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1 OBEKTIV Hristo HRISTOV O ver 40% of the Roma on social allowances believe that the state should seek and provide them with employ- ment instead of money. This is the conclusion of a survey conducted by the S.E.G.A. Foundation among almost 800 Roma from 12 neighbourhoods in Varna, Dupnitsa, Haskovo, Karlovo and other municipalities, whose unemployment com- pensations have been terminated. Half of the interviewed (50.7%) who were on permanent social allowances, living in isolated neighbourhoods, have fourth-grade education. Twenty percent have primary edu- cation (completed eight grade). The group includes also one person with an university degree and six others who have signed up for tertiary education, but haven’t completed it. The S.E.G.A. survey sums up that a sparse 7.8% were included in literacy and vocational training courses. It also indicates that the at- tendance of programs, such as From Social Allowances to Employment and vocational re-training courses, does not in- crease employment opportunities. The revenues of a large percentage of the unemployed come from the social and child allowances paid by the regional labour bureaus and the municipalities. Due to the small number of employed, very few of them count on salaries. The people of this ethnic group usually get seasonal jobs, such as picking tobacco, rose hips, herbs and mushrooms or in the construction sector. According to the foundation, there is a clear trend to- wards the inclusion in the employment programs of people with more advanced education degrees, even though they are not in greatest need. Sociologists comment that these programs are ineffective. A young family with 4 children: COLLECTING WASTE FROM THE CONTAINERS The residents of the Roma neighbourhood in Karlovo say there are families living in desolate misery in their neighbourhood. I went to the Meden Dol neighbourhood in Karlovo to see how the Roma are living after the minister of labour and social policy Emilia Maslarova terminated their social assistance allowances. Several men were paving a street. It was raining. I asked them why they were working in the rain and the answer was they were in a hurry because the mayor might put a stop to the repairs. I asked them to take me to a poor family. And they told me they could take me to more than one. While we walked down the muddy streets, I ran into a little house that was in contrast with everything around. I asked if this was a toilet. The answer was that it a place where people were living. To call it a little house is an exaggeration, but a home it was. The rickety room was made of four pieces of plywood studded with planks for greater strength. There was no roof, just wooden slabs covered with cracked linoleum. An improvised door was tied to a tree by a wire in a mock-up entrance. I was amazed that the door was The Roma want employment from the state closed with a wire when the gaps around were so large you could put your hand right through them. The room even had a window, covered with a hanging blanket soaked by the torrential rain. The gloomy weather painted a sad story in my mind. I could not believe that people were living here! I asked where the people were and was told they were ·around the containers”. I decided to wait for their return. I was soaked. We sought cover in a cafÈ . Fortunately, the whole family came in. Radka Ivanova (27) and Angel Stoyanov (28) from Karlovo have four children aged 11 months to 7 years. We invited them in the cafÈ . Radka and Angel are half-orphans. Fate had them meet. Their eyes, sad and wet, spoke of their troubles. Angel has a beard. He radiates calm, speaks softly and slowly. Speaks as a wise man. They have not received social allowances since the beginning of the year. Radka is getting a child allowance of BGN 100 (EUR 50) a month. Before the termination of the social allowances, she was re- ceiving BGN 54 (EUR 27) a month in allowances. I asked her how they were living. ·I don’t know what these laws are. Before, they gave me an allowance of BGN 54 and threat- ened they would stop it if we were caught working or selling garbage. They’ve terminated the allowances now, but haven’t given us any work. It’s not like 54 leva were much of assistance, but combined with the child allowance were at least enough for medicines. The children are young. Did you see the place where we are living? We’re only thinking of our sustenance. We’re now coming back after picking linden. We gather and sell it for 2 leva (EUR 1) per kilo. We search the containers, collect garbage and sell it. The children also come with us. Wherever we go, they come as well. The three older ones ride on Angel’s bike: One on the handles, another one on the basket over the front tyre and the third one on the basket over the back tyre. I carry the youngest one. I’m afraid to leave them alone, the room may fall on them and crush them. Or they might take the road”. Angel joins in: ·The bike is our family transport. It might amaze you, but it’s my assis- tant and friend. It helps us make ends meet.” I couldn’t help it: ·You are young and intelligent people. Why did you have four children?” Answers Radka: ·The children are from God. God wanted us to have that many. We are believers and God forbids abortion. We’ll raise them. The children are not a burden to us, we just hope they are healthy.” Do you blame your situation on anyone? Angel: ·The blame is for the state and the laws it makes. These laws are not made to help us but to erase us. We want work, there is no work. They give us no assistance. Who would the state help, the Roma? They would rather have us starve. There is no one to protect us. They raise the prices of food, electricity, water, medicines, and terminate our allowances. The way I look, would you hire me? I have no bathroom to shower, I have no change of clothes. Yes, I can buy some, but for a lev I’ll buy bread and feed the children tonight; but I can’t buy a shirt for a lev. The truth is the state doesn’t care about us. The politicians know that the Roma rely on allowances and are trying to get rid of us. That’s what it’s all about!”

