Bulgaria: Situation of Roma, including access to employment, housing, healthcare, and education; state efforts to improve the conditions for Roma (2013-October 2015)

1. Overview

According to sources, the 2011 census states that there are approximately 325,000 Roma in Bulgaria, accounting for nearly 5 percent of the Bulgarian population (MRG July 2015; US 25 June 2015, 27; World Bank 2013, 2). Using data originating with the Council of Europe, the EU's European Commission estimates the Roma population in Bulgaria to be between 700,000 and 800,000 people (EU 5 Apr. 2011, 15). According to Minority Rights Group International (MRG), the lower estimate from the census is due to Roma potentially self-identifying as belonging to another group due to the stigma of being Roma (MRG July 2015, 205). According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014, observers reported that 600,000 people did not answer the ethnicity question on the census survey and "officials did not conduct a proper count in most Romani communities," but instead "made assumptions or failed to include Romani figures altogether" (US 25 June 2015, 27).

According to the Decade of Roma Inclusion's Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan for 2012 in Bulgaria, a report compiled by multiple NGOs [1], Roma are equally distributed across the country if counted at the level of "'Planning Regions'" and "'Administrative Districts'," though higher concentrations are reported at the community level and segregated neighbourhoods in "larger settlements" (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013a, 17). The report further states that the districts with the highest concentration of Roma are Montana (29 percent), Sliven (28 percent) and Yambol (27 percent), and that there are some municipalities with villages that are entirely Roma, as well as segregated Roma neighbourhoods in large cities (ibid.).

2. Discrimination

Sources state that Roma in Bulgaria face discrimination (MRG July 2015, 205; Freedom House 2015; US 25 June 2015, 1) in employment, housing, healthcare, and education (Freedom House 2015). According to the 2012 Civil Society Monitoring Report, the level of residential segregation is "high," which is also reflected in employment and public service segregation (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013a, 17).

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), Bulgaria's national news agency (BTA n.d.), reports that in announcing a project for Roma under the Bulgarian-Swiss Cooperation Programme, the Swiss Ambassador Dennis Knobel stated that "the Roma minority is suffering from several principal forms of social exclusion - bad education, lack of employment, bad health services and the impossibility of women to be engaged socially" (BTA 23 June 2015).

Country Reports 2014 describes the "marginalization of the Romani minority" as Bulgaria's "most pressing human rights problem" (US 25 June 2015, 1). The same source further states that the media describes Roma using "discriminatory and abusive language," and that extreme nationalist parties, such as Ataka and the Patriotic Front, "based their political campaigns on strong anti-Roma…slogans and rhetoric" (ibid., 27). For information on hate speech and hate crimes against Roma in Bulgaria, including state protection, see Response to Information Request BGR105323.

3. Employment and Socio-Economic Conditions

According to the Decade of Roma Inclusion's Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan in 2012 and 2013 in Bulgaria [2], employment is the "most challenging issue in the Roma community," due to "widespread discrimination and negative prejudices in the labour market" as well as low education among Roma (Decade for Roma Inclusion 2013b, 33). Country Reports 2014 similarly states that as a result of "[g]eneral public mistrust" and low levels of education among Roma, obtaining work is "more difficult for Roma" (US 25 June 2015, 34). The 2014 Roma Health Report, a report produced for the EU's European Commission [3], states that "functional illiteracy" is a factor excluding Roma from the labour market (EU Aug. 2014, 89).

Country Reports 2014, citing a 2013 survey by the Bulgarian government, indicates that 44.8 percent of adult Roma were unemployed and that 68.1 percent of Roma "remained outside the social security system" (US 25 June 2015, 34). Further and corroborating information on Roma employment statistics could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to a 2013 report by the World Bank, Roma constitute a disproportionate percentage of those living in poverty in Bulgaria (World Bank 2013, 2). The Roma Education Fund (REF), an organisation that has provided approximately 6 million EUR [C$9million] and implemented more than 100 projects in Bulgaria between 2005 and 2015 (REF 2015, 30), similarly states that 67 percent of the "poorest 20 percent" of the Bulgarian population are Roma (REF 2015, 5). Deutsche Welle (DW), "Germany's international broadcaster" (DW n.d.), reports that approximately 40 percent of Roma in Bulgaria live below the poverty line (DW 21 Mar. 2013).

