Bulgaria

EU funding for Roma integration

For the 2014-2020 period, Bulgaria will be allocated a total of €7.2 billion in EU funds (current prices), out of which €5.1 billion will come from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). At least 28.7% of this amount will be spent on the ESF, with at least 20% of that going towards promoting social inclusion and combating poverty. The latter amount could also benefit Roma-related measures.

• Communication in 2015 on the implementation of the EU framework for national Roma integration strategies 

Contacts:

ESF managing authorities

ERDF managing authorities

More information on Bulgarian regional policy operational programmes (in English) and ESF OPs - EU Structural Funds Portal in Bulgaria. 

Facts and figures

The Council of Europe estimates that there are 750,000 Roma living in Bulgaria (10.33% of the population).

National strategy for Roma integration

The involvement of Bulgaria’s municipalities and all stakeholders at the local level is seen as crucial in promoting Roma integration. The strategy’s main objectives are reducing school dropouts among Roma children, addressing the lack of health insurance coverage, and building new social housing in 4 pilot municipalities.

Bulgaria’s strategy implementation

In Spring 2014, the Commission adopted its assessment on the progress made in the implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategies in the four key areas of education, employment, healthcare and housing, as well as in the fight against discrimination and the use of funding.

National contact point

Each EU country has been invited to appoint a national contact point for their national Roma integration strategy, with the authority to co-ordinate its development and implementation. 

In Bulgaria, it is the department “Prevention and protection from domestic violence, cooperation on ethnic and integration issues and interaction with civil society” - unit under the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers. The unit is Secretariat of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues.

Person of contact : Mr. Strahil Gornishki - s [dot] gornishkigovernment [dot] bg (s[dot]gornishki[at]government[dot]bg)