3.1.2 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK CONCERNING DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY According to the National Strategy for Mental Health 2021-2030, currently there is a lack of coordination between individual professionals, services and institutions in the field of addictions230, the available treatment places are insufficient, the services and related professionals are very unevenly distributed and some services are not paid for in any way by the state. The Strategy underlines the need to introduce effective and efficient treatment/rehabilitation services as elements of probation and imprisonment for addicts. 231 An alarming fact is that the National Preventive Mechanism has identified over the years high percentage of prisoners with psychosocial disabilities or those who subsequently develop them while serving their sentence. 232 In 2019, the Council of Ministers adopted a Strategy for the Development of the Penitentiary System in Bulgaria for the period until 2025, as well as an action plan for its implementation (Strategy 2019-2025). Along with the improvement of the material conditions and activities related to the improvement of the professional training of the employees of the “Execution of Punishments” Directorate, one of the main goals of this strategy is “improving the rehabilitation of offenders”.233 Overall picture of the prison system in practice According to the 2021 Annual report of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee the number of prisoners as of 31 December 2021 placed in prisons was 5 978, of which 4 978 were housed in closedtype prisons and 932 - in open-type prison hostels. 234 There were also 489 accused and defendants in prisons as of 31 December 2021. 235 Bulgaria clearly lags behind in terms of the indicator of the daily allowance of a prisoner. With an average expenditure for Europe of EUR 133.7 per day per prisoner, in Bulgaria this amount is only EUR 5.70. 236 Despite partial repairs, the material and living conditions in the prisons remain unsatisfactory. 237 Also 2021 was another year in which medical care in the penitentiary system continued to deteriorate, often putting the lives of prisoners in real danger. The problems affect every aspect of due health care - superficial initial examinations; lack of prevention and access to a dentist; long delays in referral to Bulgaria, Council of Ministers, National Strategy for Mental Health of the Citizens of Republic of Bulgaria 2021 – 2030, adopted on 23 April 2021, p.6. 231 Bulgaria, Council of Ministers, National Strategy for Mental Health of the Citizens of Republic of Bulgaria 2021 – 2030, adopted on 23 April 2021, p.6. 232 Bulgaria, Ombudsman, 2020 Annual report as National Preventive Mechanism, p. 39, available in Bulgarian at: https://www. ombudsman.bg/bg/p/godishni-dokladi-za-deynostta-na-ombudsmana-558. In October 2019, during the inspection carried out in the only female prison in the city of Sliven, it was established that 42 women have psychosocial disabilities. In this regard, the NPM recommended a screening program for the prisoners with IPD in the penitentiary system. 233 Bulgaria, Council of Ministers, Strategy for the Development of the Penitentiary system in Bulgaria for the period up to 2025, adopted on 27.12.2019, available at: https://www.strategy.bg/StrategicDocuments/View.aspx?lang=bg-BG&Id=1297. 234 Bulgaria, “Execution of Punishments” Directorate, Information, received under the Access to Public Information Act by the BHC, letter № L-186/18.01.2022. 235 Bulgaria, “Execution of Punishments” Directorate, Information, received under the Access to Public Information Act by the BHC, letter № L-186/18.01.2022. 236 Council of Europe, Annual Penal Statistics – SPACE I – 2007, p. 130, available at: https://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2011/02/ SPACE-1_2007_English_rev.pdf. 237 BHC, 2021 Annual Report, p. 81. 230 Bulgarian Helsinki Committee 57