Category Archives: Bulgaria

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Balkan, Work, and Roma

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Balkan, Work, and Roma

The labour market situation in the countries of the Western Balkans is bad – the population of Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina is aging.

The other big problem for these countries is migration – many young people of working age emigrate and prefer to build a career in EU countries – for example, in Germany, Austria or Italy. This creates a serious shortage of qualified labour in the Western Balkans.

By 2050, Serbia is expected to lose over 40 percent of its citizens of working age. The situation is similar in neighbouring Bulgaria, where according to UN data, the country will shrink by 23% by 2050. Similar forecasts are made for other countries in the region.

Roma can solve part of these issues in the labour market.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Fire in Bulgaria

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Fire in Bulgaria

A fire erupted in a poor neighbourhood in Bulgaria. A 49-year-old local resident was detained. An argument broke out between him and the woman he lives with. Then he lit a blanket and caused a fire. The buildings were built of highly flammable materials.

According to the paper this is a fire “with a Roma flavour” … What does that mean, apart from obvious racist views?

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Stereotypes

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Stereotypes

An article about a Roma “baron” (which do not exist) in the Bulgarian press. Mihail Shterionov, known by the nickname Pandurito, and a “baron” according to the article shocked Yambol after he appeared with at least 2 kg of gold jewellery in a restaurant where a wedding was apparently taking place.

Bad taste … And bad journalism …

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Trains and Roma in Bulgaria

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Trains and Roma in Bulgaria

Emil Lambov, Safety Inspector at BDZ-Passenger Transport, explained that throwing stones at moving trains is mainly done by minor children of Roma origin. The situation was so serious that they were considering stopping the movement of trains in certain sections of the region that are problematic.

The chairman of the National Roma Council Petko Asenov said that they have been taking measures in connection with the raids on the railway system for several years now. He pointed out as a positive example the qualification programs that enable young people of Roma origin to find work, including in the BDZ system. Such programs allow young people to be included and to be able to realize themselves, and not to be on the streets and show aggression.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Fight

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Fight

Another one of those articles. Police controlled a fight in the Roma neighbourhood “Gorna Mahala” in Dupnitsa, the Regional Directorate in Kyustendil (Bulgaria)announced.

Two men and two women aged between 30 and 38 were involved. The police team was also aggressed, and the officers’ body camera was damaged.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria and Roma

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Bulgaria and Roma

Representatives of the Roma community accused some of the Bulgarian political elite of reacting unreasonably harshly to situations in which Roma were involved. They cited as an example, statements after the incident in Vidin, in which a 13-year-old boy inflicted moderate bodily harm on another child. According to the Chairman of the National Council of Roma in Bulgaria, Petko Asenov, the reactions of Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov and MEP Angel Dzambazki were deliberately exaggerated and aimed at ethnic hatred. Asenov pointed out that in the case in Vidin “it is a scandal on a domestic basis and all boys of Roma origin cannot be put under a common denominator.”

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Zaharna Fabrika

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Zaharna Fabrika

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) annulled the interim measures on the complaint lodged for the removal and destruction of illegal houses on the Zaharna Fabrika district in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality, Department of Social Activities and Integration of People with Disabilities, Nadezhda Bacheva stated that this ECHR decision is a direct recognition that it is possible to uphold the rule of law and at the same time act with care and humanity.

Well …

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Roma Children in Institutions

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Roma Children in Institutions

According to estimates, between 60 and 70% placed in institutions in Bulgaria are Roma, although Roma make up just over 10% of the population. Sometimes they end up there with unconvincing arguments. The state does not collect data on any stage of the process, but a study by the Non-Profit Association “Equal Opportunities Initiative” shows that on the one hand, institutions are more likely to remove Roma children from their families, and on the other hand, one of the main risks leading to separation between children and parents – poverty – most often occurs among Roma. The researchers brought together community representatives and organizations working with families at risk in search of solutions.

Bulgaria

Underage Cohabitation

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Underage Cohabitation

Two articles about a court sentencing parents for cohabitation with underage girls (i.e. under 14 years old).The court in Kyustendil has handed down four sentences since the beginning of the year for cohabitation with underage girls, reports the BTA correspondent in Kyustendil.

