In the period 6 – 7 September 2022, a delegation of seven people from TUFEMI visited the project’s partner organization Fagforbundet. The visit was planned as activity of the project “Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management”,   funded by Innovation Norway.

During the exchange visit, both the structure and principles of work of  Fagforbundet and the key elements of the Norwegian model, that make it so successful and effective, were presented. The first day included a presentation of the police union, which is part of Unio, as well as the role of municipalities and employers in collective bargaining, presented by KS.

The second working day continued with a presentation of the activity and the main challenges faced by TUFEMI in the social dialogue and working conditions,  as well the program to fight and prevent cancer among firefighters in Norway. As part of the exchange visit, a fire station was also visited, where both the equipment of the fire trucks and the firefighters, were shown and working conditions were discussed.

The delegation from TUFEMI made several main conclusions as a result of the exchange visit, which are as follows:

• The extremely good trade union coverage in Norway is impressive, both in percentage, terms and in the different qualities and roles in which it is represented (public, private sector, education) and the very good profiling and differentiation of roles and activities between trade union organizations.

• The representation of employers was decided in an extremely interesting way in order to comply with the requirements for a tripartite dialogue. This is a practice that could be implemented in Bulgaria and the Ministry of the Interior, but it requires long-term work and concrete initiatives for sustainable change of the attitudes on the representatives of state administrations.

• It is impressive how the partnership between trade union organizations is developed and the most interesting is the existing mechanism “to build and upgrade on what has been already achieved by other social partners” which put the focus of negotiations on the  workers’ needs and improvement of  their social rights and benefits. The very fact that a lecturer from another trade union had a presentation during our study visit , due to the TUFEMI has stated interest in the organizing of the police in Norway, is proof of the existence of constructivism and partnership in the relations between trade union organizations in Norway.

• The main change in the way of thinking that must be brought about in Bulgaria is the realization by the representatives of the trade union organizations that the competition between them must be reduced to a “competition” for ideas in favor of the welfare of the workers, as well as the attitude that it is necessary all stakeholders to be open to other participants in order to find common solutions.

• Broad coverage and the availability of additional agreements, outside of the CLA, to guarantee rules in areas not affected by it is an exceptional way to protect the rights of all socio-economic groups.

• From an economic point of view, it is very interesting and valuable the principle of economic management ensuring the well-being of everyone, as well as the tactically correct action that negotiations on the  CLA  first are held on the remunerations in the most competitive sectors, as well as the principle that their results are decisive for the increase in wages in other sectors.

• The “Trust Reform” launched by the Government, aimed at reducing bureaucracy and “freeing up” time for professionals for their real work, is an initiative that we would certainly launch in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and in Bulgaria as a whole.

• The program for the prevention of cancer among firefighters implemented by the Fagforbundet, as well as the statistics they have on the incidence and long-term follow-up of the employees’ condition is one of the initiatives that are very important and valuable for the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior and the least that can to do is to start conversations between interested parties on these topics.

The differences between the working conditions and the social dialogue in Bulgaria and Norway are huge and they are not so much caused by the different welfare of the countries, but because of the difference in the way of thinking and the attitude towards the employees, employers and the government officials. While in Bulgaria, the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are treated as a tool and are considered as easily replaceable contractors, in Norway, for the social partners, every single person is important and for them is a key element of the creation of the State of the  welfare.

In the process of implementation of the project “Decent work latest’ challenge: risk and stress management”, funded by Innovation Norway, TUFEMI has developed a strategy for improving working conditions and managing risk and stress at work.

Unfortunately, the main conclusions we reached in 2013, again in a project funded by Innovation Norway – “Decent work greatest challenge: occupational stress”, are reconfirmed 7 years later. The main sources of stress as well as causes of increased risk in the workplace are caused by  systemic problems that have been accumulating, worsening and neglected for more than 10 years.

As a result, it has been found that it is impossible to ensure the safety and decent working conditions in MoIs  workers unless the system itself is completely changed, as it is currently focused on accountability and statistics rather than employees and their health and safety.

It is for this reason that the TUFEMI has developed proposal for strategic change with three main priorities, including a comprehensive proposal to improve the working conditions of those working in the MoI, which is embedded in two strategic priorities. If these measures and proposals are adopted and implemented, the Ministry of the Interior will become an institution in which people have confidence, and those who work in it are decently paid, protected and with clear horizons and vision for professional development.

STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS  

1) Enhancing the quality of the security service delivered by the MoI, by:

A) Identifying the specific needs of Bulgarian citizens in terms of their personal security, structuring access to a quality security service and comprehensively changing the way public order and security policies are planned and financed.

 (Identification of the frequency, timing and adequacy of the response of the regional units of the Ministry of the Interior to the most massive security incidents and risks to which Bulgarian citizens fall victim.  Identification of the main reasons for delays in response, availability of personnel, availability of necessary equipment, qualification of personnel, etc. This is done through an in-depth and functional analysis of the MoI and a nationally representative survey, subsequent analysis, public discussion, drafting of specific policy proposals at regional level, coordination of these policies with stakeholders and citizens and their subsequent endorsement and adoption at national level.) 

B) Establishment ( including material and financial provision) of uniform minimum standards for professional training, equipment, protection and response time of Ministry of Interior officers.

C) Enhancing public confidence and the image of the Ministry of the Interior.

(Part of the tools to achieve these goals are the development and improvement of the social dialogue depoliticization of the Ministry of Interior, annual reporting of the results achieved at local, regional and national level according to clear, validated and understandable by the public criteria. Another important measure that will contribute to increasing trust is the preparation of a strategy for the formation of a security culture among Bulgarian citizens, to be implemented by various agencies and NGOs, but its implementation to be coordinated by the Ministry of Interior).

2. Increasing efficiency and reducing costs as a result of changing and reorganizing the structure of the Ministry of Interior by removing all units with duplicative functions and activities (after a structural and functional analysis to be discussed with trade unions and subjected to public consultation).

3. Establishment of  unified system for the management of occupational stress and risk at the workplace, as well as a system for motivation and career development (vertical and horizontal) of Ministry of Interior employees, based on clear and objective criteria (the system will be prepared after a study of the attitudes and expectations of employees, active interaction with trade unions and in line with the vision for the development of the Ministry of Interior and the established security policies).

STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSED CHANGE

First stage. Assessment of the situation.

In-depth analysis (structural and functional) of the state of the Ministry of Interior’s structure and staffing, its financial and material support, its priorities and performance, and the systems for recruitment, training and career development of personnel.
An analysis of the current legal framework.
Identification of the specific needs of Bulgarian citizens in terms of access to quality security and administrative services.
Identification of the main sources of administrative stress and the reasons for their existence.
(1 year)

Second stage. Development and adoption of a strategy for reform and development of the Ministry of Interior. 

Prioritisation. Identification and planning of necessary and possible changes in structure and staffing. Planning of changes in the systems for recruitment, training and career development of staff, the financial provision of staff, the system of rewards and sanctions. Planning of logistical support.
Subjecting all elements and stages of planning to broad public consultation in order to achieve political and public consensus.
(1 year)

Third stage. Implementation of the reform.

Implementation of planned changes. Careful and precise implementation of the adopted strategy and implementation of the necessary changes. Financial provision. Continuous analysis of results and readiness to make adjustments where necessary.
Continuous citizen monitoring of the implementation of the reform.
(4-6 years)

Critical prerequisites.    
Civil society participation at all stages of reform planning and implementation.
Direct and active involvement of the Ministry of Interior employees’ unions throughout the process – as a source of serious expertise and feedback.
A fundamental review of the role of social dialogue in the system.

On 10 May 2022, the regional forum “Risk, stress, national and regional problems in the Ministry of Interior: possible and sustainable solutions” was planned to take place under the project “Decent work latest’ challenge: risk and stress management “, funded by Innovation Norway.

The original location was set at the regional administration building in Plovdiv, but according to preliminary information received, about expected blockades by protesting representatives of transport companies, the location was changed at the last moment.

Unfortunately, in spite of the efforts made by TUFEMIs representatives to inform all participants about this change, as well the whole  organization made to provide equipment and  to organize transportation of the participants between both locations, most of them were not able to arrive on time due to the complete blockage of the city and urgent problems to be solved.

At the last moment, due to the complicated situation and the disturbances that occurred, we were informed that most of the representatives of the stakeholders – the Director of the regional department of Ministry of Interior, the Director of the Regional Firefighting Department, the District Governor  etc.  would not be present and for this reason it was decided to postpone the regional forum and hold it in June or July 2022.

