MINELRES: Bulgaria: A conference of Roma Activists States Bulgaria does not Execute its Obligations Concerning the Roma Minority
Emil Cohen
[email protected]
Mon Dec 9 20:38:56 2002
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HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT*
PRESS RELEASE
Bulgaria: A Conference of Roma Activists states Bulgaria does not =
Implement the Framework Program for Equal Integration of Roma in the =
Bulgarian Society
Sofia, November 28, 02 - On November 18, 2002 the third national =
conference for an evaluation of the implementation of the Framework =
Program for Equal Integration of Roma in the Bulgarian society (1) took =
place in Sofia. The conference was organized by Human Rights Project in =
close cooperation with some leading Roma NGOs: Society for Co-ordination =
and Co-operation, Roma Social Council "Kupate", United Roma Alliance, =
Confederation of the Roma 'Europe' and Democratic Union 'Roma'. After =
the adopting of the Program Human Rights Project that is an originator =
of the document arranged a lot of meetings for an evaluation of the =
executing of the obligations of the government.=20
About 100 Roma activists, who represent the major Roma NGOs as well as =
Roma intellectuals from all the country, took part in the event.=20
The meeting was welcomed by a special message of the President of the =
Republic of Bulgaria Mr. George Purvanov (2). Mr. Rady Naidenov, Chief =
of the Office of the Prime Minister of the republic as well as officials =
from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Public Health, the =
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of the Development of the Areas and =
Urbanization, Ministry of Labor and Welfare and also from the Ministry =
of Foreign Affairs participated in the conference. Representatives of =
few Embassies of foreign countries also took part in the event. Mr. =
Mikhail Ivanov, Secretary of the National Council for Ethnic and =
Demographic Issues (NCEDI) also participated in the meeting.=20
Mr. Milen Tzvetkov, a very popular person from the TV station 'Nova =
Televisia' was moderator of the discussion.=20
This year a great deal in the organization of the event has the =
relatively new Roma NGO Society for Co-ordination and Co-operation, =
which unity a few young Roma activists. Their new and too interesting =
ideas have pushed forward the way for organization of such events.=20
The design of the event has been a dialog between Roma experts and the =
responsible representatives of the government to be made. In order to =
reach that aim the organizers have invited the President of the =
republic, the Prime Minister also number of members of the Council of =
the Ministers, the chiefs of all fractions in the Parliament as well as =
the heads of the relevant commissions of the National Assembly. =
Unfortunately the highest representative of the government who took part =
in the discussion was the Secretary of the NCEDI Mr. Mikhail Ivanov who =
several times stated that the institution that he rules has not any =
power to solve the problems that the Framework Program outlines. The =
lack of presence of the invited members of the Council of Ministers as =
well as the chiefs of the parliamentary commissions was perceived by the =
Roma participants in the conference as a new sign for the lacking of =
state policy for improvement of the Roma situation in the country.=20
The conference was opened with a speech delivered by Mr. Rumian =
Russinov, Chairperson of the Human Rights Project and Director of Roma =
Participation Program of the Open Society Institute - Budapest. In his =
report entitled 'The Framework Program - between the Reality and =
Illusion' he outlined the situation with the executing of the Program =
three and half years after its approval by the former government.=20
He stated that it was not accidentally the conference was held in the =
eve of the invitation of Bulgaria to join NATO because NATO is not only =
a military alliance, but also a system of values among which the keeping =
of the rights of the minorities take a special place. In that =
perspective the present state of the Roma people in Bulgaria in no way =
corresponds with the values of the NATO. He outlined a series of events =
that are signs both for worsening of the situation (3) and for lacking =
of appropriately measures of the government in order to respond to the =
situation. He like many others before stated the Roma issue was a bomb =
that will blow up later. Furthermore it was pointed out that NCEDI has =
begun work on some ambitious projects, but unfortunately they are not =
parts of an integral state policy.
