Human trafficking is a serious crime, a crime against the individual, personal freedom and dignity. It denies the achievements of democratic societies, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel. She was addressing a national conference on the prevention and combating of human trafficking on Friday.
“For me and my team prevention and combating of human trafficking is not an ordinary challenge. It is a possibility to show that Bulgaria contributes significantly and decisively to fight against human trafficking,” said Gabriel.
The budget of the commission for combating trafficking in human beings, support for victims and shelter costs will be increased by 194%, Gabriel said.
"Human trafficking is the scourge of our time," she added. "My first message today is to do everything in our power to eradicate the root causes of this crime. To reduce poverty, to quell conflicts, to promote the education of those who could become victims of human trafficking in the future," Gabriel said.
Sentences for human trafficking are many times lighter compared to other lucrative forms of organized crime, such as drug and arms trafficking, Gabriel said, adding that she believes the severity of the punishment should be proportionate to the crime.
Coordination at national and international level, commitment to work together - these two components are the basis for achieving better results in the fight against human trafficking, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said: "Only by working together can we identify the challenges and outline the necessary measures to achieve sustainable solutions in the fight against human trafficking.
In recent decades, we have witnessed deepening crises - economic, military, environmental, demographic. This has led to an increase in cases of human trafficking, and the ways in which this crime is committed are becoming increasingly diverse, requiring a swift and adequate institutional response."
/PP/
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