News

Workshop of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues for presenting the results of the pilot developed Strategy for Integration of Roma in Sofia district and Action Plans of Dolna Banya, Ihtiman and Slivnitsa took place on November 15.

The first part of the meeting was in the form of training on the process of development of regional strategies and local action plans. Participants in the training were representatives of regional administrations,experts on ethnic and integration issues and members of non-governmental organizations. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Rosica Ivanova - Secretary NCCEI, who explained the process and steps of the development of regional strategies and local plans for implementing the National Strategy for Roma integration. Special attention was paid to the experience of Amalipe as an active partner of the regional administration of the Sofia region and the Secretariat of NCCEI in the development of a pilot strategy for the integration of Roma in Sofia district and Action Plan of Dolna Banya Municipality until 2014 ..

J. Grigorova - Amalipe expert pointed out that the strategies and plans should rely only on executable actions with clearly measurable results, focusing on partnerships with businesses and NGOs and other active units in the territories. They should include activities implemented on a voluntary basis or by using volunteers and  the needs, expectations and attitudes of specific Roma communities should be taken into account.

R. Ivanova stressed on the fact that NGOs and the representatives of the Council will be helpful in the development of the two key documents that are required as a result of the National Strategy for Roma integration.

The second part of the meeting was chaired by Mr. Georgi Krastev (Deputy Chairman of NCCEI). He explained to the governors the steps, procedures and supporting guidance on the process of developing regional strategies integration of Roma and action plans for their municipalities. The main results of the pilot developed strategy for Roma integration in Sofia region including plans for activation of the corresponding pilot municipalities - Dolna Banya, Ihtiman and Slivnitsa were presented at the meeting. It was stressed that the structure of these strategies should remain as the National Strategy - introduction, analysis of the Roma community, sectoral analysis, necessary conclusions and recommendations, monitoring and evaluation, and governance and institutional mechanism to manage the implementation of the strategy. Action Plan must follow the action plan of the National Strategy. First period until 2014, and the second period from 2014 to 2020. What should be done now is to develop an action plan by 2014. It was noted that it would be better for the municipalities to set a specific budget in the action plans. This would be an example of the good integration policy of the municipality.

A working group chaired by the Minister on the management of EU funds T. Donchev has been formed to plan the next program period 2014-2020 and to manage its connection to the Roma integration - said Mr. Krastev. He noted that it is necessary to pay greater attention to the staff ensured policy for the integration of Roma and greater attention to regional and local experts, their status, their education, their requirement because for us this is not just to report an activity to the European Union. January 30, 2013 is the deadline for the development of regional strategies and action plans of the municipalities - get to work, Krastev said.