03.03.2012The National Roma Integration Strategy has been Approved
On the very day considered the transition to spring - March 1 - The National Assembly approved unanimously the National Roma Integration Strategy. A total of 104 Members of Parliament supported the document with general consensus - all voted ‘for’, no one ‘against’ or ‘abstention’.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Chairperson of NCCEII Tsvetanov introduced the Strategy underlining that has been proposed to the Parliament for consideration as the government’s intention is to introduce the integration of Roma as its long-term priority and they envisage the participation of other parliamentary parties in the process as well. We wish that this strategy be adopted by the 41th National Assembly and implemented by all future parliaments, all of us and together said Tsvetanov.
MPs from the governing party GERB supported the document unequivocally. MPs from BSP and MRF also gave their vote ‘ín favour of’, though with some reserves. According to Maya Manolova from BSP, the document has an utopic character. Milena Hristova, the only Romany MP in Parliament, argued that no specific measures have been incorporated in the document and also that the Roma inclusion is to be implemented by Government rather than the municipalities, as envisaged in the document. Ljutvi Mestan of MRF promised to vote 'in favour of' the Strategy, and emphasized the necessity for more precise and in-depth analysis of the reasons behind the core problem issue that hampers the complete integration of Roma.
MPs from the party Attack did not take part in the vote. In their view, the Strategy provides for privilege of one specific ethnic group.
The idea NRIS to be approved by the National Assembly was one of the main demands posed by Roma organizations in a series of conferences organized by CIEDT Amalipe, the Roma Academy of Culture and Education, ‘World Without Borders’ Association, ‘The New Road’ Association and ‘Roma’ Foundation - Lom held in October 2011. The Strategy itself was adopted by the Council of Ministers on December 21, 2011. In Decision No 01/05.01.2012 of the Council of Ministers contained extract that specifies the submission of the document for approval to the National Assembly. Apart from the Strategy, Action Plan has been adopted, which was not submitted to a vote at the National Assembly and will be the responsibility of the Council of Ministers.