4. Housing

The European Commission's 2014 Roma Health Report indicates that approximately 25 percent of Roma in Bulgaria live in sub-standard housing, 40 percent lack access to a water supply, and 80 percent do not have an indoor bathroom (EU Aug. 2014, 89). According to MRG, more than 50 percent of Roma "live in ghettoized neighbourhoods" on city outskirts, while the remainder live in "isolated villages" across the country (July 2015, 205). Country Reports 2014, citing the 2011 Bulgarian census, similarly states that 55 percent of Roma live in "overcrowded urban neighborhoods" (US 25 June 2015, 28). According to Amnesty International (AI), more than 70 percent of urban Roma live in segregated areas (2 Oct. 2013).

According to the Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report for 2013, Roma living in segregated areas leads to social isolation, poor infrastructure and transportation, low levels of access to public services such as electricity, water, street lights, and garbage collection, and a lack of regulation and legal construction of housing (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013b, 17). According to sources, as a result of occupying irregular or illegal housing, it is difficult for Roma to register their permanent addresses and in turn, obtain identification cards (US 25 June 2015, 15; Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013a, 23). The 2012 Civil Society Monitoring Report states that ID cards are required for accessing education, employment, marriage, inheritance, property ownership, as well as health and social insurance (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013a, 23-24). The same source further states that 30 percent of Roma that were surveyed for the report did not have identification cards (ibid., 24).

4.1 Evictions

According to Amnesty International (AI), forced evictions of Roma in Bulgaria are "staggeringly high" (AI 2 Oct. 2013). Country Reports 2014 states that "many municipalities continued to initiate legal proceedings to demolish illegally built houses" (US 25 June 2015, 28).

According to the Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report, in 2013 there were four cases of evictions in the town of Peshtera, and twelve families were evicted in the Lyulin district of Sofia; evictees were not provided with alternative housing (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013b, 19). According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013, in February 2013 the town of Petrich demolished 52 "illegal makeshift Romani houses," leaving approximately 300 people without housing (US 27 Feb. 2014, 25). Further and corroborating information on these evictions could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to sources, in July 2014, occupants of 55 Roma homes in Stara Zagora were evicted and their houses were demolished (MRG July 2015, 206; US 25 June 2015, 28). The eviction reportedly resulted in clashes between the police and the occupants (ibid.; MRG July 2015, 206). According to Country Reports 2014, there were plans to demolish 300 more homes, though as of November 2014 no further demolitions had taken place (ibid.). The same source further states that in response, the mayor stated that the municipality had offered the Roma options to "apply for municipal housing or build new legal houses elsewhere on municipal land" (US 25 June 2015, 28).

Sources state that Roma families were evicted from their homes in the Gurmen municipality (UN 11 Sept. 2015; BTA 9 July 2015; OSCE 13 July 2015), which began following anti-Roma protests (ibid.; UN 11 Sept. 2015). The BTA reports that four Roma homes were demolished on 29 June 2015 affecting 20 people (BTA 9 July 2015). According to the BTA, the Bulgarian Social Assistance Agency had offered temporary accommodation and weekly care for the children of those families whose homes had been demolished, but the families refused to move and are currently living with relatives (13 July 2015). The UN News Centre, citing civil society sources, indicated that 41 people were evicted on 7 September 2015, with further evictions feared (UN 11 Sept. 2015). Sources indicate that evictees were not provided alternative accommodation (ibid.; BTA 9 July 2015).

Sources report that demolition of Roma homes in Varna began on 20 August 2015, with approximately 60 homes affected and alternative housing was not provided (The Sofia Globe 20 Aug. 2015; Novinite 22 Aug. 2015), though "temporary accommodation" was promised to some (ibid.). The Sofia Globe, an English-language news site, further reports that the homes were on private property and that the property owners had threatened to take the Bulgarian government to court unless the "illegal constructions" were removed (ibid.). The same source cites the Mayor of Varna as stating that approximately 500 people would be affected, including 200 children, with plans to accommodate them "at various municipal premises" (The Sofia Globe 20 Aug. 2015).

