stored narcotic substances and their preparations which have become unfit fort use was passed  (promulgated in State Gazette issue 5/17th January 2006).

The amendment has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Bill to amend the Drugs and Precursors Control Act (AADPCA) — promulgated in the State Gazette issue 79 frorr(4th October 2005 .

Under Ruling N2 3, then into effect, an order to destroy the substances could be issued to producers and wholesale traders licensed under the order of the Drugs and Precursors Control Act and to natural persons and legal entities having received authorization for activities with narcotic substances under Art. 73 of the Drugs and Precursors Control Act. Through the amendment of the regulation the opportunity is given to issue an order to destroy legally produced, acquired and stored drugs which have become unfit for use, to other natural persons and legal entities.

The amendment to Regulation N2 3 was necessitated because of other legislative changes in the normative acts of other spheres. For the purpose of destruction the regulation remitted to the Limiting the Noxious Effects of Refuse on the Environment Act. In accordance with § 8 of the Preceding and Concluding Regulations of the Limiting the Noxious Effects of Refuse on the Environment Act (promulgated in the State gazette, issue 86/2003), the Limiting the Noxious Effects of Refuse on the Environment Act is nullified by the Refuse Management Act. In the amendment to Regulation N2 3 the legislative change is reflected referring to persons who have obtained authorization under Art. 37 of the Refuse Management Act.

> A Regulation to amend Regulation N2 4/2001 for the conditions and the order of  prescribing and selling pharmaceutical products was prepared (promulgated in the State Gazette, issue 34125th April 2006).

Under the terms of Art. 5 of the Drugs and Precursors Control Act (DPCA) the products containing narcotic substances used for medical purposes can be exempt form some control measures, in cases when the pharmaceutical product is so compounded that there is no risk run of abusing it, or the risk is insignificant and the narcotic substance cannot be extracted in quantities sufficient for abuse.

Pursuant to Art. 15 of Regulation Ng 4/2001 pharmaceutical products containing narcotic substances in quantities of up to 50 mg per dose unit, in combination with other pharmaceutical substances, shall be prescribed on a general prescription form. In accordance with Art. 11, Para. 2 of the same Regulation pharmaceutical products, containing narcotic substances in combination, shall be prescribed on a green prescription form- Annex Ng 7. For the products listed in Annex Ns 7 more strict measures of control shall be applied, since when the Drugs and Precursors Control Act and the subdelegated legislation to it were being written, there were data for abuse with these substances.

Over the last years there have been no data for these pharmaceutical products abuse. Moreover, their prescribing and selling under a special regime- on a special green prescription form, embarrasses both patients and doctors.

In view of the above stated, from Annex N2 7 to Regulation N2 4/2001 the pharmaceutical products containing 1 narcotic substance in a quantity of up to 50 mg per dose unit in combination with other non-narcotic pharmaceutical products, are nullified from the Regulation, and their prescription shall be under the terms of Art. 15 of the same Regulation. In the Annex remain the combined pharmaceutical products containing more than 1 narcotic substance.

> By a Report- Resolution NE. 30 of the Council of Ministers an Updated Action Plan  for the period 2006-2008 for implementing the National Strategy to Combat Drugs was adopted  2003-2008.

The updated Action Plan for the period 2006 - 2008 for the National Strategy to Combat Drugs (2003-2008) has been prepared in compliance with a Report Decision of the Council of Ministers from 20th October 2005 referring to a List of Measures under Chapter 24 "Justice and Internal Affairs" — section "Combating Drugs", Volume 13 /section 30/.

The activities, stipulated in the updated Action Plan are consistent with the strategic goals and tasks, provided for by the National Strategy to Combat Drugs 2003-2008 and with the basic priorities of the EU Drugs Strategy (2005-2012) and the Action Plan under it.
In the updated Action Plan for the period 2006 - 2008 tasks are planned which represent the continuation of specific activities already begun in the sphere of reducing drug supply and demand. Definite deadlines are set to these activities, and responsible institutions and partners for the imOplementation of the strategic tasks are pointed. 3

Law Enforcement

With the aim of prevention, proving and documenting criminal activity in accordance with Art. 354-a, Art. 354-b, Art. 354-c from the PC for the year 2006 the employees of Criminal Police under the Ml checked on the territory of the country a total of 1,091 notifications about the production and dealing with drugs and precursors (for 2005 — 1,138).

