The Bulgarian government on Thursday implemented a
free child helpline, making the country the 14th in the European Union to use a helpline to directly assist children in need.
The number 116111 is addressed directly to children who seek someone to talk to and provide immediate assistance. The number was officially reserved for the child helpline by the European Commission in October 2007, considering it a priority in its strategy for children's rights.
"During the three-week testing period the consultant-psychologists serving this helpline
responded to over 3,000 calls. Children had different complaints, including cases of home
and sexual violence," said Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Bulgaria's State Agency for Child Protection processed 18,830 requests from children in need in the first half of 2009 including 335 cases of physical violence and 108 cases of sexual abuse, an expert in the agency's Information and Analyses Department told Xinhua.
"For us it is extremely important to save the children. It is very hard for us to react to the
outrage over children," said Interior Chief Secretary Kalin Georgiev.