News

  At its meeting on 12 May 2010 the Council of Ministers adopted the Framework Programme for Integration of Roma into Bulgarian Society (2010-2020). Key strategic objective of the Program is to create conditions for equal integration of Roma in public and political life by achieving equal opportunities and equal access to rights, benefits, goods and services, participation in all public areas and improving quality of life while respecting the principles of equality and non discrimination.

The Framework Programme is a national strategic document which sets out priority areas and lines of action - education, health, housing, employment, culture, discrimination and equal opportunities. Special attention is paid to the optimization model for allocation of management responsibilities between the executive bodies, improving mechanisms for coordination with the civil society, including municipalities in the implementation of policies for Roma integration, providing financial back-up of integration policies and programs with funds from the state budget, EU funds and others.

The approved version contains many of the proposals made by a wide range of Roma organizations and independent experts. These suggestions have been submitted to the previous government several times in 2008 and 2009 and were approved during the National meeting of Roma NGOs organized by Center Amalipe on December 9, 2009 in Sofia. The approved version is based on the draft Framework program elaborated by Roma organizations in January 2009 and March 2009. You can find more information about this on Amalipe website: http://amalipe.com/index.php?nav=news&id=126

 

The process for updating the Framework program for equal integration of Roma into Bulgarian society has started in 2008. Initially it was guided by the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Demographic Issues. Center “Amalipe” and dozens of Roma organizations had been actively involved in this process. In the beginning of 2009 the chair of the NCCEDI sent the process in „impasse”  eliminating the participation of Roma organizations that led to failure. Following the structural changes in the Counci of Ministers since September 2009 the preparation of the new Framework program was delegated to the National coordinator of the Decade of Roma inclusion (situated in the MLSP) and to the Council for integration of Roma within the MLSP who finished successfully the process..