Forthcoming: DISCUSSION FORUM “POLICIES FOR EQUALITY, INCLUSION AND PARTICIPATION OF THE ROMA: INVESTMENT IN BULGARIA’S BETTER FUTURE”

The Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance “Amalipe” together with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation are organizing a discussion forum “Policies for Equality, Inclusion and Roma Participation: Investing in a Better Future of Bulgaria”, which will be held on 15.02.2022. from 14:00 and which will be held online via Facebook Live.

Purpose of the forum:

  • Presentation of the analysis “Implementation of the National Strategy for Roma Integration” and the report “Concept for the new National Strategy for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma”, prepared by the Amalipe Center on behalf of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The documents are available at here.
  • Discussion on forthcoming actions for approval of the National Strategy for Equality, Inclusion of Roma in Bulgaria.

The forum will be attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues (NCCEII), Kalina Konstantinova, MPs, ambassadors from the Roma Ambassadors’ Group (the group includes 16 ambassadors from the EU, UK and US), representatives of the European Commission and Roma / pro-Roma NGOs.

Moderator: Irina Nedeva, journalist in the Horizont Program of the Bulgarian National Radio, President of the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria

Interpretation by Marianna Hill and Russana Beyleri

Why is the forum necessary?

In October 2020 The European Commission has published a renewed European framework for national strategies for Roma equality, inclusion and participation. It builds on the previous European Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, including topics on tackling anti-Roma discrimination / anti-Gypsyism, Roma participation and reaching the most vulnerable groups in the Roma community itself (Roma women, children, youth, etc.). The European framework requires all EU Member States to develop their national strategies for Roma equality, inclusion and participation by the end of September 2021.

In Bulgaria, the elaboration of a National Roma Strategy began in December 2020. through a working version prepared by the NCCEII Secretariat. The initial reaction of Roma and pro-Roma organizations was strongly criticized for the document, and especially for the way it was prepared, which did not involve broad civil society participation. Subsequently, some of these weaknesses were overcome, but there was no widespread participation of civil society organizations and independent experts in the process of preparing the new National Roma Strategy. Towards the end of 2021 Bulgaria has not yet approved a National Strategy for Equality, Inclusion and Roma Participation.

AGENDA

14:00-14:10 Introductory words and greetings to the participants
Kalina Konstantinova, Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the NCCEII
Deyan Kolev – Chairman of the Board of CIDT “Amalipe”
14:10-14:25 Presentation of the main conclusions from the report “Implementation of the National Strategy for Roma Integration” and the report “Concept for the new National Strategy for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma”
Alexey Pamporov, Deyan Kolev
14:25 – 14:35 The European framework for equality and inclusion of the Roma
Szabolcs Schmidt – European Commission, DG Justice;
14:35-15:40 Feedback / reactions from:
Kalina Konstantinova, Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the NCCEII;
HE Martina Feeney, Ambassador of Ireland and Co-Chair of the Roma Ambassadors’ Group;
Jeroen Jutte – European Commission, DG “Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion” at European Comission;
MPs from the parliamentary groups of:

  • We continue the change (PP) – Nastimir Ananiev;
  • GERB – Denitsa Sacheva;
  • BSP for Bulgaria – Veska Nencheva
  • There Is Such a People (ITN) – Plamen Nikolov;
  • Yes, Bilgaria (DB) – Vladislav Panev;
  • Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) – Dimitar Avramov

National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva (tbc);
Ph.D Ana Dzhumalieva, Chair of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination;
Vanya Stoyneva – Deputy Minister of Education and Science;
Ivan Popov – Head of  the managing authority of the Operational Program Science and Education for Smart Growth;
Tsvetan Spasov – Head of the the managing authority of the Operational Program for Human Resources Development;
Lilia Makaveeva, co-coordinator of the Roma Civil Monitoring Initiative in Bulgaria;
Ventsislav Spirdonov – Chairman of the Association of Chairmen of Municipal Councils;
Teodora Dacheva – representative of National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria

15:40-15:55 Discussion and questions from the participants
15:55-16:00 Closing of the forum

You can watch the discussion forum HERE: