Bulgarians Object Surveillance Street Cameras

Novinite
Apr. 10, 2006

A Bulgarian association has called for a protest against placing surveillance cameras at public places.

Members of the "Society for New Bulgaria" announced in Pleven that mounting such cameras was a way for the state to meddle with citizens' personal business.

A total of 107 cameras had been placed all over Sofia over the past week and the trend of strengthening video surveillance is evident all over the country, the society claims.

Soon citizens might find themselves dependant on those who own this information, especially if they decide to use it the wrong way, members fear. Living in true order, peace, and mutual respect was mainly up to the people themselves, so the decision about the cameras should be theirs as well. To that effect, the society will open an online poll, querying people about their own opinion on the government's idea.

Should most of the replies state a discontent with the cameras, the society would go to the local ombudsman and accuse the government of a drastic civil rights infringement.