The central point in his speech was the analysis of the present policy =
of the government of Bulgaria toward the Roma. The main conclusion he =
made was that the Bulgarian government has not recognized the problem of =
Roma as a problem of discrimination against the Roma people.=20
According to the opinion of Mr. Russinov (with whom practically all Roma =
speakers agreed) the current policy of the state can be outlined as:
a.. a policy without any long-term strategy for solving at least of =
most aggravated problems;
b.. a policy, that is not internally coherent. The government work =
on the problems of Roma accidentally, mainly when the social tension =
increase and it has to 'fill the gaps';
c.. the government works like a private foundation: it makes =
relatively small projects on different topics instead of to work on long =
term basis with clear design;
d.. the solving of the problem of Roma is concentrated in the hands =
of NCEDI, which has not any power to issue the appropriated laws, state =
orders etc. It is in within a system of Ministry that has responsibility =
for the disasters (4). While under the previous government the NCEDI was =
a part of the office of the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Vesselin Metodiev, =
now its rank is considerable lower;=20
e.. that executive branch as well as the former one has not =
introduced amendments in the Penal Code as the Framework Program =
requires;
f.. that administration as well as the prevous one has not begun =
work on the introduction of the Roma lamguage, culture and history in =
the schools;
g.. this administration as well as the former one has not created a =
state fund for encouragement of an employment of the Roma as well as it =
has not I ntroduced the notion 'vulnerable ethnic group' in the sphere =
of the welfare work as it has been written in the Framework Program.
The only progress that has been made is the preparation of the draft of =
Antidiscrimination Law and also the Directive of the Ministry of =
Education and Science for an Intgretion of the Minority Students into =
the Educational System (5), that provides a desegregation of the =
so-called 'Roma schools' to be done for 12 years.=20
All the speakers from the Roma side (Mr. Vassil Chaprazov, Ass. Prof. =
Hristo Kjucukov, Mr. Zlatko Mladenov, Ms. Svetla Vassileva, Dipl. Ing. =
Petko Jeliazkov agreed with the conclusions made by Mr. Russinov.=20
Finally the participants in the conference called on the Bulgarian =
government:
a.. to begin implementation of the Framework Program by elaboration =
of complete policy for its realization;
b.. to introduce these amendments in the legislation, that were =
provided in the Program;
c.. to increase the station of the state body designed to deal with =
the problems of Roma and to provide it with the necessary power and =
funds;
d.. to begin a real dialog with the Roma organizations about the =
implementation of the Framework Program.
Endnotes:
(1)The Framework Program was adopted in April 1999. It presents by =
itself a kind of agreement between the Roma community in Bulgaria and =
the government of the country. The focus of Program is the idea for =
elimination of the discrimination of the Roma. It was approved by the =
Council of Ministers on April 22, 1999 and by that approval the =
government took an obligation to implement that general plan for solving =
the problems of the Roma minority in our country. The full text of the =
Framework Program can be reached on the WEB site of the Bulgarian =
Helsinki Committee: www.bghelsinki.org
(2)The text of the message was read by the Secretary of the President =
Mr. Tzvetan Sivkov.=20
(3)Among them are so-called 'Zrunkovi case' (the expelling in the last =
summer from their home a big Roma family when more than a month 63 =
people among who 30 were children were shunted between towns and =
villages and there was no place that was willing to adopt them), the =
riots of the inhabitants of the Roma ghetto 'Stolipinovo' in Plovdiv =
against the state company that provides them with electricity, the =
'wooden' accidents in Kotel, Botevgrad and so on, the reinforced =
emigration of Roma in Western Europe, etc. According to the data from =
the last census about 370 000 (4,7% from the total population) Roma live =
in Bulgaria. As it is well known, the real number of these people is at =
lest twice bigger. All of us know that the Roma are most deprived, =
poorest and most discriminated part of the population of bulgaria.
