Radio Bulgaria

Many Bulgarians leave this country to look for better life abroad. However, many of them easily become victims of human trafficking. Over 10 000 people per year are trapped this way and the bosses of Bulgarian mafia earn over EUR 1 mln. annually. The main victims of human trafficking are women and young girls that are to be sexually exploited. However, no fewer people are taken abroad with the purpose of labor exploitation, with low qualification sectors being most vulnerable, experts say. Risky branches for countries like Spain and Italy are agriculture, construction business and tourism. Some 200 000 Bulgarians live there, official data shows. Many women that go abroad to become babysitters or to take care of old people become victims of human trafficking. In order to limit the tendency for increasing of the number of victims of human trafficking with the purpose of labor exploitation, the National Anti-Trafficking Commission at the government has started an informational campaign for prevention of this contemporary form of slavery. The campaign is a part from the international project, entitled “Reducing the number of Romanian and Bulgarian victims trafficked into Spain and Italy” that is financed by the EC. Exclusive audio and video clips have been created and they will be broadcast by different Bulgarian and Romanian media. Different leaflets and posters have also been created in order to be given to those people, who live in risky areas in both states. Mr. Krasimir Popov, deputy minister in the Ministry of labor and social policy and member of the National Anti-Trafficking Commission tells more about the efforts of the institutions to deal with the problem:

“The ministry has been establishing so-called offices for labor and social issues. We already have one in Spain with Bulgarian representative, who gives consultations or information on the civil rights of those of his countrymen that are put in danger or feel insecure while looking for a job. A coordination mechanism has been created that aims at the solving those issues. Unfortunately, in most of the cases we are informed of the problem after the Bulgarians have returned home. Our diplomatic services or labor attaches inform us relatively rarely for cases of human trafficking so that we can take the necessary measures. As far as the Bulgarian territory is concerned, the General Labor Inspectorate Executive Agency is the institution that is in charge of labor legislation. It has also to supervise the job search agencies that unfortunately are often under the suspicion of being involved in human trafficking. We have already several such cases and they have been passed to the Prosecution and the Interior Ministry.”

An informational campaign has also taken place in Spain and Italy.

“The good coordination between Bulgaria and the rest of the member-states is a key point in the solving of our citizens’ problems – Deputy-Minister Popov says. – It means that after each received signal we inform both the authorities in this country and the ones of the other member-states in order adequate measures to be taken immediately. Our neighbors and the member-states as a whole are interested in decreasing to the minimum the possibilities for labor exploitation and the total activity of the grey sector. It is because such activities provide fewer contributions to their social security systems and greater risks to their societies. So we think the same way and cooperate fully with the rest of the member-states for the solving of this kind of issues.” 

English version: Zhivko Stanchev