site.btaBulgaria Adopts Law Recognizing Sign Language as Language in Its Own Right

January 21 (BTA) - Parliament adopted a law that
recognizes the Bulgarian sign language as a language in its own
right.  Proposed by the government, the law was adopted
conclusively on Thursday to make what many consider a
breakthrough in deaf people's rights.

According to the new law, deaf people in Bulgaria are entitled
to free translation services, the cultural and language identity
 of their community is recognized and an attitude of respect to
them will be encouraged in the broader community.

The activities following from the adoption of the law will be
financed by the national budget through the Labour and Social
Policy Ministry, other competent institutions and medical
establishments, as well as through European and international
programmes.

The leaders of central and local administrative units will have
until the end of 2022 to roll out administrative services for
deaf people.

The kindergartens and schools that teach children with impaired
hearing and deaf children, will have special sign language
classes. Deaf students in regular schools will have the right to
 use sign language when they are examined or being tested.   

The parents of deaf children will be entitled to sign language
training.

Sign language teachers will have a master's degree in Bulgarian
Language and Literature with additional training in sign
language, and universities will be required to provide such
training. Deaf university students will be entitled to 60 hours
of free sign-language translation per semester.

Sign language translator will be a job in its own right and
translators will be trained in master's programmes and certified
 by established standards on a par with all other professionals.
   

A Sign Language Board of 13 members will be established under
the Education Minister to work on the development of the
Bulgarian sign language.

Television operators will be required to provide sign-language
translation of their news programmes and programmes with such
translation will be aired at least once daily in the 19:00-22:00
 hrs time slot. RY/LN/




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