The persons dealing with drugs numbered 1,020 and 438 of them deal with cannabis, 346 with heroin, 39 with cocaine and 197 are synthetic drug dealers. The persons both drug users and drug dealers numbered 941, 444 of them being under aged.

The number of persons detained with drugs on them was 2,524 (in 2005 they numbered 2,633), of whom 2,498 were Bulgarians (in 2005 the Bulgarians numbered 2,613) and the number of foreign citizens was 26 (in 2005 they numbered 20).

After 260 lawsuits have been realized (in 2005 their number was 258) in the country 2,773 persons were detained for drug production and dealing (in 2005 the number of persons detained for such reasons numbered 2,634).

In 2006 there were 2,397 claim files for instituting preliminary proceedings (in 2005 their number was 2,445), of which 1,892 were against persons using and dealing with drugs (in 2005 their number was 1,959) and 505 of them were against persons dealing with drugs (in 2005 their number was 486).

On carrying out the instructions of the effective normative acts checks of the open drug scenes, of public sites visited by under aged are done monthly, the school regions, computer clubs, play halls and recreational sites are also checked- namely: 6,133 open drug scene, clubs and recreational sites have been checked and preventive measures were applied there, and the respective figure for the same period of 2005 was 6,639.

228 new open drug scenes and sites for drugs sale were discovered (in 2005 the respective number was 289).

2,704 specialized police operations were performed (in 2005 — 2352) and 3,831 school regions have been checked (in 2005 the number of school regions checked was 5,514).

Their aim was to observe the regulations of Art. 193 and Art. 354-a, Art. 354-b, Art. 354-c from the PC, Art. 56 and Art. 58, Para. 3, of the Public Health Act, and Art. 73, Para. 1, section 1 of the gambling Act, the regulations of Municipality Ordinance Ng 1 of the municipality of Sofia, mapping concrete measures to prevent drug-related crime and sanctioning detected offence or criminal activity. [Criminal Police Department, 2007, 1-21

The data from the inquisitorial procedures at the National and Regional Departments of Investigation for drugs smuggling and trafficking show that in 2006 the number of preliminary proceedings investigated was 947. 875 of them were completed for trial. The defendants numbered a total of 493 persons, 42 of whom were retrained in custody, 10 were foreigners and 124 were under aged (see Table 1-1)

In 2006 the public prosecutors monitored, guided and supervised a total of 4,767 pretrial proceedings for crimes under Art. 354a, 354b, and 354c of the PC and for customs smuggling under Art. 242, Par 2,3,4 and 9 from the PC - 153 pretrial proceedings.

The newly instituted in 2006 pretrial proceedings for crimes under Art. 354a, 354b and 354c numbered 3,214, and 1,553 proceedings had remained from the preceding period.

Of the 4,650 proceedings instituted and monitored under Art.    354a of the PC 9 proceedings had as criminal offence production and processing. Under Art.354a with criminal offence acquisition, keeping /storing included/ (State Gazette issue 75/2006) the pretrial proceedings numbered 4,223. Under Art.354a with criminal offence dealing the pretrial proceedings numbered 204. The pretrial proceedings under Art.354b of the PC with main criminal offence persuasion to use narcotic substances or their precursors numbered 13. The pretrial proceedings under Art.354c crimes related to plants containing narcotic substances numbered 104.

The total number of the defendants in the proceedings instituted and monitored under Section III - Crimes against Public Health, in the part referring to drug related crime - was 4;734 persons. For crimes under Art.354a the defendants numbered a tôtal of 4,647 persons, for crimes under Art.354a - production and processing- the persons accused numbered 8, for acquisition, keeping and storing - 4,233 persons and for dealing- 234 persons. For crimes under Art.354b of the PC the number of the defendants was 12. For crimes under Art.354c from the PC the number of the defendants was 75. The total number of the defendants sentenced under these articles was 1,824, and 1,388 persons of them had a sentence enforced. The persons with acquittal numbered 346, for 201 persons of them the acquittal had an effective date set.

