site.btaCouncil of Europe's Anti-Racism Commission Report on Bulgaria: Some Progress Achieved but Problems Remain

Council of Europe's Anti-Racism Commission
Report on Bulgaria: Some Progress
Achieved but Problems Remain


Strasbourg, September 16 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) -
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)
published Tuesday a report on Bulgaria. The report notes steps
forward, but also a number of outstanding issues, such as low
achievement in education and disproportionately high drop-out
rates among Roma pupils, and the climate of intolerance and
xenophobia against refugees.

On the positive side, amendments to the Criminal Code introduced
enhanced penalties for murder and causing bodily harm committed
with hooligan, racist or xenophobic motives, the report says. A
National Roma Integration Strategy, requiring every region to
develop a strategy and action plan for the integration of Roma,
and a National Strategy on Migration, Asylum and Integration
were adopted. A change in the law now allows illegally built
houses to be legalised and no longer subject to demolition
leaving Roma families homeless. Obligatory pre-schooling for two
years has been introduced in order to ensure an equal start for
every child and early socialisation.

According to the report, however, hate speech or violence
targeting sexual orientation or gender identity is not
recognised as an offence in the Criminal Code. Racist and
intolerant hate speech in political discourse is escalating, the
main target now being refugees. A growing number of
ultra-nationalist/fascist groups and political parties operate
in Bulgaria; one such party is represented in Parliament. Racist
violence continues to be perpetrated against Roma, Muslims,
Jews and non-traditional religious groups and their property. It
is seldom prosecuted under the criminal law provisions
specifically enacted for this purpose.

In its report, ECRI has made a number of recommendations to the
authorities, among which two require priority implementation and
will be revisited by ECRI in two years' time, the first one
being that an awareness-raising campaign should be urgently
organised promoting a positive image of and tolerance for asylum
seekers and refugees and ensuring that the public understands
the need for international protection. ECRI's second priority
recommendation is that the Commission for Protection against
Discrimination should produce and publish information about
discrimination, explaining the procedures for discrimination
complaints, in a variety of languages used in the country and
disseminate it widely.

The report, including Government observations, was prepared
following ECRIТ's contact visit to Bulgaria in November 2013 and
takes account of developments up to 21 March 2014. VI/MY