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The Bulgarian authorities must prevent forced evictions, address the stigmatization and marginalization of Roma and improve their access to adequate housing.
This is stated by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe (CoE) Dunja Mijatović, reported BNT.
The opinion is related to the implementation of a 2012 decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the eviction of Roma who have settled in Sofia. According to the court, the eviction violated the right to privacy and family life of the Roma.
Mijatović believes that, in addition to serious violations of the right of access to adequate housing, forced evictions can lead to violations of a wide range of human rights and should be avoided. It affirms that States have the duty to limit the risk of human rights violations related to evictions and to guarantee that the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination are respected in any eviction process.
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights believes that the authorities must make efforts to address the widespread prejudice and institutional racism against the Roma.
According to her, in Bulgaria there are numerous obstacles for Roma access to social housing, including due to public resistance in some places, which has caused some municipalities to cancel construction projects.
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