“There are Roma issues that have not been settled – there are no Roma people in government, in senior offices in the administration or in parliament,” said, on the occasion of International Romany Day, Hristo Hristov from the initiative committee for marking the day. Because of the pandemic, however there will be no events to mark it this year.

“I want to change Bulgarians’ attitude to the Roma because the Roma should not be judged on the basis of stereotypes,” said Vilma Kartalska, director of the Bulgarian film My Gypsy Road which has so far garnered 17 awards. “I would very much like to the Roma watching this film start believing in themselves,” she added.

“It is absurd to be solving Roma issues without the Roma,” Hristo Hristov said.