site.btaVice President Iotova: "Refugee Children Can Be Fully Integrated only through Education"

Sofia, November 6 (BTA) - "A growing number of unaccompanied minors enter Bulgaria, but only about a third of them are willing to attend school. Bulgarian institutions must refer those children to our educational system so that they could become fully integrated into society," Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova said over working lunch with women heads of diplomatic missions accredited to this country, quoted by the President's Press Secretariat on Monday.

Iotova noted the need to refocus the debate on the EU multiannual financial framework. "So far, more money was spent on border protection and strengthening, from now on funds should be allocated for the schooling and integration of children who are most vulnerable to radicalization," the Vice President insisted.

"Women fleeing conflicts are also among those exposed to the highest risk," Iotova pointed out, expressing the hope that the diplomats will assist the inclusion of mediators and psychologists to work for those women's social reintegration.

Apart from tackling the migrant crisis, the diplomats discussed extension of diplomatic contacts and deepening relations in education, training and investments, and intensified trade links for the creation of jobs for young people so that they would stay to live in their own countries rather than emigrate.

The participants in the meeting discussed the current topics on the EU agenda, including cohesion and standing up for Cohesion Policy, and the reform of the EU Dublin Asylum System, which is supposed to be completed during the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2018.