“In Bulgaria, where the state system fails the individual, thank God, there are still some true Bulgarians left.” This statement comes from Krassimir Karakachanov, leader of the Bulgarian party Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (IMRO), as quoted by Focus news agency, in reaction to a recent case in which a policeman, guarding the village of Boyadjik, near Yambol, was convicted and charged with harassment and physical abuse of several Roma men on February 9 2008.

The police officer, Mitko Chavdarov, was fined 1000 leva rather than being given a custodial sentence.
According to media reports – that appeared with conflicting information on what had happened – Chavdarov happened on a group of Roma men while they were climbing a flag pole in the village's school yard and tearing up the tricolour. The young men were in a fun, frantic race to the top of the pole.

There is no evidence that Chavdarov mistreated any of the Roma men that night. The next morning, Chavdarov called them to his office to give testimony of the incident.
Following that meeting, four of the Roma presented medical statements indicating that light body injuries had been sustained during the time they spent in Chavdarov's office.

The policeman was accused of assault and battery of more than one person while on duty.
At the same time, the prosecutor's office in Yambol has refused to bring an accusation against the Roma for desecration of the Bulgarian flag.

“This case is biased,” Gergan Gerganov, the mayor of Boyadjik, said, as quoted by Focus. He expressed concerns that it would be difficult for him to find another police officer for Boyadjik, since, according to the law, Chavdarov had to be dismissed for breach of discipline.

Bulgarian-language media picked up the case, and, according the Chavdarov himself, it was blown out of proportion.
At first, Krassimir Uzounov, the president of Focus news agency, announced that the agency would pay the fine on Chavdarov's behalf. Following the announcement, the public and a number of journalists also backed the police officer, saying that he should be given an award, not penalised.

Emil Cohen of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) has been quoted as saying that no side could be taken at present, for the committee did not have sufficient information of who did what and when.
“We will try to gather more facts on the spot,” Cohen said. None of the parties has filed a complaint with the BHC, but comments such as “Chavdarov might have been fined for a reason” and “the situation in Bulgaria is not such that a police officer could be fined, could not be tried and sentenced to jail if the case required it” have not helped to clear up the situation.

Tsvetelin Kunchev, the leader of the party Evroroma, said, as quoted by Focus, that if someone insulted a national symbol, he or she should be punished under the law. He added that Chavdarov was convicted probably because he was guilty of assaulting the Roma without due reason.