It is planned to hold the forum again in the conference hall of Plovdiv Regional Administration.

The main causes of stress – both operational and, mainly, administrative – and their impact on Ministry of Interior employees are directly related to the state of the system.
Unfortunately, for the Ministry of Interior, the decade ends as it began – confirming the findings that it is a toxic, dehumanized system based on military orders, centralization, strict hierarchy, unquestioning discipline and the absence of understanding of the value of the individual.

The “toxicity” of the system is due to a “bouquet” of stressors. “The ‘ranking’ of stressors is headed by widespread injustice, devaluation of human life and health, authoritarian and unprofessional management, organizational disorder, financial deficit and material insecurity.

Largely unsurprisingly, critical and traumatic events in professional activity significantly outnumber stressors related to governance, relationships, organization and provision.

There are two levels of stress in the Ministry of the Interior among its employees – ordinary and extreme, caused respectively by sources of chronic (low pay, poor facilities, overwork, need to use personal resources to finance work expenses, lack of teamwork, low public image, etc.) and acute (death or suffering of a colleague, aggression and abuse of employees, fatal incidents with children and young people, disciplinary punishments and scandals at work, etc.) stress.

There is an absence of policies to prevent and deal with stress. As with most problems in the Ministry of Interior, stress is dealt with as each person sees  and, as a rule, alone. Preventive psychological help is missing.

All attempts to reform the department in the past decades (usually carried out “in fragments”, without a clear vision of the expected outcome, poorly planned) have ended disastrously.

The department is ‘mined’ by significant injustices, mainly in relation to employees, which makes it difficult to fulfil its main function – to be a guarantor of justice in public relations.
Injustice in the treatment of employees coexists with material scarcity, poor working conditions, irregular working hours, systematic overwork. For this reason, the institution is not prestigious, does not have the support of society and is not attractive as an employer.
The objectives of the Ministry of the Interior as an institution are axiomatic and, in this sense, clear – ensuring compliance with the law, preventing and counteracting crime, protecting the lives, rights and property of citizens and businesses. The objectives of the Ministry of the Interior as an organisation are fading and becoming blurred. It is not clear where it is starting from, where it is going and how the MIA contributes to the well-being of its employees as people belonging to an organisation. The goals for 2020 are the same as those of the previous three, but in other words

Another fact that does not need further proof, but inevitably has an impact on the level of occupational stress, is that the Ministry of the Interior is currently unable to offer the Bulgarian society a satisfactory degree of personal security and quality of administrative activity.

Public pressure on the MoI to democratise, reform and open up to citizens and communities is waning. Except in the 1990s, when it was part of the general impulse and need to reform institutions and legislation, the MoI has not been subjected to sustained, strong, systematic and uncompromising pressure to change. This happened episodically, initiated by individual leaderships or provoked by various projects, mainly between 2000 and 2010. In this way, the Ministry of Interior lags behind most institutions in Bulgaria.
The reform of the Ministry of Interior cannot be provoked from the outside because, as a system, the ministry is resistant to any challenges and is alien to interactions. Nor can change come as a result of an internal impulse because the institution “melts down” dissenters and discards transformational visionaries and leaders.

The problems in the Ministry of Interior which have to be solved a decent work to be guaranteed  can be structured in three areas, each of which causes professional stress, risks the lives and health of employees, and causes citizen dissatisfaction with service delivery:

1) Lack of long-term planning and vision for sustainable change in the Ministry of Interior in the context of the new security environment and decent work.

At the level of the state government, there is no long-term vision of how to change and in what direction the Ministry of Interior should develop. Technological developments are not taken into account, leading to changes in the future of security for which the MoI is not prepared. There is a reputational crisis which is not only not being managed, but no measures are being envisaged to tackle it. There are many successful models for reforming public order and internal security systems that are not being properly adapted to the Bulgarian context and are being introduced in a way that hinders rather than facilitates the functioning of the Ministry of the Interior.

