Thu, Feb 09 2012
The Cabinet was seriously committed to solving the problems of the Roma community in Bulgaria, Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Baki Hiuseinov said.
Hiuseinov took part in roundtable talks organised by non-governmental organisation Roma Union for Sports and Culture.
Roma integration was social, rather than political or ethnic problem, Hiuseinov said.
To get equal labour market opportunities, Roma people needed better education, he said. Apart from the low education levels, Roma suffered bad housing conditions and unemployment.
Svetoslav Ivanov, another forum participant said that more than 800 000 Roma people live in Bulgaria. Nearly 64 per cent of these people had to make their living with less than three leva per day, he said.
Almost 400 000 people of Roma origin live isolated in ghettoes, Ivanov said.
Opposition parties and environmental protection NGOs argued that this and other provisions were the result of lobbyist pressure from ski resort operators.
Ferry-boat service between the Bulgarian and Romanian banks of the river may continue if the ferry captains decide that the weather conditions allow the safe passage of the boats.
Bulgaria shut down two 440MW units at its Kozloduy nuclear power plant in 2004 and two more units with the same installed power in 2006.
We hope this donation can assist those communities which are suffering, and especially those who have lost their homes, James Warlick says.
February 8 EC report notes a number of developments in Bulgaria’s progress in judicial reform, the fight against corruption and organised crime, but points to need for stronger action in a number of areas.