Bulgarian equality body facing potential budget and staff cuts

7 June 2010

The Commission for Protection against Discrimination, national Equality Body of Bulgaria which functions as a Tribunal with the mandate to combat discrimination on 19 grounds and more is at risk of a severe downsize.
 
On 28 April 2010, the Council of Ministers (CoM) passed a draft law amending the Protection against Discrimination Act and reducing the equality body’s size from nine to five Members, imposing also further budget cuts. The draft law was passed to the 41st National Assembly for Plenary discussion and adoption. The first reading is scheduled for May 13, by the respective Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Religion and Citizens’ Complaints and Petitions.

The amendments have been drafted by the Minister of Labour, Mr. Totyu Mladenov, and result from a CoM Decision No. 870 of 10 November 2009, on “optimization of the size and mandate” of eight regulatory bodies  to five members at maximum, to combat the financial crisis. They have been passed in spite of the explicit advice of the Commissioner for Human Rights Mr. Thomas Hammarberg, the Open Declaration in Support of the CPD, initiated by eleven advocacy and human rights’ civil associations and signed by other 59 non-governmental organizations and 111 outstanding individuals, and in spite of the grounded opinion of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, provided to the Government.

Equinet is concerned that with the proposed reduction in the size and financial ressources of the Bulgarian Commission, the equality body will not be able to fulfill adequately and effectively its mandate.

Equinet issued a letter to the Prime Minister, Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, Chair of the Human Rights, Religion, Citizens' Complaints and Petitions Committee of the Republic of Bulgaria to express its concerns.

Read Equinet's letter (PDF, 135KB)