13.07.2015Open letter on the upcoming demolition of houses in the neighborhood Kremikovtzi, Garmen
To:
PRESIDENT of the Republic of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev
Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria Margarita Popova
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Ivaylo Kalfin
Deputy Prime Minister for EU funds Tomislav Donchev
Minister of Regional Development Lilyana Pavlova
Chairperson of Shild Protection Eva Zhecheva
Head of Directorate National Construction Control Milka Gecheva
Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe" and National Children Network expresse deep concern over the intention of the State Agency for National Construction Control to destroy 124 of 134 houses in "Kremikovtzi" neighborhood of Garmen without any alternative housing accommodation to the affected families. This step would leave without a roof over the heads of more than 200 children, will lead to their dropping out of school and expose them to a variety of additional risks that they do not face now! Such an action is unacceptable for a country and society have chosen to be part of the European Union!
Center "Amalipe" was involved on the field to do social assessment of children and families at risk in Garmen, initiated by the State Agency for Child Protection (SACP) from 2 to 5 July When performing scan all families became clear that the residents of the neighborhood children are well cared for by their families and are not subjected to additional risks than those arising from the poverty of their parents. For example:
- No children are left without parental supervision;
- No drug addiction and smoking are widespread;
- Subject to compulsory education of children are enrolled in the local school "St. Cyril and Methodius "(170 students) and the school in. Gorno Dryanovo (32 students).
In addition, families from the neighborhood "Kremikovtzi", although living in severe poverty and poor housing conditions, also can not be identified as risky: no instances of alcoholism and drug addiction, divorces are exceptions, housing hygiene exists.
The destruction of 124 homes and the lack of adequate alternative housing will unlock all possible risk factors. Families will remain without shelter and even basic living conditions. Children are more likely to drop out of school, which will minimize the chances of a decent job and life fulfillment. Likely left without housing families become criminalized contingent.
As an illustration of the reality of these threats can point to the fact that after anti-Roma protests and ensuing blockade of four-wheelers "Kremikovtzi" 137 children stopped attending school. In the destruction of the first 4 houses, fifteen children spent the night outdoors. In the planned demolition of two houses July 13, live more children, including children with 95% disability.
Planned demolition of houses in "Kremikovtzi" is associated with a clear sense of lack of interaction and even confrontation between different institutions and attempts to residents of the neighborhood to be turned into victims of political abuse. For example, in 2011-12, all houses have received certification of tolerance of Garmen Municipality, which were subsequently canceled by Agency for Construction Control without owners have been notified of this. The destruction is accompanied by unprecedented public pressure and anti-Roma rhetoric, leaving victims with a strong sense of injustice and discrimination committed against them.
Forced eviction of families from their homes unique is not only a violation of at least three international treaties in which the Bulgarian state is a party to which Bulgaria was found guilty of three different international institutions (European Court of Human Rights, the Committee on Human Rights of the United Nations The European Committee of Social Rights). This act, coupled with putting at serious risk of hundreds of children and dire lack of interaction between major institutions is a serious retreat from the values and principles of the European Union that our state and society have chosen to follow. That is in line with the announcement earlier opinion of NNC.
At the same time we do not deny that 124 out of 134 homes have the status of illegal construction. Moreover - most of them do not provide good living conditions for their inhabitants.
Considering all this, we appeal to the NCSD, Garmen Municipality, SACP and all interested institutions to urgently design and implementation of a crisis plan that would lead to a reasonable way out of the situation. We recommend the following steps to be included in this plan:
1. Postponement of the demolition of the houses in "Kremikovtzi" until it found a reasonable alternative housing to families that do not put children at risk;
2. Increased social work with families in "Kremikovtzi" for a concrete solution to each case;
3. Support Garmen Municipality for the construction of social housing, including using the opportunities of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Regional Development Fund;
4. Support for improving the quality of education in schools in Garmen. With. With. Gorno Dryanovo, including increased work with parents;
An important prerequisite for the development and implementation of that crisis plan is the restoration of dialogue between different ethnic groups in the municipality of Garmen and conduct a public forum involving all stakeholders.
Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe" and other organizations of NNC express their readiness to assist in the implementation of the plan as the crisis with its own means of support activities in schools. Garmen with. Gorno Dryanovo to increase the coverage and quality of education as well as contribute to the achievement of social outreach work among the community in "Kremikovtzi".