(4)It is under the umbrella of Mr. Nejdet Mollov, Minister without =
portfolio.=20
(5)The Antidiscrimination Act now is waiting to be introduced into the =
plenary hall of the Parliament. There is an information that some MPs =
from the ruling majority are against adoption of such a law. As it is =
well known the draft has been elaborated by decisively help of the human =
rights NGOs, inclusively Human Rights Project (HRP). As for the =
Directive HRP has welcomed its issuing. On the other part there are no =
any founding provided for the implementation of it so that now it is no =
more than a good intention.=20
---------------------------
*Human Rights Project was established in the summer of 1992 as a =
non-profit organization focusing on monitoring the human rights =
situation of the Roma in Bulgaria, and on legal defense in cases of =
serious human rights abuses. The HRP monitors the human rights situation =
of the Roma community in Bulgaria and reports on the cases which it had =
investigated; works with Roma volunteers from all over the country who =
report on the human rights observation in their region; conduct =
independent extrajudicial investigation into allegations of human rights =
violations against Roma; hire lawyers to take up selected cases and =
monitors the process of legal defense; advocates legislative and policy =
changes in favor of Roma.
Rumian Russinov is Chair of the Board of HRP. Dimitrina Petrova and =
Nikolai Gouginski are members of the Board.
Emil Cohen [email protected] is Executive Director.
Our address: 23 Solunska St., 6th floor; 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel./fax: (+359 2) 986 35 46 and (+359 2) 981 50 66;
E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]=20
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<P align=3Dcenter><STRONG>HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT*</STRONG></P>
<P align=3Dcenter><STRONG>PRESS RELEASE</STRONG></P>
<P align=3Dcenter></P>
<P align=3Dcenter><STRONG>Bulgaria: A Conference of Roma Activists =
states Bulgaria=20
does not Implement the Framework Program for Equal Integration of Roma =
in the=20
Bulgarian Society</STRONG></P>
<P align=3Dcenter></P>
<P align=3Djustify><STRONG>Sofia, November 28, 02 </STRONG>– On =
November 18, 2002=20
the third national conference for an evaluation of the implementation of =
the=20
<I>Framework Program for Equal Integration of Roma in the Bulgarian =
society</I>=20
(1) took place in Sofia. The conference was organized <I>by Human Rights =
Project</I> in close cooperation with some leading Roma NGOs: <I>Society =
for=20
Co-ordination and Co-operation, Roma Social Council =
“Kupate”, United Roma=20
Alliance, Confederation of the Roma ‘Europe’ and Democratic =
Union ‘Roma’</I>.=20
After the adopting of the Program <I>Human Rights Project</I> that is an =
originator of the document arranged a lot of meetings for an evaluation =
of the=20
executing of the obligations of the government. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>About 100 Roma activists, who represent the major =
Roma NGOs as=20
well as Roma intellectuals from all the country, took part in the event. =
</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The meeting was welcomed by a special message of the =
President=20
of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr. George Purvanov (2). Mr. Rady Naidenov, =
Chief of=20
the Office of the Prime Minister of the republic as well as officials =
from the=20
Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Public Health, the Ministry of =
Culture,=20
Ministry of the Development of the Areas and Urbanization, Ministry of =
Labor and=20
Welfare and also from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated in =
the=20
conference. Representatives of few Embassies of foreign countries also =
took part=20
in the event. Mr. Mikhail Ivanov, Secretary of the National Council for =
Ethnic=20
and Demographic Issues (NCEDI) also participated in the meeting. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Mr. Milen Tzvetkov, a very popular person from the TV =
station=20
‘Nova Televisia’ was moderator of the discussion. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>This year a great deal in the organization of the =
event has the=20
relatively new Roma NGO <I>Society for Co-ordination and Co-operation, =
</I>which=20
unity a few young Roma activists. Their new and too interesting ideas =
have=20
pushed forward the way for organization of such events. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The design of the event has been a dialog between =
Roma experts=20
and the responsible representatives of the government to be made. In =
order to=20
reach that aim the organizers have invited the President of the =
republic, the=20
Prime Minister also number of members of the Council of the Ministers, =
the=20
chiefs of all fractions in the Parliament as well as the heads of the =
relevant=20
commissions of the National Assembly. Unfortunately the highest =
representative=20