5. Health

Sources state that access to health services is a problem for Roma in Bulgaria (US 25 June 2015, 29; Roma Health n.d.). According to Roma Health, a website funded by the Roma Education Fund and Open Society Foundations (Roma Health n.d.), Roma living in rural areas have very limited access to regular health care where they live and must either wait to see a doctor or travel elsewhere (ibid.). The same report states that disease outbreaks are more severe among Roma due to poor housing and the cultural practice of "empathy visits to the sick" (EU Aug. 2014, 88). DW reports that the life expectancy of Roma is 10 years shorter than other Bulgarians, tuberculosis is between two and five times more common in Roma neighbourhoods than in the rest of the country, and child mortality rates are approximately three times higher than those of the general population (DW 21 Mar. 2013).

According to sources, approximately 50 percent of institutionalized children are Roma (US 25 June 2015, 2; Council of Europe 22 June 2015, para. 18). According to the Council of Europe's Commissioner of Human Rights, discrimination is one of the factors affecting the placement of Roma children in institutions (ibid.).

6. Education

According to sources, the school dropout rate is high among Roma (US 25 June 2015, 22; Council of Europe 16 Sept. 2014, 10; REF 2015, 23). According to Country Reports 2014, citing a 2013 government survey, "14.8 percent of Roma completed secondary school, 44.7 percent completed primary (first to seventh grade), and 15.5 percent never completed any level of education" (US 25 June 2015, 29). The Council of Europe's European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), citing 2011 data from the Bulgarian government, states that 9 percent of Roma completed secondary school in comparison to 52.3 percent of the rest of the Bulgarian population (Council of Europe 16 Sept. 2014, 27). The same source further states that, compared to 0.9 percent of Bulgarians, 21.8 percent of Roma had not completed any level of education (ibid.).

Sources further state that Roma students are often placed in segregated schools (US 25 June 2015, 28; REF 2015, 5; Council of Europe 16 Sept. 2014, 26). ECRI states that there are plans for desegregating some schools at the pre-school and university level, but not at other school levels (ibid.). According to Country Reports 2014, there were cases of ethnic Bulgarian students leaving desegregated schools, "thereby re-segregating them" (US 25 June 2015, 28). According the REF, most of the segregated schools are "located in or near the segregated Roma neighbourhoods" (REF 2015, 12).

7. State Efforts

7.1 Overview

According to the 2012 Civil Society Monitoring Report, the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues (NCCEII) is the consultative and coordinating body responsible for the "design, implementation and monitoring of government policies on the integration of ethnic minorities in Bulgaria" (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013a, 19). The same source further states that the NCCEII faces a number of challenges, including: limited capacity for program design, implementation and monitoring; inconsistency in applying planned measures and intervention; low levels of support from state administration; and poor communication and coordination with relevant government ministries (ibid.).

Sources state that Bulgaria adopted the National Roma Integration Strategy 2012-2020 (NRIS) (Council of Europe 16 Sept. 2014, 9; REF 2015, 23). According to the 2015 REF report, the NRIS consolidates previous strategies and plans and sets six priorities: education, health care, housing, employment, rule of law and non-discrimination, and culture and media (ibid., 24). The same source reports that there is also an action plan for implementing the NRIS, outlining 122 activities, responsible agencies, timelines and financing, but notes that the majority of activities addressing education have not been budgeted (ibid.).

In their assessment of the NRIS, the 2012 Civil Society Monitoring Report states that "the NRIS lacks synergy, coherence and equal distribution in its envisaged activities, measures and financial allocations. It overlooks major areas such as housing conditions, health care and educational integration" (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013a, 1).

According to the 2014 ECRI monitoring report, the NRIS is a "sound policy document," but there is inadequate funding and a "lack of political will to assist the Roma population" (Council of Europe 16 Sept. 2014, para. 78). The REF 2015 report similarly states that, while there have been substantial policy developments, "real government action for the implementation of Roma integration policies was sporadic, uncoordinated and underfunded" (REF 2015, 5).

