All News on Social Issues in Bulgaria

Bulgaria Interim ex-PM Joining Constitution Committee

Law lecturer Prof Georgi Bliznashki is to join an ad hoc committee in Parliament set up to work on proposed constitutional changes.

Blizhashki, whose academic experience is overwhelmingly in constitutional law, has been a staunch critic of some of the amendments, and his comments have often been met with resentment by pro-reform lobbies.

EU Commission Allocates EUR 55 M to Roma Integration in Bulgaria

More than BGN 110 M, or EUR 55 M, of funding earmarked for Bulgaria under the 2014-2020 operational programs are to be set aside for Roma integration, a EU official has said.

"The money is available now, could be used outright and the work [done with it] has to be complex," according to EU Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva.

BBC: 'Bulgaria's Fortified Frontier a Staging Post for Migrants'

The new border policy of Bulgaria has been discussed in a BBC article. The border police post at Elhovo is the starting point.

Now that a razor-wire fence 1,5 meters thick is now extending along the Southern border with Turkey, Bulgarian officials reportedly believe that the measure is a safer and more effective way to deal with the increased refugee influx to the EU.

Serbian PM Condemns Hungarian Border Fence

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told the Serbian public broadcaster RTS on June 17 that he was "surprised and shocked" by the Hungarian decision to fence off the border to stop migrants from entering the country.

Hungary to Fence Off Serbia Border to Stop Migrants

Peter Szijjarto, the Foreign Minister of Hungary, said on June 17 that illegal migration is one of the most serious problems facing the European Union and has announced that Hungary will fence off the border with Serbia - one of the main transit routes to Western Europe.

Several Injured as Tensions Escalate at Protest in Sofia Neighbourhood

Several people were injured after tensions escalated at a protest in the Orlandovtsi neighbourhood in the capital of Bulgaria on Sunday.

Nearly 200 people protested against the crimes committed by the Roma community with the protest escalating into a violent clash.

Moratorium on Timber Exports in Bulgaria Remains in Place

The existing moratorium on timber exports remains in place until the adoption of a set of amendments to the Forest Act, according to Bulgaria's Deputy Agriculture Minister Georgi Kostov.

The 3-month moratorium, which was introduced by Bulgaria's government so as to pave the way for the adoption of legal amendments targeting illegal logging, expired on Tuesday.

Bulgaria to Press for Cut in Proposed Migrant Quota

Bulgaria on Monday called for a cut in the proposed migrant relocation and resettlement quotas allocated to the country by the European Commission.

The Commission last month unveiled proposals to relocate 40,000 migrants from Italy and Greece to other EU member states and resettle a further 20,000 across the EU over the next two years.

Almost 2,500 migrants repatriated in May

A total of 2,469 migrants detained in Greece without proper travel documents were returned to their homelands in May, the Greek Police said Thursday.

Bulgaria's Garmen Braces for Protest over Illegal Buildings

Residents of Garmen, a village in southwestern Bulgaria, are set to stage a demonstration on Tuesday to vent their anger at what they call a state of lawlessness in the Roma neighborhood.

Security has been stepped up, and additional police forces have been deployed to prevent any major escalation.

Bulgarians Often Become Victims of Labor Exploitation Abroad - EU-wide Study

Bulgarians often become victims of labor exploitation abroad, according to a report of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

FRA's new report is the first of its kind to comprehensively explore all criminal forms of labor exploitation in the EU affecting workers moving within or into the EU.

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