The Roma want employment from the state

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Publication of the journal Obektiv, number 158 of 2008 author Hristo Hristov

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1 OBEKTIV

Hristo HRISTOV

Over 40% of the Roma on social allowances believe that

the state should seek and provide them with employ-

ment instead of money. This is the conclusion of a survey

conducted by the S.E.G.A. Foundation among almost 800

Roma from 12 neighbourhoods in Varna, Dupnitsa, Haskovo,

Karlovo and other municipalities, whose unemployment com-

pensations have been terminated.

Half of the interviewed (50.7%) who were on permanent

social allowances, living in isolated neighbourhoods, have

fourth-grade education. Twenty percent have primary edu-

cation (completed eight grade). The group includes also one

person with an university degree and six others who have signed

up for tertiary education, but haven’t completed it. The S.E.G.A.

survey sums up that a sparse 7.8% were included in literacy

and vocational training courses. It also indicates that the at-

tendance of programs, such as From Social Allowances to

Employment and vocational re-training courses, does not in-

crease employment opportunities. The revenues of a large

percentage of the unemployed come from the social and

child allowances paid by the regional labour bureaus and the

municipalities. Due to the small number of employed, very few

of them count on salaries. The people of this ethnic group

usually get seasonal jobs, such as picking tobacco, rose hips,

herbs and mushrooms or in the construction sector.

According to the foundation, there is a clear trend to-

wards the inclusion in the employment programs of people

with more advanced education degrees, even though they

are not in greatest need. Sociologists comment that these

programs are ineffective.

A young family with 4 children:

COLLECTING WASTE FROM THE CONTAINERS

The residents of the Roma neighbourhood in Karlovo say

there are families living in desolate misery in their

neighbourhood. I went to the Meden Dol neighbourhood in

Karlovo to see how the Roma are living after the minister of

labour and social policy Emilia Maslarova terminated their

social assistance allowances. Several men were paving a

street. It was raining. I asked them why they were working in

the rain and the answer was they were in a hurry because the

mayor might put a stop to the repairs. I asked them to take

me to a poor family. And they told me they could take me to

more than one. While we walked down the muddy streets, I

ran into a little house that was in contrast with everything

around. I asked if this was a toilet. The answer was that it a

place where people were living. To call it a little house is an

exaggeration, but a home it was. The rickety room was made

of four pieces of plywood studded with planks for greater

strength. There was no roof, just wooden slabs covered with

cracked linoleum. An improvised door was tied to a tree by a

wire in a mock-up entrance. I was amazed that the door was

The Roma want employment from the state

closed with a wire when the gaps around were so large you

could put your hand right through them. The room even had

a window, covered with a hanging blanket soaked by the

torrential rain. The gloomy weather painted a sad story in my

mind. I could not believe that people were living here! I asked

where the people were and was told they were ·around the

containers”. I decided to wait for their return. I was soaked.

We sought cover in a cafÈ . Fortunately, the whole family

came in. Radka Ivanova (27) and Angel Stoyanov (28) from

Karlovo have four children aged 11 months to 7 years. We

invited them in the cafÈ . Radka and Angel are half-orphans.

Fate had them meet. Their eyes, sad and wet, spoke of their

troubles. Angel has a beard. He radiates calm, speaks softly

and slowly. Speaks as a wise man. They have not received

social allowances since the beginning of the year. Radka is

getting a child allowance of BGN 100 (EUR 50) a month.

Before the termination of the social allowances, she was re-

ceiving BGN 54 (EUR 27) a month in allowances. I asked her

how they were living. ·I don’t know what these laws are.

Before, they gave me an allowance of BGN 54 and threat-

ened they would stop it if we were caught working or selling

garbage. They’ve terminated the allowances now, but

haven’t given us any work. It’s not like 54 leva were much of

assistance, but combined with the child allowance were at

least enough for medicines. The children are young. Did you

see the place where we are living? We’re only thinking of our

sustenance. We’re now coming back after picking linden.

We gather and sell it for 2 leva (EUR 1) per kilo. We search the

containers, collect garbage and sell it. The children also come

with us. Wherever we go, they come as well. The three older

ones ride on Angel’s bike: One on the handles, another one

on the basket over the front tyre and the third one on the

basket over the back tyre. I carry the youngest one. I’m afraid

to leave them alone, the room may fall on them and crush

them. Or they might take the road”. Angel joins in: ·The bike

is our family transport. It might amaze you, but it’s my assis-

tant and friend. It helps us make ends meet.” I couldn’t help

it: ·You are young and intelligent people. Why did you have

four children?” Answers Radka: ·The children are from God.

God wanted us to have that many. We are believers and

God forbids abortion. We’ll raise them. The children are not a

burden to us, we just hope they are healthy.” Do you blame

your situation on anyone? Angel: ·The blame is for the state

and the laws it makes. These laws are not made to help us

but to erase us. We want work, there is no work. They give us

no assistance. Who would the state help, the Roma? They

would rather have us starve. There is no one to protect us.

They raise the prices of food, electricity, water, medicines,

and terminate our allowances. The way I look, would you hire

me? I have no bathroom to shower, I have no change of

clothes. Yes, I can buy some, but for a lev I’ll buy bread and

feed the children tonight; but I can’t buy a shirt for a lev. The

truth is the state doesn’t care about us. The politicians know

that the Roma rely on allowances and are trying to get rid of

us. That’s what it’s all about!”