Sun, Nov 22 2009

Head of Bulgaria's State Agency for Child Protection quits - report

Mon, Jul 27 2009 14:48 CET byClive Leviev-Sawyer 888 Views 1 Comment
Head of Bulgaria's State Agency for Child Protection quits - report

Shirin Mestan.

Photo: Krassimir Yuskeseliev

State Agency for Child Protection chief Shirin Mestan submitted her resignation on July 27 2009, moments after Prime Minister Boiko Borissov's Cabinet took the oath of office in Bulgaria's Parliament, Bulgarian news agency Focus quoted a Bulgarian National Radio report as saying.

Mestan (46) has headed the agency under the two previous governments, that headed by Sergei Stanishev and its predecessor, in which Simeon Saxe-Coburg was prime minister.

Mestan, born in Krumovgrad and a Plovdiv University graduate, was seen as close to Ahmed Dogan's Movement for Rights and Freedoms, which participated in the previous two ruling coalitions. The MRF is in opposition in the National Assembly elected on July 5 2009.

During her term as head of the SACP, Bulgaria has seen a number of controversies, memorably the documentary that exposed conditions at the Mogilino children's home. While Mestan was in office, the agency sought to move against a number of issues affecting children, including illegal child labour, trafficking of children, child sexual abuse and domestic violence against children.

The agency has also been involved in attempts to reform and improve the system for international adoptions of Bulgarian children.

Comments

Anonymous sonia Tue, Jul 28 2009 18:25 CET
Inappropriate comment?

Seems a shame that she feels unable to continue; she of course feels loyalty to her party but, even so, it looks as if she has been able to do a lot of good.

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Bulgaria to shut down sub-standard orphanages

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Shirin Mestan, chairperson of the State Agency for Child Protection (SACP), speaks to VELINA NACHEVA about the work of the agency.

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