The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today adopted the following statement:

“The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights is gravely concerned at the recent country-wide eruption of racist hatred and threats directed against the Roma in Bulgaria. Many Roma fear for their children's and their own safety.

The committee calls on the Bulgarian authorities at all levels to do their utmost to protect this vulnerable minority from attack and urges them to strongly condemn and prosecute acts of anti-Gypsyism. They must, in particular, react firmly to racist discourse by public officials and tackle hate speech vis-à-vis the Roma.

Corruption and crime must be fought regardless of the ethnic origin of the perpetrators.”

· PACE Resolution 1740 (2010): The situation of Roma in Europe (§ 15.8)

· European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI): guidelines for governments to combat anti-Gypsyism

· Roma and the Council of Europe