Minister (without a Portfolio) for Roma Affairs in the ITN cabinet?

The structure of the second government, proposed by “There is such a people” on August 3, includes the position of Minister (without Portfolio) for Roma Affairs. Dr. Antonia Valentinova has been nominated for it again. The ITN program declaration on the consensus priorities achieved with the parliamentary parties DB, IBGNI and BSP also includes intentions related to educational integration. What are they, what are the possible opportunities and threats to the proposed position of Minister (without Portfolio) for Roma Affairs?

The proposed position was also included in the first version of the ITN government. It should be noted that the establishment of a ministry or other administrative structure is not proposed. The practice so far of the activity of a Minister (without Portfolio) is to be a political figure to coordinate the implementation of horizontal policies that are in the competences of other ministries. In previous governments there was a Minister (without Portfolio) for European funds, for Bulgarians abroad, for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU and others. Usually the Minister (without Portfolio) does not have deputies, administration (except for a small team) and budget. Its specific powers are determined by the Prime Minister. At the moment, the intentions for the specific responsibilities of the Minister (without Portfolio) for Roma Affairs have not been announced. He is likely to coordinate the preparation and implementation of the new National Roma Strategy, which is due to be adopted by the end of September 2021, as required by the European Commission. This document is extremely important and the European Commission defines it as a “key condition” for operational programs funded by the European Social Fund. Ie without such a quality strategy, the European Commission will not fund the operational programs “Human Resources Development”, “Education” and “Good Governance”. The Minister (without Portfolio) for Roma Affairs will probably have to implement the long-awaited institutional reform in the non-functioning National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues.

Dr. Antonia Valentinova is an example of the heights that well-educated and energetic young Roma can reach. She grew up in an integrated Roma family, which has always supported her good education. At the insistence of her mother, she attended a school with a predominant number of students from the majority and thus received the quality education and motivation typical of desegregated schools. She was admitted simultaneously to three medical universities – in Sofia, Pleven and Varna, with a very high score. He chooses to study in the capital. For her preparation for the exams Antonia receives assistance from the scholarship program for medical students and doctors of Roma origin – an initiative of the Roma Health Care Project – Budapest, a scholarship program of the Roma Education Fund and the Open Society Institute with partners Center “Amalipe” and the “Promedia” Foundation.

The project aims to support the higher education of students of Roma origin who have chosen the specialties of medicine, pharmacy, obstetrics, radiology and rehabilitation, health management. As a result, more than two hundred Roma boys and girls successfully complete difficult medical specialties. It is significant that currently the vast majority of them work as active medics in Bulgaria and a very small number have emigrated. You can read the stories of the students from the Program here.

Dr. Valentinova graduated from the Medical University in Sofia with a grade of 5,25.

ITN’s proposal to introduce the position of Minister (without Portfolio) on Roma Affairs did not meet with public comment (positive or negative) from the main parties. It was met differently by different Roma activists. In its position, the Amalipe Center states that “The introduction of the position of “Minister (without Portfolio) on Roma Affairs” is a step that could accelerate the integration process, but at the same time is not a universal solution, a panacea and hides many underwater stones. ”The organization outlines the strengths and threats that accompany this innovative position. See the full text of the opinion HERE

On August 4, in the National Assembly, the ITN party issued a declaration listing the priority policies on which consensus had been reached with the DB, BSP and IBGNI. In the field of education, “effective integration of minority communities is also mentioned; establishing scholarships for minority students’. It remains to be seen how they will be included in the new government’s programming documents. The other thematic areas do not include situations related to the Roma.

See also Minister (without Пortfolio) on Roma Аffairs: opportunities and threats

The ITN proposal for Ministers of Education and Roma Affairs