of the government who took part in the discussion was the Secretary of =
the NCEDI=20
Mr. Mikhail Ivanov who several times stated that the institution that he =
rules=20
has not any power to solve the problems that the Framework Program =
outlines. The=20
lack of presence of the invited members of the Council of Ministers as =
well as=20
the chiefs of the parliamentary commissions was perceived by the Roma=20
participants in the conference as a new sign for the lacking of state =
policy for=20
improvement of the Roma situation in the country. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The conference was opened with a speech delivered by =
Mr. Rumian=20
Russinov, Chairperson of the <I>Human Rights Project</I> and Director of =
<I>Roma=20
Participation Program</I> of the <I>Open Society Institute – =
Budapest</I>. In=20
his report entitled ‘The Framework Program – between the =
Reality and Illusion’=20
he outlined the situation with the executing of the Program three and =
half years=20
after its approval by the former government. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>He stated that it was not accidentally the conference =
was held=20
in the eve of the invitation of Bulgaria to join NATO because NATO is =
not only a=20
military alliance, but also a system of values among which the keeping =
of the=20
rights of the minorities take a special place. In that perspective the =
present=20
state of the Roma people in Bulgaria in no way corresponds with the =
values of=20
the NATO. He outlined a series of events that are signs both for =
worsening of=20
the situation (3) and for lacking of appropriately measures of the =
government in=20
order to respond to the situation. He like many others before stated the =
Roma=20
issue was a bomb that will blow up later. Furthermore it was pointed out =
that=20
NCEDI has begun work on some ambitious projects, but unfortunately they =
are not=20
parts of an integral state policy.</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The central point in his speech was the analysis of =
the present=20
policy of the government of Bulgaria toward the Roma. The main =
conclusion he=20
made was that the Bulgarian government has not recognized the problem of =
Roma as=20
a problem of discrimination against the Roma people. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>According to the opinion of Mr. Russinov (with whom =
practically=20
all Roma speakers agreed) the current policy of the state can be =
outlined=20
as:</P>
<UL>
<UL>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>a policy without any long-term strategy for =
solving at=20
least of most aggravated problems;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>a policy, that is not internally coherent. The =
government=20
work on the problems of Roma accidentally, mainly when the social =
tension=20
increase and it has to ‘fill the gaps’;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>the government works like a private foundation: =
it makes=20
relatively small projects on different topics instead of to work on =
long=20
term basis with clear design;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>the solving of the problem of Roma is =
concentrated in the=20
hands of NCEDI, which has not any power to issue the appropriated =
laws,=20
state orders etc. It is in within a system of Ministry that has=20
responsibility for the disasters (4). While under the previous =
government=20
the NCEDI was a part of the office of the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. =
Vesselin=20
Metodiev, now its rank is considerable lower; </DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>that executive branch as well as the former one =
has not=20
introduced amendments in the Penal Code as the Framework Program=20
requires;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>that administration as well as the prevous one =
has not=20
begun work on the introduction of the Roma lamguage, culture and =
history in=20
the schools;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>this administration as well as the former one =
has not=20
created a state fund for encouragement of an employment of the Roma =
as well=20
as it has not I ntroduced the notion ‘vulnerable ethnic =
group’ in the sphere=20
of the welfare work as it has been written in the Framework=20
Program.</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P></UL></UL>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The only progress that has been made is the =
preparation of the=20
draft of Antidiscrimination Law and also the Directive of the Ministry =
of=20
Education and Science for an Intgretion of the Minority Students into =
the=20
Educational System (5), that provides a desegregation of the so-called =
‘Roma=20
schools’ to be done for 12 years. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>All the speakers from the Roma side (Mr. Vassil =
Chaprazov, Ass.=20
Prof. Hristo Kjucukov, Mr. Zlatko Mladenov, Ms. Svetla Vassileva, Dipl. =
Ing.=20
