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 9 to 13 December 2019 as part of the third evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The focus of this evaluation round of the Convention is on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. Prior to the visit, the Bulgarian authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the third evaluation round. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA verified how the main recommendations made in its second evaluation report have been implemented.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met the Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Chair of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Mr Nikolay Prodanov, other members of the National Commission, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission, Ms Kamelia Dimitrova, officials from the Ministries of Justice, the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Labour and Social Policy, and Health, as well as representatives of the State Agency for Child Protection, the State Agency for Refugees, the Commission for Combating Corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Property, the Prosecutor’s Office, the National Investigation Service, and judges from the Supreme Court of Cassation. Further, the GRETA delegation met a Member of Parliament. Discussions were also held with staff from the Office of the Ombudsman.
In addition to holding meetings in Sofia, the GRETA delegation travelled to Blagoevgrad and Plovdiv where it met members of the local commissions for combating trafficking in human beings, including representatives of the municipalities, law enforcement agencies, judges, prosecutors, lawyers and civil society representatives.
In addition, meetings were held with representatives of non-governmental organisations, trade unions, lawyers and researchers. The GRETA delegation also met representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited crisis centres for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence in Sofia and Pernik, as well as the safe zone for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children at the Reception Centre of the State Agency for Refugees in Sofia.
The visit was carried out by Ms Ia Dadunashvili and Mr Kevin Hyland, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Ms Ursula Sticker 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, to be published in 2020.