2) Ineffective interaction and communication between the MoI and citizens

The general view is that there are some good practices, but the communication between citizens and the MoI and, as a consequence, the image of the institution are not at a good level. This is due to the unpreparedness of the MoI structures and civil society (both individual citizens and activists, as well as organized forms – associations, foundations, etc.) to work together in setting goals and developing strategies to achieve a higher quality of security service, which is the result of missing policies and vision for such interaction and cooperation. In parallel, there is a passive attitude of citizens towards various dimensions of their security and a lack of understanding in society of the need to build a shared security culture.
There is a lack of a comprehensive communication strategy of the MoI institution targeting society as a whole and various specific stakeholder groups. A consequence is the one-sided work of the Press and Public Relations Directorate, which mainly acts as the Ministry’s press centre and does not carry out the task of communicating the role, achievements and problems of the whole system.

3) The Ministry of the Interior is not effectively managed and does not provide adequate public services related to the provision of internal security and public order

Concrete problems are identified with the organisational model of the Ministry of Interior, which includes multiple structures with heterogeneous functions and the presence of multiple vertical structural units, which hinders the centralised management and decentralised provision of public services related to the provision of internal security (crime prevention) and public order;

The imbalance in career development and “legal uncertainty” is partially regulated, but not fully, under the legislated legal regimes of the three groups of employees in the Ministry of the Interior: civil servants under the Law on the Ministry of the Interior, civil servants under the Law on Civil Servants, and persons working under the Labour Code and the Law on the Ministry of the Interior;

The system of training employees for the needs of the Ministry of Interior needs to be improved and adapted to the modern challenges and changed security environment;

There is a lack of policies for the workers’ income as well lack of measures for decent work and working conditions.

There is a significant underprovision of uniforms and equipment for officers, as well as low pay compared to their counterparts from EU Member States. The insecurity demotivates a large number of Ministry of Interior employees, who periodically express their problems in this area through protests organised by the Ministry of Interior’s trade unions.

Challenges to the delivery of a quality security service are linked both to the territorial specificities of localities and to the demographic and socio-economic profile of the population. It is for this reason that it is necessary to change the overall approach to planning public order and internal security policy and its orientation towards the specific needs of Bulgarian citizens.

What should be reformed in the Ministry of Interior? What are the shortcomings of the system? What hinders the reform of the Ministry of the Interior? What do those working in the system want? The answers can be seen in this video, which is part of the information campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of Interior”, which aims to “put attention” the problems in the Ministry and to provoke public discussion on their solution.

The campaign is implemented under the project „Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management „, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by TUFEMI in partnership with the Norwegian union Fagforbundet

Is your work valued and appreciated in the Ministry of Interior? Do employees feel supported by their managers? What do they get for their work – rewards or punishments? Where do they find motivation to work in the Ministry of the Interior? The answers can be seen in this video, which is part of the information campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of Interior”, which aims to “put attention” on the problems in the department and to start public discussion on their solution.

The campaign is implemented under the project “Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management “, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by TUFEMI in partnership with the Norwegian union Fagforbundet

How is the Ministry of Interior portrayed in the media? Why is the image of the ministry so negative and how does this affect those working in the ministry? When does the media spotlight turn to the Ministry of the Interior? The answers can be seen in this video, which is part of the information campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of Interior”, which aims to “put attention” on the problems in the ministry and to start a public discussion on their solution.

The campaign is implemented under the project „Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management „, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by TUFEMI in partnership with the Norwegian union Fagforbundet

Can you imagine an Interior Ministry in which the work of the employees is appreciated, there are good working conditions and respect? Is there a chance for this change to happen? Are working hours being violated and overtime being paid? What needs to be improved in the working environment in the Ministry of the Interior? The answers can be seen in this video, which is part of the information campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of the Interior”, which aims to “put attention” on the problems in the Ministry and to start a public discussion on their solution.

The campaign is implemented under the project „Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management „, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by TUFEMI in partnership with the Norwegian union Fagforbundet.

What are the reasons, methods and tools for coping with stress, according to MIA employees? What are the sources of job stress in the Ministry of Interior? What are the difficult moments and how do they cope with them? The answers can be seen in this video, which is part of the information campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of Interior”, which aims to “put attention” on the problems in the Ministry and to start a public discussion on their solution. The campaign is being implemented under the project “Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management”, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by the JFWMW in partnership with the Norwegian trade union Fagforbundet.

