23.06.2015European Commission adopted fourth report on the implementation of National Roma Integration Strategies – where is Bulgaria?
Member States continue to make progress in Roma integration, but further efforts are necessary. This is the conclusion of an annual Commission report adopted on June 18. It was announced during a joint press-conference by Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of EC, Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment and Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. (More about the Commissioners’ statement see at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5205_en.htm )
The document is the fourth annual report of the European commission for evaluating the policies for Roma integration of the country-members. It was prepared by several general directorates of the Commission on the base of observations and visits of the member states, and on the base of feedbacks / contributions gained from the governments and NGOs. From the side of Bulgaria contributions are provided by the Secretariat of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Demographic Issues and by Center Amalipe.
Since the European Commission put Roma integration on the European political agenda in 2011, progress has been achieved in the following areas:
- More funding dedicated to Roma integration: Member States have strengthened the financial support for the most disadvantaged groups, including Roma, for the 2014-2020 period. National, regional and local authorities can make use of over €90 billion available in the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund to build human capital, promote social inclusion and fight poverty. One of the priorities in this area is the integration of marginalised communities such as Roma.
- Closer cooperation with civil society and local authorities: Several Member states have established coordination structures for Roma integration, involving diverse stakeholders. National strategies are increasingly translated into local action plans, and the National Roma Contact Points are more closely involved in making the best use of EU funds.
- Monitoring results on the ground: Many Member States have improved monitoring and reporting mechanisms at national and European level.
There are however many worrying developments that require further action from Member States:
- Fighting against discrimination: There is a worrying rise in anti-Gypsyism, hate speech and hate crime. The Commission has stepped up its efforts to ensure correct implementation of anti-discrimination legislation towards Roma, including at local level. The Commission urges Member States to demonstrate greater political will and a long-term vision to combat discrimination of Roma people.
- More cooperation with civil society and local authorities is needed: Although many Member States have developed coordinated structures involving stakeholders, these now need to become more effective, and need to ensure that all relevant actors are involved. The Commission will support Member States in developing national platforms for Roma inclusion.
Where are we?
Bulgaria is represented in the report with only one good practice: the participation of Roma organizations in planning the new operative programs. „National authorities took over many of their proposals. Participation of Roma civil society within the monitoring committees will continue during implementation“, stated the report. As positive elements in the new programs are included:combination of mainstream and targeted approaches; clear objectives; support for comprehensive local interventions, including addressing negative stereotypes.. Challenges include: need for strengthening coordination at national level and building capacities of municipalities; limited ambition of the objectives and budget allocation for the targeted investment priority.
The inclusion of this good practice in Bulgaria is absolutely justified. Representatives of Roma associations were involved in the working out of four operative programs (Deyan Kolev from Amalipe was in the groups for elaboration “Human resources development” and “Science and education for intelligent growth”, Milena Ilieva from Worl without border – the group for OP “Good governing” and Spaska Petrova from New road – in Program for who needs most), their claims were almost entirely included in the regarding programs. Therefore the preconditions needed for funding the integration policy were established (at least at its “soft” parts – education, employment, health) .
The name of Bulgaria was mentioned also in the list of counties, in which the Program for development of rural regions should contain measures for integration. It is pointed out that the municipalities have elaborated the Municipal plans for Roma Inclusion, but is clear the fact that the secretariat of the National council for cooperation on ethnic and integration issues was included in the elaboration of the new operative programs and that with the funds from the European social fund a system for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the National strategy for Roma integration will be established.
Meanwhile, regarding the fact that the report is written in “Brussels” (in diplomatic and moderate tone, as should be read not only explicitly but also quietly) it makes impression on that Bulgaria is missing in some major parts of the report. That indicates serious gaps at least
Bulgaria is not included with any good practice and is not mentioned positively in any parts for cooperation and interaction between stakeholders: national contact point (The secretariat of the National Council…), civil organizations and local authorities. Against that the analogical report form 2014 persistently recommends restoring the dialogue with the Roma civil community, the absence of Bulgaria form this part is a clear sign that this dialogue is not available.
This is regarded for the dialogue between the Roma organizations and the National council …. In April 2013 the leading Roma organizations left this structure, defining it as ”not working” and “hollow” as they stated their suggestions for change. Instead of discussing these ideas, the management of the structure strated to seek replacements for these desolated organizations with new ones. Four leaders are already shifted (Ivaulo Kalfin is the current) and no change is on the horizon yet. So therefore the evaluation of the European Commission is absolutely precise: the recommendation from 2014 is not completed and this sharp question proceeds to be on the agenda.
Bulgaria is shown as a country with high levels of anti-Roma prejudices, language of hatred and discrimination, and with high levels of segregation in the education. But the it is missing in the list of the countries that have done something in the past year to overcome these problems. The experts wrote this report already in the spring, have hardly imagine that in the weeks of its publishment Bulgaria will be in the fever of such conflicts of ethnic garnish as in Gurmen, Orlandovtsi etc. High level of intolerance is a fact at. Also that obvious is the fact of the absence of contra-actions from the side of the country and the community.
Roads ahead
The report ends with recommendations to the member countries: to create efficient mechanisms for coordination, to use the EU funds for their integration policies and to turn the successful practices for integration on local level into national policies, to create systems for monitoring etc. Specific accent is put on the recommendations on combating segregation and anti-gypsism which are shown as a premise for success on each integration measure.
Member States continue to make progress in Roma integration, but further efforts are necessary. This is the conclusion of an annual Commission report adopted on June 18. It was announced during a joint press-conference by Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of EC, Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment and Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. (More about the Commissioners’ statement see at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5205_en.htm )
The document is the fourth annual report of the European commission for evaluating the policies for Roma integration of the country-members. It was prepared by several general directorates of the Commission on the base of observations and visits of the member states, and on the base of feedbacks / contributions gained from the governments and NGOs. From the side of Bulgaria contributions are provided by the Secretariat of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Demographic Issues and by Center Amalipe.
Since the European Commission put Roma integration on the European political agenda in 2011, progress has been achieved in the following areas:
- More funding dedicated to Roma integration: Member States have strengthened the financial support for the most disadvantaged groups, including Roma, for the 2014-2020 period. National, regional and local authorities can make use of over €90 billion available in the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund to build human capital, promote social inclusion and fight poverty. One of the priorities in this area is the integration of marginalised communities such as Roma.
- Closer cooperation with civil society and local authorities: Several Member states have established coordination structures for Roma integration, involving diverse stakeholders. National strategies are increasingly translated into local action plans, and the National Roma Contact Points are more closely involved in making the best use of EU funds.
- Monitoring results on the ground: Many Member States have improved monitoring and reporting mechanisms at national and European level.
There are however many worrying developments that require further action from Member States:
- Fighting against discrimination: There is a worrying rise in anti-Gypsyism, hate speech and hate crime. The Commission has stepped up its efforts to ensure correct implementation of anti-discrimination legislation towards Roma, including at local level. The Commission urges Member States to demonstrate greater political will and a long-term vision to combat discrimination of Roma people.
- More cooperation with civil society and local authorities is needed: Although many Member States have developed coordinated structures involving stakeholders, these now need to become more effective, and need to ensure that all relevant actors are involved. The Commission will support Member States in developing national platforms for Roma inclusion.
Where are we?
Bulgaria is represented in the report with only one good practice: the participation of Roma organizations in planning the new operative programs. „National authorities took over many of their proposals. Participation of Roma civil society within the monitoring committees will continue during implementation“, stated the report. As positive elements in the new programs are included:combination of mainstream and targeted approaches; clear objectives; support for comprehensive local interventions, including addressing negative stereotypes.. Challenges include: need for strengthening coordination at national level and building capacities of municipalities; limited ambition of the objectives and budget allocation for the targeted investment priority.
The inclusion of this good practice in Bulgaria is absolutely justified. Representatives of Roma associations were involved in the working out of four operative programs (Deyan Kolev from Amalipe was in the groups for elaboration “Human resources development” and “Science and education for intelligent growth”, Milena Ilieva from Worl without border – the group for OP “Good governing” and Spaska Petrova from New road – in Program for who needs most), their claims were almost entirely included in the regarding programs. Therefore the preconditions needed for funding the integration policy were established (at least at its “soft” parts – education, employment, health) .
The name of Bulgaria was mentioned also in the list of counties, in which the Program for development of rural regions should contain measures for integration. It is pointed out that the municipalities have elaborated the Municipal plans for Roma Inclusion, but is clear the fact that the secretariat of the National council for cooperation on ethnic and integration issues was included in the elaboration of the new operative programs and that with the funds from the European social fund a system for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the National strategy for Roma integration will be established.
Meanwhile, regarding the fact that the report is written in “Brussels” (in diplomatic and moderate tone, as should be read not only explicitly but also quietly) it makes impression on that Bulgaria is missing in some major parts of the report. That indicates serious gaps at least
Bulgaria is not included with any good practice and is not mentioned positively in any parts for cooperation and interaction between stakeholders: national contact point (The secretariat of the National Council…), civil organizations and local authorities. Against that the analogical report form 2014 persistently recommends restoring the dialogue with the Roma civil community, the absence of Bulgaria form this part is a clear sign that this dialogue is not available.
This is regarded for the dialogue between the Roma organizations and the National council …. In April 2013 the leading Roma organizations left this structure, defining it as ”not working” and “hollow” as they stated their suggestions for change. Instead of discussing these ideas, the management of the structure strated to seek replacements for these desolated organizations with new ones. Four leaders are already shifted (Ivaulo Kalfin is the current) and no change is on the horizon yet. So therefore the evaluation of the European Commission is absolutely precise: the recommendation from 2014 is not completed and this sharp question proceeds to be on the agenda.
Bulgaria is shown as a country with high levels of anti-Roma prejudices, language of hatred and discrimination, and with high levels of segregation in the education. But the it is missing in the list of the countries that have done something in the past year to overcome these problems. The experts wrote this report already in the spring, have hardly imagine that in the weeks of its publishment Bulgaria will be in the fever of such conflicts of ethnic garnish as in Gurmen, Orlandovtsi etc. High level of intolerance is a fact at. Also that obvious is the fact of the absence of contra-actions from the side of the country and the community.
Roads ahead
The report ends with recommendations to the member countries: to create efficient mechanisms for coordination, to use the EU funds for their integration policies and to turn the successful practices for integration on local level into national policies, to create systems for monitoring etc. Specific accent is put on the recommendations on combating segregation and anti-gypsism which are shown as a premise for success on each integration measure.
