News

TO:

CHAIR OF THE BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT

TO:

PRIME-MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

TO:

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

The events from Katunitsa, as well as the threats and violence in the Roma neighbourhoods all over Bulgaria challenge the major achievements of Bulgaria during the last two decades: non-violent transition, ethnic piece, the model of civic nation where all ethnic groups Roma, Bulgarians, Turks study and leave together. The events from the last couple of days resulted in growing fear in the Roma neighbourhoods: fear for the safety of the children and for their own safety. In this situation thousands of Roma children stopped going to school and thousands of Roma parents did not go to work. The most vulnerable part of the Roma community in this situation turned to be that groups of people who work and study outside of the Roma ghettos and neighbourhoods, i.e. all those people on whom we rely to be the main agent of change for the modernization of the community.   

We, the representatives of non-governmental organizations, institutions, public figures, citizens:

• CONDEMN VIOLENCE: we condemn the murder of Angel Petrov, as well as the the subsequent assault, fires, beatings and excesses over the inhabitants of the Roma neighbourhoods;
• WE ARE AGAINST THE RELUCTANCY OF THE INSTITUTIONS TO REACT AND FOLLOW THEIR OBLIGATIONS, both during the conflict which appeared in the last days, as well as during the last years;
• WE STRONGLY CONDEMN THE ANTI-ROMA CAMPAIGN which has followed the events in Katunitsa and we would not accept this attitude appalled by the lack of justice against a person to be transferred to the entire Roma community;
• WE UNDERLINE THE FACT that Roma have contributed, contribute and will contribute to the future of Bulgaria and Europe;
• WE REQUIRE STRONG AND REAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS FOR ROMA INTEGRATION: on behalf the institutions of the executive and legislative power, with the cooperation and participation of civil society organizations and the community itself

We, the representatives of non-governmental organizations, institutions, public figures, citizens insist for:

• Аdequate reaction on behalf of all relevant institutions for compliance and enforcementofall lawsin Bulgaria
• immediate steps to ensure the security of the inhabitants of Roma settlements, the possibility to attend school and work without fear for themselves and their families;
• treatment with the strongest and immediate extent of the law of any form of incitement to ethnic hatred and the use of hate speech on one or another ethnic group;
• ensuring the necessary institutional, normative and legal framework for fostering the integration of Roma: incl. urgent reforms of the institutions responsible for Roma integration, adoption of National Strategy for Roma Integration by an act of the National Assembly and an operational action plan with specific administrative, financial and time commitments 

We appeal to everybody who supports the declaration to send an e-mail of support to t_krumova@yahoo.com