site.btaCoE Commissioner for Human Rights Supports Minister Zaharieva's Legislative Initiatives for Juvenile Justice, Disabled People's Rights

CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Supports Minister Zaharieva's Legislative Initiatives for Juvenile Justice, Disabled People's Rights

Sofia, May 18 (BTA) - Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks has supported Bulgarian Justice Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva's legislative initiatives in the sphere of juvenile justice and the rights of people with disabilities, the Justice Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.

In Muiznieks' words, people with psychological and mental disorders do not need charity but rights.

Zaharieva said that the bill features measures against fraud of which people with mental problems become victims.
 
The bill also envisages the scrapping of the full and partial judicial disability of people with mental disorders, and introduces a set of measures for independent exercising of rights.

"I have the feeling that Bulgaria has changed a lot and that this now is the last pressure for reforms," the guest said. He expressed interest in the measures Bulgaria applies in the sphere of juvenile justice and the closure of the socio-pedagogical and educational boarding schools with the Ministry of Education and Science, where children with anti-social behaviour are accommodated.

Zaharieva told the guest that the last six such institutions are about to be closed down. At the same time the work is being concluded on changes in various acts guaranteeing the deinstitualization of children who have problems with the law, as well as the care for them.

Zaharieva also said that she supports the approach where children with problems are provided with an environment similar to the family one, and access to education so that they can be taken away from the dangerous circles conditioning them to break the rules.