WHY THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD
WHY THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD
The 10 fastest shrinking countries in the world are all in Eastern Europe.
The 10 fastest shrinking countries in the world are all in Eastern Europe.
Three trends contribute to depopulation in the region: Mass emigration (especially of youth); low birth rates; and the focal point of this story, the extremely high rate of amenable (i.e. avoidable) deaths. Shockingly, almost 20 percent of all deaths in Bulgaria in 2014 were considered amenable – double the rate of countries in Western Europe.
Beneath these figures are countless human stories. I want to uncover these narratives to reveal this complex reality and the way society’s failures manifest in people’s lives. “No Way to Say Goodbye” will shine a light on injustices in both the legal and healthcare systems.
This is my family’s story—and although it is a deeply personal one, it has wider implications. Our story illustrates how a society erodes when basic human rights fail to be upheld.
This is my family’s story—and although it is a deeply personal one, it has wider implications. Our story illustrates how a society erodes when basic human rights fail to be upheld.
I
RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
Since September 2017, my mother, sister and I have been fighting for a fair investigation into my father’s car crash. There have been multiple instances where we have witnessed a manipulated interpretation of the available evidence, as well as the omission of information that could help us learn the truth. To this day, our actions have been in vain.
II
RIGHT TO LIFE
When my father was admitted to the local hospital, he waited for nearly two hours without any treatment. When a team of doctors finally appeared, they told my mother they needed to perform a surgery. Later on, we found out that this surgery never happened. Our questions regarding the medical details of my father’s death remain unanswered until today.
III
RIGHT TO AN EFFECTIVE REMEDY
After my father’s death, we wrote a complaint to the Ministry of Health’s Medical Audit explaining that no actions had been taken to save his life. They responded: “...There hasn’t been any malpractice in Nikolai Dimitrov’s treatment.”
The Medical Audit is the only public institution that monitors the quality and safety of medical services in Bulgaria. In 2018, the local newspaper Dnevnik made it publicly known that Medical Audit has concealed the deaths of multiple patients as a result of hospital failures.
In many cases, hospitals, the Medical Audit and the Bulgarian state itself have failed to ensure transparent and accountable management. Bulgarian people can no longer trust or rely on public medical institutions to uphold their rights.
WHEN LAW'S PROCESSES AND STANDARDS BREAK DOWN, THE TRUTH BECOMES BURIED IN SILENCE. AND SOCIETY REMAINS DEAF AND BLIND TO A REALITY THAT CONCERNS EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
WHEN LAW'S PROCESSES AND STANDARDS BREAK DOWN, THE TRUTH BECOMES BURIED IN SILENCE. AND SOCIETY REMAINS DEAF AND BLIND TO A REALITY THAT CONCERNS EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
SUPPORT
Local, national and international supporters and partners will help me maximise the film's impact on civic engagement and conversations about injustice and persistent abuse of human rights, as well as the potential for social change.
Local, national and international supporters and partners will help me maximise the film's impact on civic engagement and conversations about injustice and persistent abuse of human rights, as well as the potential for social change.
If you think that this story needs to be told, please join me on this journey.
