08.04.2022

WE WILL REFORM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR COOPERATION ON ETHNIC AND INTEGRATION ISSUES, SAID KALINA KONSTANTINOVA

We will reform the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues. This was stated to journalists in the Council of Ministers by Deputy Prime Minister for Effective Governance Kalina Konstantinova.

As chair of the council, she said there was a need to create a democratic mechanism for electing its member organizations.

"The National Council is not working effectively enough. There are many people who are disappointed and have stopped coming to it and actively participating," she said. Kalina Konstantinova explained that the body will be similar to the Civil Society Council, which she says is already working successfully.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that she had already met with the Roma community and the non-governmental sector on the long-term 10-year strategy for Roma inclusion and the action plan to be followed over the next year and a half. "Our focus there is on the earliest childhood and the care of mothers and pregnant women in the health sector. One of the bigger reforms we plan for next year is the one for ID cards. This is the key. In order to be able to have any kind of inclusion, we must first have personal documents and they can unlock access to all tools and mechanisms for inclusion," said Kalina Konstantinova.

Today, the Deputy Prime Minister held a meeting with representatives of the non-governmental sector on the occasion of the International Roma Day - April 8, at which she got acquainted with the problems of the Roma community in our country. The meeting was also attended by MPs from various groups, who also expressed political will to work in this direction.

17-year-old Virginia Atanasova from Shumen addressed the audience. On this day, the Roma say "no" to discrimination and "no" to war. We must accept ourselves as we are, be tolerant and empathetic. Let's be united, she urged.

During the discussion, civil society organizations presented their successfully implemented practices over the past year at regional and national level. The event was attended by representatives of the World Bank for Bulgaria, UNICEF for Bulgaria and other institutions.