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AMALIPE PROPOSALS TO THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

A draft partnership agreement of the Republic of Bulgaria, outlining ESIF help for the 2014-2020 period, published in July 2013 is significantly improved compared to the previous version of March 2013. It is gratifying that the issue of Roma integration is now explicitly included in the draft agreement, which corresponds to the ideas of the National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria for Roma Integration (NSRI), approved by the National Assembly by March 1, 2012.

In this regard the strengths of the Agreement are:

- Combination of targeted and general (mainstreaming) approaches to ensure the support of the ESIF;

- Giving priority on cross-cutting interventions and integrated projects for municipalities and other stakeholders for integration of Roma, including improving access to education, employment, health, quality social services and improving housing conditions;

- Explicit support for the implementation of Municipal plans and District strategies for the performance of NSRI.

At the same time the way in which the Agreement raises the issue of Roma integration suffers from a certain one-sidedness which must be overcome:

- It’s  not given due attention to discrimination on ethnic basis and negative anti-Roma attitudes as the main causes of social exclusion of the Roma. Respectively, the agreement does not provide support for such activities;

- The adopted preventive approach is suitable for other target groups described in section 3.1.5.,but it is insufficient for the Roma. Objectives set in the NSRI require not only prevention but also active intervention to overcome the present disparities and social exclusion.

In view of the proposed, we offer text of the draft partnership agreement to be completed in the following areas:

1. Part 3.1.5. "An integrated approach to address the specific needs of geographical areas that are most affected by poverty or of target groups at highest risk of discrimination or social exclusion", to be separated to "3.1.5. Integrated approach to addressing the specific needs of geographical areas and target groups that are most affected by poverty "and" 3.1.6. Integration of target groups at highest risk of discrimination and social exclusion, such as Roma."

The main argument for this are various reasons leading to exclusion of target groups included in the current version of 3.1.5.,as well as different approaches to tackling social exclusion of these groups. This makes this text juxtaposition. Formation of a new part "3.1.6. Integration of target groups at highest risk of discrimination and social exclusion, such as Roma "will provide new heuristic capabilities to better address the specific needs of different target groups.

The current version of section 3.1.5. identifies lack of employment and low levels of education as the main reasons for the exclusion of the target groups.  In accordance with this (and the National Strategy for poverty relief) is the "preventive approach – activities to be taken to eliminate the causes of poverty and social exclusion ". That is not enough for Roma and other vulnerable ethnic communities. Compared to the latter there are important additional reasons for exclusion, that are not valid for some other target groups: ethnic discrimination, stereotypes and prejudices, spatial differentiation / residential segregation. The existing social distances to vulnerable ethnic minorities, especially to Roma require not only prevention and elimination of the causes of social exclusion, but also active measures to address existing disparities in development.

2. We offer part 3.1.6. “Integration of target groups at highest risk of discrimination and social exclusion, such as Roma" to include:

- Target groups: with the Roma explicitly mentioned;

- Approach: it should clearly indicate that the approach follow the set by the NSRI one as a combination of prevention and intervention. Overcoming anti-Roma stereotypes and discrimination, as well as the activation of the Roma community should be an integral part of the approach. The approach should prioritize integrated cross interventions (including education, employment, housing, health care) without excluding sectoral interventions;

- Types of activities: in addition to the activities included in the current version of 3.1.5. it should involve activities to overcome anti-Roma stereotypes and discrimination, as well as activities for strengthening the Roma community;

- Indicative budget

- Indicators and mechanisms for measuring progress.

3. The text on page 16 describes the reasons for the low educational status of Roma "The main reasons for these data are difficult physical access to school, financial and domestic problems in the family, cultural backwardness, presence ofhealth problem". It should be supplemented by "insufficient implementation of intercultural and interactive education, as well as lack of proper training of teaching staff to work in multicultural environment, which are also important issues that determine troubled educational integration";

 4. The text on page 81, which describes the activities to reduce poverty must be completed with a new bullet "Development of innovative cross-cutting services to activate local Roma communities, such as Center for Community Development, etc."

 5. Text from page 82 "The national objectives can be achieved through certain actions and supported by relevant policies, which concentrate in themselves the appropriate actions, namely: ..." to be completed with a new bullet "Activities for the implementation of the Health Strategy for disadvantaged persons belonging to ethnic minorities: increasing the number of Roma health mediators, continuing the activities of existing social and health centers in the Roma community and creating new ones, supporting programs for the Roma studying in medical schools, etc. ";

6. Text from page 84 "The effort and investment funds from ESIF in the education sector will continue to implement structural reforms through: ..." to be supplemented by "Introducing intercultural education" and "Implementation of the Strategy for Educational Integration of Children and students from ethnic minorities "

7. Text from page 155 "Capacity building is an essential part of a"bottom - up" approach and includes: ..." to be completed with a new bullet "to ensure the participation of vulnerable groups in rural areas (with emphasis on the Roma) in CLLD ";

8. Text from page 157 "Local Action Groups will perform the following functions: ..." to be completed with a new bullet "Supporting initiatives aimed at activation of the local community"