On December 26, Father's Day, a national protest against parental alienation will be held in Sofia. The protest will take place from 3:00 p.m. at “Nezavisimost“ Square in Sofia under the motto “NO to parental alienation“ and “YES to shared parenting“.
The organizer is the “For Shared Parenting“ Foundation, which has been actively fighting for legislative changes in the Family Code and protection of the rights of children and parents who find themselves in a situation of parental alienation for a year now.
Parental alienation is not just a personal problem, but a serious social crisis with severe social and economic consequences. Over 100,000 children in Bulgaria are deprived of regular contact with one of their parents. Often, after divorces or legal disputes, children become victims of manipulation and conflict, which seriously threatens their emotional and social development.
That is why the protest on December 26, at 3:00 p.m., at "Nezavisimost" Square aims to draw the attention of institutions and society to the need for legislative changes that would ensure equal rights for both parents. This protest will be the fourth in a row organized by the Foundation, some of the previous ones being national in scale, with initiatives in other cities of Bulgaria - Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv and Dobrich.
A few days earlier – on December 20, 2024, two draft laws amending and supplementing the Family Code, prepared by the Foundation, were submitted to the registry of the National Assembly. It is expected to be considered next year.
“Children deprived of a healthy relationship with one parent suffer from anxiety, depression and problems building stable relationships. This is not just a personal drama - it is a crisis that affects the future of the entire society“, commented Slavi Nestorov, founder of the Foundation.
The lack of stable family structures has a serious impact on the state. Prolonged court proceedings burden the legal system and lead to increased costs for social and psychological support. The long-term consequences of this are felt in various sectors, such as healthcare, education and social integration. Children who grow up in a dysfunctional family environment are often at greater risk of difficult social adaptation and even crime.
The shared parenting reform offers a solution to these problems. This model ensures stable family relationships by allowing children to maintain balanced relationships with both parents, which is extremely important for their healthy development. In addition, shared parenting encourages the distribution of responsibilities between parents, which not only facilitates their professional and personal development, but also creates healthier family dynamics.
For the state, shared parenting has significant benefits. It reduces the duration and costs of court cases, while reducing the need for additional social services and psychological support. This relieves the burden on the systems, and resources can be directed towards prevention and support for a wider range of those in need.
Mass participation is expected
Last year, the protest gathered over 300 participants, and this year an even larger attendance is expected. Parallel initiatives are also planned in other cities in the country to make the cause heard at the national level.
Foundation “For Shared Parenting“ invites all those affected by the problem, as well as those who want to contribute to building a better future for children and families in Bulgaria, to join the protest - on December 26, at 3:00 p.m., at Independence Square.