For Center "Amalipe" Deyan Kolev, Chairman, deyan_kolev@amalipe.com
For NNC Georgi Bogdanov, CEO, George.bogdanov@nmd.bg
To:
PRESIDENT of the Republic of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev
Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria Margarita Popova
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Ivaylo Kalfin
Deputy Prime Minister for EU funds Tomislav Donchev
Minister of Regional Development Lilyana Pavlova
Chairperson of Shild Protection Eva Zhecheva
Head of Directorate National Construction Control Milka Gecheva
Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe" and National Children Network expresse deep concern over the intention of the State Agency for National Construction Control to destroy 124 of 134 houses in "Kremikovtzi" neighborhood of Garmen without any alternative housing accommodation to the affected families. This step would leave without a roof over the heads of more than 200 children, will lead to their dropping out of school and expose them to a variety of additional risks that they do not face now! Such an action is unacceptable for a country and society have chosen to be part of the European Union!
Center "Amalipe" was involved on the field to do social assessment of children and families at risk in Garmen, initiated by the State Agency for Child Protection (SACP) from 2 to 5 July When performing scan all families became clear that the residents of the neighborhood children are well cared for by their families and are not subjected to additional risks than those arising from the poverty of their parents. For example:
- No children are left without parental supervision;
- No drug addiction and smoking are widespread;
- Subject to compulsory education of children are enrolled in the local school "St. Cyril and Methodius "(170 students) and the school in. Gorno Dryanovo (32 students).
In addition, families from the neighborhood "Kremikovtzi", although living in severe poverty and poor housing conditions, also can not be identified as risky: no instances of alcoholism and drug addiction, divorces are exceptions, housing hygiene exists.
The destruction of 124 homes and the lack of adequate alternative housing will unlock all possible risk factors. Families will remain without shelter and even basic living conditions. Children are more likely to drop out of school, which will minimize the chances of a decent job and life fulfillment. Likely left without housing families become criminalized contingent.
As an illustration of the reality of these threats can point to the fact that after anti-Roma protests and ensuing blockade of four-wheelers "Kremikovtzi" 137 children stopped attending school. In the destruction of the first 4 houses, fifteen children spent the night outdoors. In the planned demolition of two houses July 13, live more children, including children with 95% disability.
Planned demolition of houses in "Kremikovtzi" is associated with a clear sense of lack of interaction and even confrontation between different institutions and attempts to residents of the neighborhood to be turned into victims of political abuse. For example, in 2011-12, all houses have received certification of tolerance of Garmen Municipality, which were subsequently canceled by Agency for Construction Control without owners have been notified of this. The destruction is accompanied by unprecedented public pressure and anti-Roma rhetoric, leaving victims with a strong sense of injustice and discrimination committed against them.
Forced eviction of families from their homes unique is not only a violation of at least three international treaties in which the Bulgarian state is a party to which Bulgaria was found guilty of three different international institutions (European Court of Human Rights, the Committee on Human Rights of the United Nations The European Committee of Social Rights). This act, coupled with putting at serious risk of hundreds of children and dire lack of interaction between major institutions is a serious retreat from the values and principles of the European Union that our state and society have chosen to follow. That is in line with the announcement earlier opinion of NNC.
At the same time we do not deny that 124 out of 134 homes have the status of illegal construction. Moreover - most of them do not provide good living conditions for their inhabitants.
Considering all this, we appeal to the NCSD, Garmen Municipality, SACP and all interested institutions to urgently design and implementation of a crisis plan that would lead to a reasonable way out of the situation. We recommend the following steps to be included in this plan:
1. Postponement of the demolition of the houses in "Kremikovtzi" until it found a reasonable alternative housing to families that do not put children at risk;
2. Increased social work with families in "Kremikovtzi" for a concrete solution to each case;
3. Support Garmen Municipality for the construction of social housing, including using the opportunities of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Regional Development Fund;
4. Support for improving the quality of education in schools in Garmen. With. With. Gorno Dryanovo, including increased work with parents;
An important prerequisite for the development and implementation of that crisis plan is the restoration of dialogue between different ethnic groups in the municipality of Garmen and conduct a public forum involving all stakeholders.
Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe" and other organizations of NNC express their readiness to assist in the implementation of the plan as the crisis with its own means of support activities in schools. Garmen with. Gorno Dryanovo to increase the coverage and quality of education as well as contribute to the achievement of social outreach work among the community in "Kremikovtzi".
For Center "Amalipe" Deyan Kolev, Chairman, deyan_kolev@amalipe.com
For NNC Georgi Bogdanov, CEO, George.bogdanov@nmd.bg
