Less welfare, more poor

“Despite all efforts, results fail to arrive. In fact, in Bulgaria poverty is growing worse.” These words by Rossitsa Nicolova, expert in politics and social services for Caritas Bulgaria, illustrate the situation of indigence in the Balkan Country. The situation is described in the latest Caritas 2013 Report recently published. Impressive figures. Bulgarians have the highest poverty-risk in Europe, 44.1%, five times higher than EU average (9.9%). Old people over 65 represent the most vulnerable bracket along with children, especially those belonging to minority groups. They are the ones who ask for assistance in Caritas centres, where such requests increase on a daily basis. The poor grow in numbers even among the working class, while there are more and more homeless, who according to recent figures amount to approximately 500 thousand. The tragic phenomenon of street children is equally serious. “Thus the divide between reality and the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy for the fight on poverty and social exclusion is widening”, Nicolova said. “Cuts to social spending due to the ongoing crisis have dramatic impacts, thereby blocking the entire system.”Minimum pension? 75 euro. Economic difficulties in Bulgaria are felt more strongly in villages and smaller towns. Welfare cuts envisage the shutting down of hospitals, schools and social service centres, and the process has already begun. “Small towns are not connected to large centres, adequate means of transport are lacking and people are left without the possibility of accessing social and health services”, said Nicolova. Even here, old people and youths are most direly hit. 31% of over-65 Bulgarian citizens live in a state of poverty, and 61% of old people living alone can’t make ends meet. Their incomes are extremely low. The minimum pension amounts to 75 euro, the average pension 150. “Many people fail to satisfy their personal daily needs; for example, the expense of monthly medicines for those affected by Parkison’s amounts to 35 euro. It’s half the minimum pension. How could anyone live on 35 euro?” asked the Caritas expert. Recommendations to the government. In its report Caritas calls upon the government “to adopt measures against poverty for people in employment, to use an integrated approach in welfare cuts in order not to widen the gap between the Capital and the rest of the country, to develop accessible services for old people.” There exist “excellent strategies for various social groups as the ones for the Roma. However, said Nicolova – they are not financed and remain only on paper.”The Roma of Stara Zagora. Sometimes a lot can be done even without enormous investment or complicated strategies as shown by the experience of Salesian Foundation “Don Bosco Bulgaria” which since 2008 is actively committed for the integration of young Roma in Stara Zagora. “We wanted to help the needy in the city and we discovered the Roma neighbourhood of Lozenetz. Many of the children have difficulty with school or are on the streets all day long”, said Fr Martin Jilek, Catholic parish of Byzantine rite in Stara Zagora. Until now, approximately 300 young people enjoyed the assistance of the Centre for children and youths of the Salesians, while about 50 of them regularly take part in the Centre’s after-school activities. “We also hold music lessons, drawing and ballet courses, and even games-playing”, the priest added. In his opinion, the largest problem of the Roma is “the lack of work, as the crisis has direly hit non-qualified workers.” “Those who want to, usually find a seasonal job as agricultural workers but almost none of them manage to obtain long-term contracts”, underlined the Salesian priest. He said he believes that education is critical to the Roma’s integration. “There is an enormous difference between schools in the Roma neighbourhood and those of Bulgarians, the level of education in the ghetto is very low.” That’s why the Salesians wish to open up a school of their own for youths in the neighbourhood. “Some of the young Roma we have been following for years have delivered excellent results”, the parish priest said. “Last year we registered two students in the agrarian institute of Magliz, other two in the cookery-school and a young boy entered music school.” Church in the suburbs. Fr Jilek spends a long time in the Roma neighbourhood, an example of the veritable “existential peripheries” which Pope Francis has at heart. “I think about it often, he admitted. Especially when I visit homes in the Roma neighbourhood. I then remember that the Pope has asked us to be “pastors with the odour of sheep”, also since often I often have a bad smell after these visits. And I feel very comforted.”