7.2 Housing

According to the REF, the inability of Roma to access secure housing remains "[o]ne of the most serious problems," which largely results from Roma living in housing officially deemed "illegal" that "can be destroyed at any time" (REF 2015, 14). Without providing further detail, ECRI states that in 2012 the laws in Bulgaria were changed to allow "illegally built houses to be legalised and no longer subject to demolition leaving Roma families homeless" (Council of Europe 16 Sept. 2014, 9). The Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report states that in October 2012, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted new amendments to the Special Act, allowing for two possible avenues for owners of illegal housing in Roma neighbourhoods: legalization of the illegal home; or "construction and acquisition with a forbearance certificate for illegal building" (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013b, 21). However, these options were limited to the time period from 26 November 2012 to 26 November 2013 (ibid.). Information on the number of homes that may have been legalized during this time period could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

A representative of the Open Society Institute in Sofia told DW that approximately 7 million Euros (EUR) [approximately C$10.25 million] was budgeted for spending on low-income housing between 2013 and 2014, which was less than 1 percent of what was needed (DW 21 Mar. 2013). Further and corroborating information on low-income housing projects could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

7.3 Health

The Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report states that in 2012 and 2013, activities related to the health component of Bulgaria's National Roma Integration Strategy (NRIS) were "limited to the periodic use of mobile [medical] units" for those without health insurance living in predominantly Roma areas (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013b, 15). The activities of these units included: medical and gynecological exams, x-rays, and immunization of children (ibid.). The same source further states that Roma NGOs and mediators were not involved as partners, which inhibited the effectiveness and accessibility of the services for Roma (ibid.).

Country Reports 2014 states that the National Network of Health Mediators successfully partners with national and local governments to improve Roma access to health services (US 25 June 2015, 29). The report states that as of October 2014, in 72 municipalities, there were 130 health mediators with fulltime positions to work with "high-risk and vulnerable groups" (ibid.). According to the World Bank, community health mediators work in mainly Roma communities, are appointed by the local municipal council and are funded by the national government (World Bank 2013, 15).

7.4 Education

According to the World Bank, state efforts have increased enrollment in pre-primary education, but disadvantaged Roma children are "excluded from the system" (World Bank 2013, 1). The REF states that, under the Education Act amended in 2010, as of the 2012-2013 school year, children who are five years old "must be enrolled in preschool education," and that if they do not attend, their parents would receive fines or other sanctions (REF 2015, 23). However, the same source states that the sanctions introduced are not "efficient" in increasing enrolment rates among Roma because "[t]he majority of Roma families that would be punishable are already living in poverty and would not be able to pay the fine" (ibid.).

The BTA reports that the Swiss government and the municipalities of Bourgas, Rousse and Sliven signed an agreement under a "'Programme for Support of Social Inclusion of Roma and Other Vulnerable Groups'," with a budget of approximately 8 million Swiss Francs [approximately C$11 million], 15 percent of which is funded by the Bulgarian government with the remainder funded by the Swiss government (BTA 23 June 2015). The program reportedly aims to increase the capacity for Roma children in pre-school and elementary school, train health mediators, and develop a new kindergarten in Sliven's Zadezhda residential area (ibid.).

According to Country Reports 2014, Bulgaria lacks "effective programs for reintegrating students who had dropped out" (US 25 June 2015, 29). The same source further states that NGOs have been critical of the NRIS for not providing a specific school desegregation plan, or sufficient funding (US 25 June 2015, 28). The REF similarly states that the government "has failed to elaborate and fund a desegregation program that has a meaningful impact on Roma education" (REF 2015, 12).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Notes

[1] The Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 is a commitment by participating governments to "eliminate discrimination against Roma and close the unacceptable gaps between Roma and the rest of society" (Decade of Roma Inclusion n.d.). Participating states are expected to "reallocate resources to achieve results, also aligning their plans with funding instruments of multinational, international, and bilateral donors" (ibid.). The contributing NGOs for this report are the Open Society Institute - Sofia, the Indi-Roma 97 Social Foundation, the Health of the Roma People Foundation, the Roma Academy for Culture and Education Association, the Roma Solidarity Foundation, the Integro Association, the Nov Pat Association, the Amalipe Centre for Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance, and the World Without Borders Association (ibid. 2013a, 3).

