ALTERNATIVE CIVIL SECTOR REPORT TO THE SECOND REPORT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA PURSUANT TO ART. 25, PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES (FCNM) Inter-Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation Sofia, Bulgaria September 2009 This report was produced with the financial support of the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe Information, opinions and expert assessments on particular issues in this Alternative Civil Sector Report were contributed by the following representatives of non-governmental organisations and individual experts (in alphabetical order): • Deyan Kolev, Amalipe Centre for Inter-Ethnic Dialogue and Tolerance, Veliko Tarnovo • Emilia Mateina, Inter-Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation • Kalina Bozeva, Inter-Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation • Ramadan Kehayov, human rights activist, Madan, Southern Bulgaria • Fetie Sharanska, Evroalternativi 21 Association, Yakoruda The information was compiled and the conclusions and recommendations drafted by the team of the Inter-Ethnic Initiative Human Rights Foundation This report was translated from Bulgarian into English by Mark Bossanyi (
[email protected]) І. Inter Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights (IEI) Foundation The IEI foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation registered in Bulgaria in July 1996. It strives to promote the rights of minorities and inter-community co-operation in practice in all areas of public life. Іts operational aims are: • To influence official policies in accordance with international human/minority rights protection standards. • Тo inform and sensitise politicians, state and municipal employees about these standards. • To encourage citizen control on the implementation of international minority rights standards. • To enhance public sensitivity and understanding about the problems and rights of minorities, encouraging a spirit of inter- ethnic tolerance, mutual support and non-discriminative practices.