site.btaBulgaria, Sweden to Cooperate in Improving Quality of Life of People at Risk

Bulgaria, Sweden to Cooperate in Improving Quality of Life of People at Risk

Stockholm/Sofia, September 10 (BTA) - Bulgaria is ready to start
 negotiations on a bilateral cooperation agreement with Sweden
in a wide circle of social topics targeted at improving the
quality of life of the two countries' vulnerable groups, said
Labour and Social Policy Minister Ivailo Kalfin in Stockholm
Thursday. He was speaking at  a working meeting with Swedish
Minister for Children, the Elderly, and Gender Equality Asa
Regner, the Labour Ministry said in a press release.

The two ministers talked about the opportunities for the
exchange of experience and good practices, with a focus on the
policies for gender equality, overcoming poverty and social
exclusion, as well as on the support of the most vulnerable
groups - children in poor families, people with disabilities,
women and girls exposed to a high risk of violence.
 
Kalfin and Regner also discussed the issue of Bulgarian beggars
in some of the big Swedish cities. "We cannot let children be
used for begging and we will turn to the competent bodies for
assistance, including to the State Agency for Child Protection,
so that we can put an end to the existence of such practices.
The Swedish Ministry of Home Affairs is currently working on a
report on whether there are organized channels for human
trafficking for begging," Kalfin commented at the meeting. "We
cannot tolerate such a 'business' and we will turn to the
Bulgarian Interior Ministry for assistance for the termination
of such channels," he added.
 
Kalfin underscored that in Bulgaria all citizens have access to
social services and social programmes and, if they wish, they
can receive additional education or assistance in finding a job.
 In his words, there is a place in school for every child in
Bulgaria, and that is exactly where children's place is - not as
 beggars in the street.

The two ministers agreed on the elaboration as soon as possible
of the details of the agreement on cooperation and exchange of
good practices. The document is planned to be signed in early
2016, when Minister Regner will visit Bulgaria at Kalfin's
invitation.