More than 60 representatives of Bulgarian government agencies, public bodies and civil society met in Sofia on 30 January 2023 to discuss Bulgaria's progress in combating trafficking in human beings.

Organised by the Anti-Trafficking Division of the Council of Europe and the Bulgarian National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (NCCTHB), the round-table was opened by Ms Maria Pavlova, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Chairperson of the Commission.

The Council of Europe was represented by Mr Kevin Hyland, former member of the Council of Europe Group on Action against trafficking in human beings (GRETA) and rapporteur for the third evaluation of Bulgaria by GRETA, Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and Yuriy Paltsev, lawyer in the Secretariat of the Convention.

Discussions focused on the implementation of the main recommendations arising from GRETA’s third evaluation report on Bulgaria and the related recommendation by the Committee of the Parties to the Convention to the Bulgarian authorities. Special attention was paid to victims’ access to compensation, assistance and reintegration, the punishment of offenders, identification of victims of trafficking amongst asylum seekers and migrants. Participants also noted the importance of ensuring the sustainability of anti-trafficking measures through adequate funding, co-ordination and the adoption of a new national strategy. Bulgaria is expected to report to the Committee of the Parties on the measures taken to comply with its recommendation by 4 June 2023.

The event served as an opportunity to present the new Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)21 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation.