WHY THE ROMA MATTER?

• THE ROMA REPRESENT THE LARGEST ETHNIC MINORITY IN EUROPE, DIVIDED INTO MANY

DIFFERENT, SOMETIMES CONTRADICTING GROUPS, SUBGROUPS AND META UNITS, EACH

WITH THEIR OWN ETHNIC AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS.

• THE ATTITUDE OF THE MACROSOCIETY TOWARDS IT HELPS CREATING A SEPARATE SOCIAL

CATEGORY WITH COMMON PROBLEMS: POVERTY, MARGINALIZATION, SEGREGATION, POOR

ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES, EXCLUSION FROM THE PRACTICE OF ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP,

INTOLERANCE, DISCRIMINATION, PREJUDICE, NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES, ETC.

• EMPLOYMENT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FOSTERING INTEGRATION IN SOCIETIES, AS IT

FUNCTIONS NOT ONLY AS A SOURCE OF MONETARY INCOME, BUT ALSO AS A TOOL OF

SOCIAL INCLUSION. EMPLOYMENT – IN PARTICULAR IN DECENT WORK –PROVIDES

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERACTION, THEREBY REINFORCING SOCIAL COHESION.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE NUMBER OF ROMA: BETWEEN THE OFFICIAL DATA AND THE “OBJECTIVE REALITY”

• STAGGERING DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE OFFICIAL CENSUS RESULTS AND

“THE ACTUAL NUMBER” OF THE ROMA PEOPLE

• THE LEGAL RIGHT OF ETHNIC SELF-IDENTIFICATION – POLITICALLY CORRECT,

BUT PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF PRACTICAL ASPECT

• THE “PREFERRED ETHNIC IDENTITY” PHENOMENON

81%

19%

Projection of the share of Roma in Bulgaria (2050) - based on expert

assessment of the number of Roma as of 2020

Other ethnicities

Roma

45,2

-29,1ROMA TOTAL POPULATION

Relative change of the number of the total population and the Roma population in Bulgaria by 2050

THE ROMA – A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE WORKING AGE POPULATION OF BULGARIA IN THE NEAR FUTURE

children (0-14) working age (15-64) 65+

15,2

66

24,7

29

60

5

AGE STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION

BG total Roma

The median age of Roma – 15 years

lower than BG total,

while life expectancy – 10 years lower

than BG total

economically inactive (including retired)

retired (including employed)

unemployed

Working

2,686

2,2

0,165

3,153

POPULATION BY CATEGORIES IN BULGARIA

LABOUR FORCE IN BULGARIA: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

• WORKING POPULATION:

-EMPLOYED

-EMPLOYERS

-SELF-EMPLOYED

-UNPAID HOUSEHOLD WORKERS

• NOT WORKING POPULATION:

-UNEMPLOYED

-RETIRED UNEMPLOYED

-ECONOMICALLY INACTIVE

unemployed Economically inactive aged 15-64

0,165

1292

NUMBER OF OFFICIALLY UNEMPLOYED AND ECONOMICALLY INACTIVE PEOPLE

IN WORKING AGE

55%45%

Share of the working population in Bulgaria

Not working

Working

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AMONG ROMA: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

MAIN FEATURES:

• LOW LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT

• HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

• HIGH SHARE OF DE FACTO

ECONOMICALLY INACTIVE

• HIGH SHARE OF POPULATION BELOW

THE POVERTY LINE

• HIGH SHARE OF GREY ECONOMY

EMPLOYMENT

• WORKING ABROAD

Inactive

Retired

Housework

Unemployed

Employed

5

14

3

55

23

SELF-DECLARED CURRENT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY STATUS AMONG ROMA IN BULGARIA

ETHNICITY AND POVERTY

Roma

Turkish

Bulgarian

67,2

36,4

15,2

SHARE OF PEOPLE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE BY ETHINICITY

Bulgaria: 22.0 %

Economically inactive

Retired

Unemployed

Employed

12

49,9

19,2

18,9

27,1

8,4

43,7

20,8

POVERTY BY ETHNICITY AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Roma Bulgarian

Economically inactive

Retired

Unemployed

Employed

12

49,9

19,2

18,9

27,1

8,4

43,7

20,8

POVERTY BY ETHNICITY AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Roma Bulgarian

University degree

Highschool

8th grade

Elementary or no education

2

5,8

21,3

57,6

0

18,1

44,5

59

WORKING POOR BY EDUCATION LEVEL AND ETHNICITY

Roma Bulgarian

69%

31%

Discrimination experienced by Roma in Bulgaria

While looking for work

At work

HARMAN MAHALA: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

• THE SMALLEST ETHNIC GHETTOIZED

URBAN STRUCTURE IN PLOVDIV

• OVER A CENTURY OF EXISTENCE

• 90% OF THE RESIDENTS DECLARE

THEMSELVES AS MILLET OR TURKS

• A ROMA GHETTO IN THE EYES

OF THE MACRO-SOCIETY

• HARSH HABITATION CONDITIONS

SURVEY RESULTS: QUESTIONNAIRES AMONG RESIDENTS

• 500 RESPONDENTS (63% MEN, 27% WOMEN)

• AGED 18-76

• 50% DECLARED THEY CURRENTLY WORK,

OUT OF WHICH 50% - FULL-TIME

• JUST 58% HAVE A WORK CONTRACT

Salary Pension Workingabroad

Childsupport

Sidewalkvending

Socialbenefits

Gatheringherbs,

mushrooms,etc.

31,1

18,6

14,713,5 13,1

5,33,7

SOURCE OF INCOME

76%

20%4%

Self-declared ethnicity

Turk

Roma

Bulgarian

SURVEY RESULTS: QUESTIONNAIRES AMONG RESIDENTS

0,0 5,0 10,0 15,0 20,0 25,0

garbage collector

currier

mediator

municipal worker

cattle breeding

trade and retail

welding

food preparation

driver

landscaping

construction

industry and manifacturing

janitor

WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION?

0 1 3

18

35

43

HOW DID YOU FIND A JOB?

SURVEY RESULTS: QUESTIONNAIRES AMONG RESIDENTS

childcare

BG language conduct

other

low wages

ethnicity and discrimination

education and qualification

2

6

7

17

22

46

REASONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

Less than amonth

1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months over 12 months

26

108 8

49

DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT8%

92%

Are you registered in the labour bureau?

Yes

No

5%

95%

Have you participated in some vocational training?

Yes

No

24%

76%

Would you participate in vocational training

?

Yes

No

SURVEY RESULTS: EXPERT INTERVIEWS

• SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCY OFFICIAL

• HOUSING POLICY EXPERT – MUNICIPALITY OF PLOVDIV

• ETHNIC AND INTEGRATION ISSUES EXPERT – DISTRICT COUNCIL OF PLOVDIV

• SOCIAL POLICY EXPERT – MUNICIPALITY OF PLOVDIV

• LABOUR AGENCY OFFICIAL

• BULGARIAN RED CROSS OFFICIAL

SURVEY RESULTS: EXPERT INTERVIEWS – PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

• SELECTIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE JOB AND THE SALARY OFFERED.

• FEW PEOPLE WHO ACTIVELY LOOK FOR A JOB AND WANT A JOB ARE UNABLE TO FIND – WHOEVER WANTS TO GET A JOB, THEY WILL, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ETHNICITY.

• A CERTAIN NUMBER OF ROMA ARE EMPLOYED IN THE GREY ECONOMY, WHILE STILL REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN THE LABOUR AGENCY – NOT TO ACTUALLY GET A JOB, BUT ONLY TO GET SOCIAL WELFARE FOR UNEMPLOYED – A COMMON PRACTICE AMONG REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

• EXTREMELY STRICT CRITERIA FOR SOCIAL WELFARE ELIGIBILITY, BUT INSIGNIFICANT MONEY. THEREFORE, THE ROMA DO NOT ACTUALLY RELY ON SOCIAL WELFARE. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON MONTHLY SOCIAL WELFARE IS EXTREMELY LOW – JUST 170 PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

• THE EXTREMELY STRICT CRITERIA FOR SOCIAL WELFARE (ALLEGEDLY AIMED TO “DISCIPLINE” THE ROMA) ACTUALLY AFFECT MUCH MORE THE POOR BULGARIANS RATHER THAN THE ROMA.

SURVEY RESULTS: EXPERT INTERVIEWS – PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

• ROMA WHO REFUSE UNPAID JOBS IN BULGARIA, ONCE MOVING ABROAD, START WORKING ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BETTER PAYMENT.

• RAISING AWARENESS AMONG THE ROMA ABOUT THE EXISTING JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING IS CRUCIAL. THE INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS MUST BE HELD IN THE ROMA QUARTER AND THUS BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE.

• THE ROMA MEDIATORS AND CERTAIN ROMA NGO HAVE A POSITIVE ROLE FOR THE INTEGRATION. MEDIATORS SHOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH BOTH EMPLOYERS AND THE ROMA COMMUNITY.

• THE ROMA EMIGRATE TO GERMANY BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE (380 EUROS OF MONTHLY AID FOR RAISING A CHILD, COMPARED TO 20 EUROS FOR 1 CHILD AND 45 EUROS FOR 2 CHILDREN IN BULGARIA).

• THE BUSINESS (EMPLOYERS) IN PLOVDIV IS ETHNICALLY TOLERANT AND IS ACTUALLY IN CONSTANT DEMAND OF WORKERS, INCLUDING LESS QUALIFIED.

SURVEY RESULTS: EXPERT INTERVIEWS – PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

• OVER 90% OF THE YOUNG MOTHERS WHO APPLY FOR CHILDCARE SUPPORT ARE PRACTICALLY ILLITERATE, REGARDLESS OF THE FORMALLY ATTAINED EDUCATION, UNLIKE THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS (EDUCATED DURING COMMUNIST TIMES).

• PARENTS SHOULD ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET A JOB, WHICH DOESN’T MEAN THEY WILL WANT TO GET A JOB. A SMALL PART OF THE ROMA ACTUALLY WANT TO BE INTEGRATED.

• THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASING CONTROL OVER SCHOOLS - IT’S THE TEACHERS’ JOB TO EDUCATE BETTER THE ROMA CHILDREN, NOT THE JOB OF THE PARENTS.

• SCHOOLS ARE FINANCED BY THE NUMBER OF ENLISTED STUDENTS AND THEREFORE THE GHOST STUDENTS PROBLEM IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW BOTH SIDES – SCHOOLS AND ROMA COMMUNITIES - BENEFIT FROM EACH OTHER!

• ROMA CHILDREN WHO EMIGRATE FROM BULGARIA, QUICKLY LEARN TO SPEAK THE LOCAL LANGUAGE (GERMAN, DUTCH, FRENCH, ETC.)

SURVEY RESULTS: EXPERT INTERVIEWS – PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

• THE ROMA INTEGRATION STRATEGIES, ALTHOUGH BACKED UP BY EU OR STATE FINANCING, LACK

CONTROL ON HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT – FEW PEOPLE GET OBLIGED (SOME INFORMAL ROMA

LEADERS), WHILE NO ACTUAL RESULTS CONCERNING THE REGULAR ROMA POPULATION.

• THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES MUST BE GRANTED RIGHTS TO CONTROL THE FUND SPENDING RELATED TO

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROMA PROJECTS, SINCE MANY OF THE PROJECTS ARE FICTIVE.

• THE PROBLEMS HOWEVER ARE NOT ONE-SIDED – DISCRIMINATION, ALTHOUGH NOT APPARENT,

EXISTS AND MANY EMPLOYERS REFUSE TO EMPLOY ROMA WORKERS BASED ON THEIR ETHNICITY.

• THE ROMA SHOULD BE AWARE THAT APART FROM CIVIL RIGHTS THEY ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

MOST OF THE ROMA ONLY DEMAND, WHILE THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE CIVIL HARDLY EVER IS

SANCTIONED.

SURVEY RESULTS: EXPERT INTERVIEWS – PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

• THE MEDIA INFLUENCES THE ETHNIC MAJORITY MAINTAINING THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT THE ROMA. THE PARADOX IS THAT THE BULGARIAN MACRO-SOCIETY ONLY SEEMINGLY WANT THE ROMA TO INTEGRATE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THEY DON’T REALLY WANT THEM AS PART OF THE SOCIETY.

• POSITIVE EXAMPLES OF ROMA LABOUR BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE ROMA COMMUNITY ITSELF, NOT TO THE BG COMMUNITY.

• EACH POLICY SHOULD BE DESIGNED BY EXPERTS AND NOT POLITICIANS SO AS TO ASSESS THE BENEFIT FOR THE WHOLE NATION AS A RESULT.

• IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE GOOD TONE OF THE DIALOGUE!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!