Round Table on Issues of Ethnic Minorities’ Integration is Held in Assenovgrad

National Round Table on Ethnic Integration Issues started in the Bulgarian town of Asenovgrad on 24^th of August. The event is organized following protests by residents of the town who demanded more security and equal rights for all ethnicities after men from the Roma neighborhood attacked athlets from the local rowing team.

Participants in the round table include representatives of the education and social ministry, as well as Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov and Ombudsman Maya Manolova. They ensure that measures are taken to resolve these problems. There are also representatives of the small municipalities and representatives of the initiative committee of the protesters who are the parents of the children injured in the attack at the beginning of July.

According to the parents, some of the measures are already in place, but unfortunately are not enough. They point out that the problems with illegally residing Roma people in Asenovgrad as well as their illegally built homes cannot be solved only by talking. The issued shpuld be looked into its depth and back in time because according to their data in 2014 there were about 230 illegally built homes, which are currently still there. According to them, the buildings that are being demolished are outbuildings.

The father of one of the victims, Ivan Todorov, said the lawyers of the attackers have filed a lawsuit against him and his child.

During the discussion, everyone acknowledged that over the years, a lot of money has been spent on Roma integration, but unfortunately without any results, and now in many places there are “ticking bombs” that possibly may turn into big conflicts.

In the discussion, the experts announced the measures to be implemented from the new school year.

Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov presented details about the new approach to including all pupils, including Roma children in the school curricular. He said there will be joint teams with representatives of the education ministry, social workers and the police, who will travel around the country to check whether all children to be enrolled in compulsory education are included in preparatory groups at school.

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