In three of the cases, the girl was a minor, i.e. under 14 years of age, and the magistrates have imposed heavier penalties – suspended sentences for the young adults. The sentences are for a period of between three and seven months, with a three-year probationary period. The fourth sentence is a fine.

The other case is in Dupnitsa, which imposed probation and a fine on parents who facilitated their minor son to live as a conjugal with a girl under 16 years of age without entering into marriage.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Fights

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Bulgaria: Fights

Two articles in the Bulgarian press about fights between Roma. In one case, a Rom with an axe smashed the window of the car of a rival in the Nessembar province; in the other, a Roma was stabbed in Burgas.

These kind of news are really bad for Roma.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Fate in Bulgaria

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Fate in Bulgaria

Dafina Paskaleva’s life was not easy: he grew up in an orphanage, because his Roma parents apparently abandoned him as a baby. Everyone told him that he would never amount to anything. Today, he is a teacher who believes in his students – and they in him.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Stolipinovo: Cleanup

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Stolipinovo: Cleanup

Georgi Kochev and Sasho Chirkov – two young representatives of the Roma community – organized a campaign to clean up the Plovdiv Roma neighbourhood of Stolipinovo on July 5, The initiative was open to anyone who wanted to get involved in creating a cleaner and more welcoming urban environment.

Bulgaria Greece News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

Greece and Bulgaria: Traffic

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Greece and Bulgaria: Traffic

A lengthy article about a traffic of cheap Chinese ware landing in Greece and being sold in Bulgaria. It seems that most of the drivers who pass this across the border are Roma.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Outrage

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Bulgaria: Outrage

The recent attack by a Roma youngster resulted in outrage. This editorial basically says that Roma are being treaded to kindly. The journalists Anton Stefanov says “There is no age to be a freak – how long will being a minor protect you?!”

“It is precisely because of the powerlessness of the state that there should be no mercy after this case! Because tomorrow there will be fists for other children too”

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Another one of those

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Another one of those

Another case of a Romano child who beat up a non-Roma Bulgarian, this time unconscious. According to the newspaper, “Everyone in Vidin knows him – a 13-year-old child, already “known” to the police, with a diagnosis of “mental retardation” and dozens of incidents behind him. He went through a Crisis Center, bullied his peers, threatened teachers, was a bully on TikTok. And yet he was left to move freely. While beating another child unconscious on the street.”

Summary: Roma are retarded violent people, and they are left free by justice. This is really bad.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Religion and School

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Religion and School

Bulgaria introduced a mandatory religion subject with two options “Orthodoxy” and “Islam”. According to the Centre for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance “Amalipe” (a Roma organisation), this may cause tension in ethnically mixed areas and deepen educational segregation. Additional tension may also arise in communities that follow forms of Christianity other than Orthodoxy and Islam other than Orthodoxy, for example, various Protestant denominations, Catholicism.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Beating

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Bulgaria: Beating

Two articles in the Bulgarian press about the attack by a 13-year-old Roma boy of another non-Roma Bulgarian. Apparently the young Roma boy was not unknown to the educational system, having been already flagged as violent.

What is bad is that both articles flag this are Roma vs. Bulgarians (Roma there are in the region before the Bulgarians arrived), and pander to stereotypes. This is bad and dangerous.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria, Politics, Religion, and Elections

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Bulgaria, Politics, Religion, and Elections

In this article, a “Gypsy” pastor agitates his people from the Druzhba district to vote in the by-elections for Yasen Rusev the PP-DB mayoral candidate. Marin Tikhomirov became famous after a pre-election event in the “Filipovtsi” district, to which he personally invited several politicians.

  • Цигански пастор агитира “неговите хора” от кв. “Дружба” да гласуват на частичните избори за кандидата за кмет на ПП-ДБ. In: Tribune. 23.06.2025. https://tribune.bg/bg/obshtini/tsiganski-pastor-agitira-negov/
Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Zaharna Fabrika

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Zaharna Fabrika

Two months after the demolition of the illegal buildings in the capital’s “Zaharna Fabrika” district, a flash mob was held in support of the evicted Roma families. The organizers of the peaceful protest demand that the Bulgarian authorities provide all those affected with suitable alternative housing, medical care and social support.

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