Petko Jeliazkov agreed with the conclusions made by Mr. Russinov. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Finally the participants in the conference called on =
the=20
Bulgarian government:</P>
<UL>
<UL>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>to begin implementation of the Framework =
Program by=20
elaboration of complete policy for its realization;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>to introduce these amendments in the =
legislation, that=20
were provided in the Program;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>to increase the station of the state body =
designed to=20
deal with the problems of Roma and to provide it with the necessary =
power=20
and funds;</DIV></LI>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Djustify>to begin a real dialog with the Roma =
organizations about=20
the implementation of the Framework =
Program.</DIV></LI></UL></UL><SUP>
<P align=3Djustify></SUP>Endnotes:</P>
<P align=3Djustify>(1)The Framework Program was adopted in April 1999. =
It presents=20
by itself a kind of agreement between the Roma community in Bulgaria and =
the=20
government of the country. The focus of Program is the idea for =
elimination of=20
the discrimination of the Roma. It was approved by the Council of =
Ministers on=20
April 22, 1999 and by that approval the government took an obligation to =
implement that general plan for solving the problems of the Roma =
minority in our=20
country. The full text of the Framework Program can be reached on the =
WEB site=20
of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee: <A=20
href=3D"http://www.bghelsinki.org/">www.bghelsinki.org</A></P><SUP>
<P align=3Djustify></SUP>(2)The text of the message was read by the =
Secretary of=20
the President Mr. Tzvetan Sivkov. </P><SUP>
<P align=3Djustify></SUP>(3)Among them are so-called ‘Zrunkovi =
case’ (the=20
expelling in the last summer from their home a big Roma family when more =
than a=20
month 63 people among who 30 were children were shunted between towns =
and=20
villages and there was no place that was willing to adopt them), the =
riots of=20
the inhabitants of the Roma ghetto ‘Stolipinovo’ in Plovdiv =
against the state=20
company that provides them with electricity, the ‘wooden’ =
accidents in Kotel,=20
Botevgrad and so on, the reinforced emigration of Roma in Western =
Europe, etc.=20
According to the data from the last census about 370 000 (4,7% from the =
total=20
population) Roma live in Bulgaria. As it is well known, the real number =
of these=20
people is at lest twice bigger. All of us know that the Roma are most =
deprived,=20
poorest and most discriminated part of the population of =
bulgaria.</P><SUP>
<P align=3Djustify></SUP>(4)It is under the umbrella of Mr. Nejdet =
Mollov,=20
Minister without portfolio. </P><SUP>
<P align=3Djustify></SUP>(5)The Antidiscrimination Act now is waiting to =
be=20
introduced into the plenary hall of the Parliament. There is an =
information that=20
some MPs from the ruling majority are against adoption of such a law. As =
it is=20
well known the draft has been elaborated by decisively help of the human =
rights=20
NGOs, inclusively Human<I> Rights Project (HRP)</I>. As for the =
Directive HRP=20
has welcomed its issuing. On the other part there are no any founding =
provided=20
for the implementation of it so that now it is no more than a good =
intention.=20
</P>
<P align=3Djustify>---------------------------</P>
<P align=3Djustify>*<STRONG>Human Rights Project </STRONG>was =
established in the=20
summer of 1992 as a non-profit organization focusing on monitoring the =
human=20
rights situation of the Roma in Bulgaria, and on legal defense in cases =
of=20
serious human rights abuses. The HRP monitors the human rights situation =
of the=20
Roma community in Bulgaria and reports on the cases which it had =
investigated;=20
works with Roma volunteers from all over the country who report on the =
human=20
rights observation in their region; conduct independent extrajudicial=20
investigation into allegations of human rights violations against Roma; =
hire=20
lawyers to take up selected cases and monitors the process of legal =
defense;=20
advocates legislative and policy changes in favor of Roma.</P><STRONG>
<P align=3Djustify>Rumian Russinov </STRONG>is Chair of the Board of =
HRP.=20
<STRONG>Dimitrina Petrova </STRONG>and<STRONG> Nikolai Gouginski =
</STRONG>are=20
members of the Board.</P><STRONG>
<P align=3Djustify>Emil Cohen </STRONG><A=20
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> is =
Executive=20
Director.</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Our address: 23 Solunska St., 6th floor; 1000 Sofia,=20
Bulgaria</P>
<P align=3Djustify>Tel./fax: (+359 2) 986 35 46 and (+359 2) 981 50 =
66;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>E-mail: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> and <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> </P>
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<UL>
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