The situation in Bulgaria

Note from the Editor of Roma Virtual Network:

Dear All!

The frequent dissemination of announcements and news items related to the situation of Roma in Bulgaria became the vital necessity during this week. It helps us to introduce you with the situation, with the Romani point of view and Romani response on the challenge of ethnic hatred which recently became very visible in many places across Bulgaria.

We are grateful for your solidarity, understanding and cooperation with us, especially these days!

Mr. Valery Novoselsky,
On behalf of the Team of Roma Virtual Network.
http://www.valery-novoselsky.org/romavirtualnetwork.html

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Press release

Meeting between Roma representatives and representative of the Bulgarian President Regarding the current crisis situation in the Republic of Bulgaria

Three representatives of ‘Civil Society in Action’ (CSA) Association had a meeting with Ms. Sonya Staikova, Director of the Complaints and Requests Department at the Office of Bulgarian President, today, September 30, 2011.

During the meeting Emiliya Dancheva, Orhan Tahir and Dimitar Georgiev submitted a letter on the current crisis situation in Bulgaria prepared by Civil Society in Action. The letter was also sent to media as a press release. The statement was signed by 33 Bulgarian citizens, including journalists, political science experts, teachers, lawyers, psychologists, civil activists, representatives of the three largest Roma neighborhoods in Sofia, “Fakulteta”, “Hristo Botev” and “Filipovtsi”. Ten American citizens residing in Bulgaria also supported the statement with signature.

The representatives of Civil Society in Action explained that due to the government’s inability to cope with growing ethnic tensions in the country, citizens of Bulgarian, Roma and Turkish ethnic origin call upon the President to deal with the current situation. Civil society in Action calls upon the President to set up a Crisis Committee during the meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security on October 1, 2011. The committee is expected to devise an adequate plan to deal with the current crisis situation. The civil group also calls upon the President to make a public statement to the representatives of the executive, legislative and judiciary authority to fulfill their duties by law and guarantee security of citizens and law enforcement in the state.