Pretrial Proceedings Related to Drug and Precursor Smuggling

The total number of the pretrial proceedings under Art.242, Para. 2, 3, 4 and 9 of the PC was 153. Of them under Art.242, Para.2 the proceedings numbered 67, under Art.242 Para.3 - the proceedings numbered 16, and under Art.242, Para.4 - the proceedings numbered 70. Under Art.242, Para.9 there are no there were no proceedings instituted and monitored in 2006.

The total number of the defendants was 210. Of them for crimes under Art.242, Par. 2 the defendants numbered 72 persons, for crimes under Art.242, Par.3 the defendants numbered 22 persons and for crimes under Art. 242, Para.4 the defendants were 116. The total number of the persons sentenced was 25. 13 persons had a sentence come into force. 3 persons were acquitted but there was no acquittal with an effective date set.

For a total of 2,918 pretrial proceedings drugs have been seized. Of them heroin was 737.27 kg, cocaine -59.85 kg, marijuana -2921.09 kg and other - 1248.91 kg.

Precursors seized - 570.70kg and plants - 96.01kg. The total amount of the substances brought to the Customs Agency to be destroyed was 2461.87 kg, and the quantity used for expertise was 68.06 kg. [Group for Coordination and Analysis 2007, 34-35)

On the information provided by the Ministry of Justice at all the courts in the country the proceedings are instituted and the defendants are sentenced under the respective texts of the Penal Code - Art.242 and from Art.354a to Art.354c. These are texts referring to illegal drug trafficking, (Art.242), as well as to the acquisition, production, processing, storing of drugs or their analogues (Art. 354a - 354c).

A number of the sentences pronounced by courts of first instance in 2006 were appealed and the proceedings have not been closed. For this reason it is not practically possible to compare the definitely concluded in 2005 proceedings and to delineate the trends of this type of crime.

The information on the activity of the courts of first instance in the country shows that in 2006 at the district, regional and martial courts there were a total of 2,866 cases for hearing which were related to drugs (see Table 1-2). Of them 1,213 cases were closed by pronouncing a sentence, and the total number of the persons convicted was 1,971. The penalty most often imposed was imprisonment for up to 3 years. For comparison - in 2005 the cases numbered 2,464, and of them 1,406 were closed by pronouncing a sentence and the total number of the persons convicted was 1,315.

FIRST INSTANCE CASES WHICH WERE UNDER WAY AT DISTRICT, REGIONAL AND MARTIAL COURTS IN BULGARAIA IN 2006

On the information of the Ministry of Justice there data are collected only about the cases heard and the number of persons convicted only by the first instance courts. The National Institute of Statistics should have the information about the number of persons with sentences come into force. In fact it is the data provided by the National Institute of Statistics showing that in 2006 the number of drug-related crimes penalized (smuggling of drugs, preparation, acquisition, keeping, trafficking, and persuasion to use drugs) - from 866 in 2005 increased to 1,485 in 2006 or there was a 71 % increase. 1,587 persons were convicted, the increase was by 72 % in comparison to 2005 (see Table 1-3) 4.

Institutional Framework, Strategies and Policy

Coordination

The National Council on Drugs, established in 2001, is a body under the Council of the Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria, which implements the national policy against drug abuse and for combatiInterior.andficking. It is a collective body, consisting of a chairperson (the Minister of Health), of two deputy chairpersons (the Chief Secretary of the Minister of the Interior,and the Deputy Minister of Justice), a secretary and members. The members of the council are representatives of the concerned ministries, of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and of the Supreme Court of Cassation, of the Supreme Administrative Court, of the National Investigation Department and of other offices. The council shapes and coordinates the national policy in the sphere of drugs and precursors and adopts the national strategy for combating drug abuse and the illegal traffic of drugs. It is authorized to suggest the draft budget for implementing the national policy in this sphere, and the bills of normative acts referring to drugs and precursors, to voice opinion on bills to conclude and access international treaties and programs, to name and approve the national coordinators for international programs and projects. For implementing its functions and policy it establishes councils on drugs at local level.

