A delegation of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) visited Bulgaria from 27 September to 1 October 2021 as the first step in the preparation of a monitoring report. During the visit ECRI’s delegation gathered information on effective equality and access to rights; hate speech and hate-motivated violence; and integration and inclusion.

The delegation held meetings with representatives of government and other authorities, equality bodies and civil society. It also visited the city of Plovdiv, where it met with the Mayor, senior officials from the municipal administration and representatives of local Roma organisations.

Following this visit, ECRI will adopt a report to be published in 2022 in which it will make a new set of recommendations on measures to be taken by the authorities to address racism and intolerance in the country. The implementation of two priority recommendations will be reviewed in two years’ time as part of ECRI’s interim follow-up procedure.

In its 2014 report, among other recommendations, ECRI asked the authorities to strengthen their work on Roma integration and to draw up and adopt an action plan to combat homophobia and transphobia in all areas of everyday life.

• 2014 Bulgaria report