[2] The participating NGOs for this report are the Open Society Institute - Sofia, the Indi-Roma 97 Social Foundation, the Health of the Roma People Foundation, the Roma Academy for Culture and Education Association, the Roma Solidarity Foundation, the Integro Association, the Nov Pat Association, the Centre for Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe", and the World Without Borders Association (Decade of Roma Inclusion 2013b, 1).

[3] This report was researched and written by Matrix Knowledge in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Democracy, the European Public Health Alliance and individual researchers on behalf of the Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) and the DG SANCO, with support from the EU Agency of Fundamental Rights (EU Aug. 2014, 7).

References

Amnesty International (AI). 2 October 2013. "Roma Rights." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2015]

Bulgarian New Agency (BTA). 13 July 2015. "Regional Governor Urges Local Authorities in Gurmen to House Homeless Roma." (Factiva)

_____. 9 July 2015. "Another 20 Illegal Houses in Roma Neighbourhood to Be Demolished in July." (Factiva)

_____. 23 June 2015. "Swiss-funded Roma Social Inclusion Project to Step on Early Childhood Education." (Factiva)

_____. N.d. "About BTA." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2015]

Council of Europe. 22 June 2015. Nils Muižnieks. Report by Nils Muižnieks Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Following His Visit to Bulgaria from 9 to 11 February 2015. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

_____. 16 September 2014. European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI). ECRI Report on Bulgaria. [Accessed 6 Oct. 2015]

The Decade of Roma Inclusion. 2013a. Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan in 2012 in Bulgaria. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

_____. 2013b. Updated Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan in 2012 and 2013 in Bulgaria. [Accessed 13 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "Decade in Brief." [Accessed 16 Oct. 2015]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 21 March 2013. "Millions Don't Help Roma Integration in Bulgaria." [Accessed 15 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "Deutsche Welle at a Glance." [Accessed 16 Oct. 2015]

European Union (EU). August 2014. European Commission. Roma Health Report: Health Status of the Roma Population. Data Collection in the Member States of the European Union. [Accessed 14 Oct. 2015]

_____. 5 April 2011. European Commission. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. An EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020. [Accessed 16 Oct. 2015]

Freedom House. 2015. "Bulgaria." Freedom in the World 2015. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

Minority Rights Group International (MRG). July 2015. "Europe." State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2015: Events of 2014. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

Novinite. 22 August 2015. "Roma Who Built Illegally in Bulgaria's Varna 'Can't Have Housing'." [Accessed 13 Oct. 2015]

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). 13 July 2015. Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. "ODIHR Director Link Calls for Halting Evictions of Roma and Anti-Roma Rhetoric in Bulgaria." [Accessed 28 Oct. 2015]

Roma Education Fund (REF). 2015. Advancing the Education of Roma in Bulgaria: REF Country Assessment - 2015. [Accessed 7 Oct. 2015]

Roma Health. N.d. "Roma Health." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2015]

The Sofia Globe. 20 August 2015. "Illegal Housing in Roma Neighbourhood of Varna Being Demolished." [Accessed 13 Oct. 2015]

United Nations (UN). 11 September 2015. UN News Centre. "France and Bulgaria Must Halt Forced Evictions of Roma, Says UN Human Rights Chief." [Accessed 5 Oct. 2015]

United States (US). 25 June 2015. "Bulgaria." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 9 Oct. 2015]

_____. 27 February 2014. "Bulgaria." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013. [Accessed 14 Oct. 2015]

World Bank. 2013. Bulgaria: Early Childhood Development. SABER Country Report 2013. [Accessed 13 Oct. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Al Jazeera; British Broadcasting Corporation; Balkan Insight; Bulgarian Helsinki Committee; Centre for Advanced Study Sofia; ecoi.net; European Network Against Racism; European Roma Rights Center; Human Rights Watch; The Independent; LeftEast; Reuters; Standart News; United Nations - Refworld.