In 2006 a Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria was passed, (DCM N2 136 dated 5th June 2006) to amend the Statute of the organization and the activity of the National Council on Drugs. The amendment to the Statute has been prepared in compliance with the Bill to amend the Drugs and Precursors Control Act (promulgated in the State Gazette, issue 79 from 4th October 2005). By this Act Art.15 was amended and a new Art.15a was passed, regulating the establishment of the Regional Councils on Drugs at the municipalities whose administrative centers are also administrative centers of regions, and the option for the rest of the municipalities to establish Municipal Councils on Drugs, should the case arise, and if there is the respective source of funding is also regulated.

In order to achieve a better thoroughness and precision in the organization of the Regional Councils on Drugs, in the Decree to amend the Statute of the organizations and the activity of the National Council on Drugs, the structure, the way of confirming, the organization of their activity and their function and interaction with other bodies of the local and state authorities have been indicated.

For the recognition of the role of the Regional Councils on Drugs in the sphere of combating drug abuse at local level the option has been provided for the chairpersons of the Municipal Councils on Drugs of the municipalities in the respective region to participate in the meetings of the councils. It has been stipulated that the Regional Councils on Drugs provide the methodological guidance of the Municipal Councils on Drugs with the aim of achieving a better coordination when implementing the programs to combat drug abuse.

In the Decree to amend the Statute of the organization and the activity of the National Council on Drugs the basic rules for the work of the Regional Councils on Drugs are regulated and in view of the specific necessities to preserve the independence in organizing their activity, the option is presented for working up their own rules of work.

In order to provide the funding, the cadres and the activity of the Regional Councils on Drugs, their funding from the republican budget has been stipulated in the Bill to amend the Drugs and Precursors Act.

By the text of the preceding and concluding regulation it has been stated that the Municipal Councils on Drugs at the municipalities whose administrative centers are also the administrative centers of regions, shall continue to implement their activity and shall be renamed to "Regional Councils on Drugs". This is aimed at preserving the current structure of the Municipal Councils on Drugs established at the regional centers, at preserving the organization, the work done and results achieved as well as at providing the continuity in their activity.

The National Center on Addictions /NCA/ has been established by virtue of a Decree of the Council of Ministers Ng 14/1st February 1994 on the basis of the existing at that time "Prostor" clinic on addictions under the State Faculty Hospital. Under the Decree of the Council of Ministers Ne 69119th March 2001 the NCA has been transformed under the same name and a new Statute of its functions, tasks and structure has been adopted. By a Decree of the Council of Ministers Ng. 363129th December 2004 on the structural changes in the system of healthcare, the National center was again restructured, and from it the activities of realizing the prophylaxis, diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation of the drug abusers and drug addicts were set apart.

Nowadays the National Center on Addictions realizes mainly the functions of a body to coordinate and methodologically guide the problems arising from drug abuse and drug addiction (including the activities related to drug abuse prevention, treatment, harm reduction and the rehabilitation of drug abusing persons or of drug addicts), it is a body of specialized control of the treatment activity in respect to drug abusing persons or drug addicts, and in a more general sense it is an exPert body in the sphere of drug addictions.

In 2006 a project was prepared to amend the Statute of the functions, the tasks and the structure of the National Center on Addictions, which was adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria by a Decree Ne. 120 from 26th May 2006 (promulgated in the State Gazette issue 46 from 6th June 2006). The amendments passed are texts referring to the place, the functions and the tasks of the National Focal Point.

The National Focal Point on Drugs and Drug Addictions is a unit established by a Decision of the National Council on Drugs and by an Order of the Minister of Health, as a part of implementing the National Strategy to Combat Drugs 2003 - 2008.

The NFP has been based on the National Center for Drug Addictions. The group carries out informational, analytical, science and research, expert and consulting and publishing activity and is the formal partner of the European Monitoring Center on Drugs and Drug Addictions (EMCDDA) on the part of the Republic of Bulgaria. It is a participant in the European network of information in the sphere of drug addictions (REITOX).

In October 2004 was established and has already been functioning for a few years the National Drugs Intelligence Unit (NDIU). In it all the institutions involved in detecting and preventing crimes related to drug and precursors trafficking and dealing, including the competent services of the Ministry of the Interior - Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime /CDCOC/, Chief Directorate for Antisocial Deeds and Public Order Preservation and Prevention /CDASDPOPP/, the National Investigation Service /NISI, National Service Border Police /NSBP/, as well as the Customs Agency and the Agency for Financial Intelligence at the Ministry of Finance are represented. 8 employees from the respective services and agencies have been commissioned to NDIU, and their manager has been appointed by an order of the Minister of the Interior. The national group has been introduced to the participants in the mini-Dublin group and to the officers for contact from the member countries of the EU. Rules for the work of the national Group have been worked out.

The Coordination and Analysis Unit (CAU) established at the Directorate for Control of the Informational and Administrative Activity (DCIAA) at the Ministry of Interior (MI), involved in the monitoring and coordination of the implementation of the National Strategy for Combating Drugs 2003-2008 also functions effectively.

National Strategy

In 2006 the Updated Action Plan for the period 2006-2008 was adopted for the implementation of the tasks set by the National Strategy to Combat Drugs 2003-2008. It has been prepared in compliance with an Official Decision of the Council of Ministers from 20m October 2005 and refers to A List of Measures under Chapter 24 "Justice and Internal Affairs"- "Combating Drugs" section Volume 13 /section 30/.

For the activities provided by the Updated Action Plan the strategic goals and tasks, provided by the National Strategy to Combat Drugs 2003-2008 have been taken in consideration. The main priorities of the EU Drug Strategy (2005-2012) and the Action Plan under it have also been taken in consideration. The updated Action Plan for the period 2006 - 2008 provides tasks which are a continuation and expansion of concrete activities already started in the sphere of reducing drug demand and supply, and for these activities there are deadlines set, responsible institutions named and partners selected for implementing the strategic tasks.

The effective implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Drugs (2003-2008) and the Updated Action Plan for the period 2006 - 2008 will contribute to applying the principles and standards of the European Union in the sphere of combating drugs. The drug problem is a complex one and the isolated activities of the specific institutions are not enough to cure it. Combined efforts of the state institutions, of the civil society and of the NGOs and the international partners are necessary.

In the Updated Action Plan for the period 2006 - 2008 what is highlighted in respect to the strategic task of reducing drug demand is:

- broadening the options for acquiring systematic health education in the sphere of secondary education;
- developing models and standards of education in the sphere of addictions to be introduced in the university education in medicine after programs applied for other similar professions;
- implementing programs to assist parents for coping with drug-related problems;
- enhancing the public awareness on the problems of addictions through the mass media; - working up programs for drug use prevention by exercising sport and tourism;
- implementing preventive activities oriented to high risk target groups;
- enhancing the effectiveness of control on the activities with narcotic substances and their preparations used for medical purposes and improving the coordination among the groups involved with the control;
- overcoming the social deprivation and deprivation of the high risk groups by organizing therapeutic modules in the places of detention;
- providing effective social rehabilitation and integration of the drug- addicted persons who have successfully completed a course of treatment;
- setting up a network of programs and services for treatment of addictions at national and municipal level, as well as offering an easier access to them;
- introducing the good European and world practices for prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reduction of drug-related harm.

In the Updated Action Plan for the period 2006 - 2008 the focus of the strategic tasks of demand reduction is on

- effective counteraction to drug dealing inside the country and to drug-related crime;
- bettering and perfecting border control, perfecting the effectiveness of customs control to prevent and detect the illegal drugs and precursors trafficking, with focus on the borders of the republic of Bulgaria, which since January 1st 2007 have become the outer borders of the European Union;
- increasing the effectiveness in counteracting drug-related crime and organized crime, aimed at increasing the number of drug-related crimes solved and respectively the number of the persons with penalties imposed;
- improving the cooperation among the law-enforcing organs in the sphere of drugs; - optimizing the legal frame for drug-related issues.