The MoI continues to NOT only provide personal protective equipment, but also vital items of uniform and protective clothing to employees.
Some are not provided because they have “never been provided” and others because they are too expensive. No matter how expensive a piece of equipment or gear is, human life is much more precious.
Unfortunately, protecting the lives and health of Ministry of Interior employees is important only, and only, to the employees themselves.
A fact that once again shows how dehumanized, toxic and inefficient the Ministry of Interior is.

TUFEMI conducted a study of risk and stress factors in the MOI and an analysis of their change over the past 5 years. Parts of the shared positions and conclusions will be published in the form of infographics, which are part of the information campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of Interior”. The campaign is implemented under the project “Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management”, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by TUFEMI in partnership with the Norwegian trade union Fagforbundet.

There are many problems and stresses faced by employees in the Ministry of Interior, but one of the biggest is their “multifunctionality”.They self-identify as working in the Ministry of Interior, with some even acting as ‘heralds’ in March 2020. Who performs their official duties while they walk around with megaphones? The answer is: no one.

Is the Ministry of the Interior tackling the COVID-19 challenge and providing its employees with the necessary personal protective equipment? How old are the garments and how prepared is the department for the second COVID-19 wave? Will it take better care of its employees if there is a third wave, as most experts predict? You can see the answers to all the questions in the first of a series of videos that are part of the Stress and Risk in the Home Office campaign. The aim is to put ( once again) the problems in the Ministry of the Interior up for public debate in order to start an open dialogue for sustainable change and improvement of working conditions.

The campaign “Stress and Risk in the Ministry of Interior”. The campaign is implemented under the project “Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management”, funded by Innovation Norway and implemented by TUFEMI in partnership with the Norwegian trade union Fagforbundet.

On 10 May 2020, the first focus group on the project will be held. It is planned 30 focus groups in the whole country to be organized.
The aim of the survey is to identify the factors causing occupational stress in the Ministry of Interior and the change identified by TUFEMIs members in the last 5 years.
Due to the declared state of emergency, caused by COVID-19 pandemic, the focus groups will be held online, and if canceled within a period that will not adversely affect the implementation of the activity, they will be held in person.

The schedule of online focus groups in May 2020 is:

A two-day online workshop was held on March 12 and 13, 2020, with the participation of the members of the Managing Board of TUFEMI and the project partners from Fagforbundet and KS.

Mr. Stefan Balabanov – Deputy Minister of Interior also took part in the workshop. He was congratulating the participants  and shared his high expectations for the results that will be achieved not only by the workshop, but also by the whole project.

During the workshop the history of the trade unions in the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Bulgaria was presented, the accumulated trade union experience and culture regarding the firefighters and the police were shared.

The Norwegian partners shared their basic principles of work in law enforcement and fire departments and talked about the interaction between the services responsible for safe and decent working conditions and trade unions.

Representatives of the TUFEMI showed great interest in the social packages provided to trade union members in the Kingdom of Norway in terms of working conditions and minimum (basic) conditions that must be guaranteed by the employer, as well as the way in which they are organized. and negotiations on safe and decent working conditions and negotiation mechanisms.

On the second day of the workshop, the policies and practices regarding decent working conditions that can be adapted by the Kingdom of Norway and implemented in Bulgaria and in particular in the Ministry of Interior and the way to structure these proposals were discussed. to be presented to the Minister of Interior in Bulgaria.

One of the main activities of the project “Decent work’s latest challenge: risk and stress management” is the measurement of the risks at workplace. It is planned measurements to be organized in a police and firefighter station, fire station and border checkpoint in the capital (Sofia), in a big city (Varna) and a small town (Zlatograd).

The risk assessment includes measurement of the factors of the working environment (lighting, microclimate, circuit-phase protective conductor and others in case of need – eg noise), as well as assessment of the risk at the workplace.

The risk assessment will be performed according to the following schedule:

City of Varna:

Varna-East border checkpoint – 16 February  2020

01 RSPBZN – Varna and RDPBZN – Varna – 16 and 17 February 2020

03 RU of ODMVR – Varna – 17.02.2020

Town of Zlatograd:

GPU Zlatograd (Border Checkpoint Zlatograd) – 1 March 2020

RSPBZN-Zlatograd – 2 March  2020

RSPBZN-Zlatograd – 2 March  2020

Sofia city:

05 RU-SDVR – 04 March 2020

05 RSPBZN-Sofia – 05 March 2020

GPU Sofia (Border Checkpoint Airport) – 6 March  2020.