“Making tangible progress in this area is no fiction, it is entirely possible. The political will and the financial means are there. This is a process that should not be seen as charity. It is time to put an end to division,” Dr. Helene Kortländer, director of the Friedrich Ebert foundation, Bulgaria said for the BNR.

By 2050 the Roma community in the country will reach around 1 million people, indicate data of the Friedrich Ebert foundation, or 24% of the population of Bulgaria, Dr. Helene Kortländer said further. Efforts must be made for the education of the Roma and their socialization, she added.

The Roma community now number 780,000, said Assoc. Prof. Georgi Burdarov. He pointed to the town of Straldzha near Yambol as a successful example of integration, where all Roma children go to school.