Policy Enforcement and Strategy Implementation

Reducing the psychoactive substances dealing and abuse and the prevention of addictions among the population was a main task and goal set in our plans for the work of the Regional and Municipal Councils on Drugs in 2006. To implement this new Information and Preventive Centers /IPC/ have been established. The work of the IPC in the preventive and information activity to reduce the harm related to drug use and abuse among students and youths, in their work with teachers and parents and with groups at risk and for preventive awareness of the public and for creating intolerance to addictions is realized through:

> Developing and implementing programs to assist the parents and to work with high risk groups;

> Organizing and conducting media campaigns to combat drugs and drug addictions; Implementing sports and tourism programs, organizing youth concerts and alternative activities for making the best of leisure time and creating intolerance to addictions;

> Educating multidisciplinary teams for the implementation of broad public prevention and evaluating the awareness of and the attitudes to the psychoactive drugs;

> Training of the people involved in the preventive programs, events and campaigns with the aim of building up networks of trained people.

At the end of 2006 the number of IPC at the Regional Councils on Drugs was 21. There were newly established centers in the towns of Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Kyustendil, Kurdzali, Razgrad, Haskovo, Shumen and Jambol.

The regional Councils on Drugs/IPC have done their preventive work in close cooperation with state, municipal and non-government organizations and institutions like: The Regional and Municipal Boards, the Regional Directorates of internal affairs and the divisions specialized in the prevention of addictions, the Regional Inspectorates on Preservation and Control of Public Health, Youth Councils on Drugs, the Local Committees for combating the antisocial deeds of minors and under aged, the Bulgarian Red Cross and the local media.

At the beginning of December 2006 under the guidance of the National Program for implementing the Action Plan of the National Strategy to Combat Drugs (2003-2008), of the secretariat of the National Board on Drugs and of the National Center on Addictions two educational seminars were held on topic:

>    "Interrelations in the team and effective communication" — for team leaders of the IPC/RBD;

>    "Work with the target groups - training communicative skills" for team members of the IPC/RBD.

The lectures and seminars were conducted by representatives of 'KETEA" — Greece - Mr. Phedon Kalotherakis, deputy executive manager of "KETEA" and Mrs. Yoanna Kiritsi - manager of the "Prevention" department of "KETEA" - conducted intensive and successful training.

Budget and Public Expenditure

In the sphere of social care and healthcare, research, international activities, coordination and national strategy

Under the National Program for implementing the Action Plan of the National Strategy to Combat Drugs for 2006 with BON 150,000 planned for it, only BON 93,000 were allotted to the National Center on Addictions. According to the account BGN 84,943 of them have been spent, and the rest of the sum has been granted to the Directorate of the National Service on Narcotic Substances to spend. As per paragraphs the sum of BGN 84,943 has been spent as follows:

The account for the expenses spent on the realization of the activities of the National Program for the development of the system of methadone maintenance treatment programs in the Republic of Bulgaria in 2006 is rendered in the Report on the cash budget payments done by the NFP according to paragraphs , for the "National Programs" Activity 467 as follows:

The main sum under this National Program — BON 230,200 has been spent by the Ministry of Health for purchasing methadone-hydrchloride for the methadone maintenance treatment programs run in the country.

For the implementation of the policy of great importance is the funding of the National Center on Addictions.

The National Center on Addictions is a self-dependent corporate body under the Ministry of Health funded by the state budget, as a second—rank administrator of budget grants. Like all the budget establishments the NCA executes its financial activity observing a set of principles, procedures, regulations and norms. The ultimate goal is to prepare and present periodical information on the financial state of the NCA by a definite date and on the financial results on the activity done.

The state budget planned for 2006 amounted to BGN 240,512. Of them the NCA has spent BGN 234,641. For the implementation of the activities and tasks planned the NCA has been assisted financially by the National Program for the implementation of the Action Plan of the National Strategy to Combat drugs 2003 — 2008 and by the National Program to develop a system of methadone maintenance treatment programs in the Republic of Bulgaria /2006 — 2008/.

1 In more detail about the essence and the changes in the Institutional Framework, strategies and policies in the same Chapter.

2 See above in the same Chapter.

3 Imprisonment for 3-15 years

4 Source: National Institute of Statistics,

3 For more details of the updated Action Plan see the Institutional Framework, Strategies and Policy in the same Chapter.

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