A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Bulgaria from 30 September to 4 October 2024, as part of the fourth evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
This new evaluation round of monitoring the implementation of the Convention focuses on vulnerabilities to human trafficking and measures taken by States Parties to prevent them, detect and support vulnerable victims, and punish the offenders. This includes the use of information and communication technology (ICT), which brings structural changes to the way offenders operate and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities.
Prior to the visit, the Bulgarian authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the fourth evaluation round. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA examined how the main recommendations made in its third evaluation report have been implemented.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met several of the members of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, subordinated to the Council of Ministers, along with its Secretary, Ms Daniela Saveklieva. The delegation also engaged with officials from the Ministries of Justice, Internal Affairs, Labour and Social Policy (including representatives from the General Labour Inspectorate, the National Employment Agency, and the Agency for Social Assistance), Education and Science, and Foreign Affairs.
Additionally, the delegation held discussions with representatives from the State Agency for Child Protection, the State Agency for Refugees, the Prosecutor’s Office, the National Investigation Service, the Supreme Court of Cassation, the National Legal Aid Bureau, the National Institute of Justice, the National Council for Assistance and Compensation to Victims of Crime, and the National Statistical Institute.
GRETA’s delegation also consulted with the Office of the Ombudsperson, the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, the Commission for Countering Corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Property, and the Central Commission against Antisocial Behaviour of Minors and Juveniles. Furthermore, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with Members of Parliament.
In addition to holding meetings in Sofia, GRETA’s delegation travelled to Burgas, Sliven and Varna, where it met with members of the Local Commissions for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, including deputy mayors and representatives of social and child protection services, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and civil society representatives.
The GRETA delegation held separate meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations and trade unions, lawyers representing victims of human trafficking and researchers. It also met representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations agency for children (UNICEF), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the Fundamental Rights Office of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
In the course of the evaluation, the GRETA delegation visited the three specialised shelters for adult victims of human trafficking, in Sofia, Burgas, and Varna, a shelter for long-term integration in Burgas, crisis centres for child victims of violence and human trafficking in Sofia and Varna, as well the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre “Zona ZaKrila” in Sofia.
The visit was carried out by Mr Thomas Ahlstrand and Ms Ia Dadunashvili, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Ms Jenna Logeais of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Bulgarian authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report which will be published in 2025.
