Combat Crime; Legal actions to deal with illegal activities

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Be careful with your habits as a consumer; they really mean more than that…

TURKS IN BULGARIA

TURKS IN BULGARIA -youtube video -> http://youtu.be/261gcC1hHvs

Personally, what I find interesting is the combination of videos in You Tube with the comments provided below them by different people. These present the response to the content of the video and constitute a merger of various views and an initial point for discussion.  In my opinion, the one that prevails is that which mentions two similar –at first sight- phrases, with completely different meaning though and basically different connotation, that is “Bulgarian Turks or Turkish Bulgarians” relating to implications of dominance connecting with origin. The issue of discrimination is a really a very sensitive one, affecting societies and working in the context of interaction between majority and minority population and the framework set by the state. That is also true for the ethnic Turks of Bulgaria, where discrimination has become common practice.  This video depicts an evaluation of the situation with certain perspectives presented; in an overall account, this case more or less bears the same traits with any other case of minorities, nationalism and discrimination.  There is acknowledgment of the situation, some are for (or have no problem) and others are against minority populations for various reasons, there are these that justify to an extent some sort of expression of prejudice and those that detest it and the state sustains the whole issue, either deliberately by aiming at future voters increasing or due to its dysfunctional policies and incompetence.  Even if the pre-accession in EU stage, made the Bulgarian leadership to shift its policies, so as to fulfill the prerequisites, and minority populations more optimist for future developments, that proved to be a short-term period.  As pin-pointed in the video “the official discourse of tolerance and equality is not followed by the practice”, instead there is a rise in xenophobia and intolerance.  On that ground, the Bulgarian government unfolds its agenda, where no orientation to fighting such instances takes place.  On the contrary, probably with the will to highlight the idea of state cohesion in terms of its composition, in the recent Bulgarian Census, no minority populations are reported and so no estimation on how many ethnic Turks live in Bulgaria.  So, if officially the presence of ethnic Turks is not recorded, why talking about this minority and their rights in the first place?...

Abstract

Minority issues have been the focus of several governments as part of their internal affairs and simultaneously as branch of foreign policy between the host country and the country of origin of the minority groups.  My essay deals with the assimilation and integration policies that were used by the Bulgarian state towards two minority groups: the Roma and the ethnic Turks; in retrospection, these policies were meant to be if not beneficial at least harmless to the interests of the state.  The formulas used for this purpose though have varied considerably throughout history, since they have always depended upon the existing social context and political framework.  It would be interesting to examine the variation in the integrating and assimilating mechanisms adopted by the Bulgarian state in both the Communist and Post-Communist Bulgaria, which have been interrelated with the current trends in each period.  

Comments on the 2011 Bulgarian Census regarding population data

I was anticipating the results of the latest statistics of the 2011 Bulgarian Census, so that I could use -in an essay on Bulgarian minorities I am working on- relevant references and statistical data on ethnic groups that comprise the Bulgarian population. Taking into consideration the previous census conducted in Bulgaria, I expected to see something similar regarding the variation in ethnic group presence.  To my surprise, there was no hint about ethnic groups in this one at all –at least concerning the results released so far, I don’t know or rather I doubt that anything else would be added.  Below one can see data about population by districts and ethnic group from the 2001 Bulgarian Census and then the population research categories in the 2011 Bulgarian Census.  The only reference to non-Bulgarian people is in the “PERMANENT RESIDENT FOREIGNERS IN BULGARIA BY CITIZENSHIP AS OF 31.12.” that concerns the period from 2004 up to 2009!  With the voices of ethnic Turks and Roma being too “loud” to be ignored and with an abstract definition of minorities provided by the international law failing to apply in many cases, the Bulgarian state officially disregards a reality that cannot be denied. With this practice continuing and by banning the creation of political parties of ethnic composition, it seems that the diverse ethnic identities become an ideal to fight for.  The MRF (Movement for Rights and Freedom) is a political party consisting mostly of ethnic Turks that based on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (part of the European Law) performs against any act of discrimination of that kind.  Consequently, both the Bulgarian state and the ethnic/national minorities use their own tools to achieve their goals, playing though in a broader field framed by the European Council’s decisions and under its observation.
   Before the data of the census, a small comment is provided from the European Free Alliance Youth webpage:
 

National Census forms fail to acknowledge Bulgaria’s and Albania’s minority populations

The democratic values of the EU have been compromised with the upcoming census in Bulgaria. The column for Macedonian ethnicity has been erased from the census form after some of the experts from the National Statistics Institute included it in the online trial version of the census (alongside with a column for the other smaller minorities in Bulgaria). Due to the tensed atmosphere that arouse in Bulgarian society, five experts were dismissed following a thorough investigation ordered by the Prime Minister. At the same time, a cabinet minister openly agitated against the freedom of citizens to determine their own ethnicity and nobody from the Government reacted. The fact that Government officials speak openly against the Macedonian identity (please read the comments of Mr. Bozidar Dimitrov) as well as the fact that many Macedonians have been threatened after deciding to express their identity during the last Census in 2001 creates an atmosphere of fear and sends the message that being a Macedonian in Bulgaria is forbidden and could be punished. This is the main reason why the number of people who identify as Macedonians in Bulgaria has dropped significantly in 2001 compared to the Census in 1992. In 2001, in some parts of the country, the Census forms were filled out with a pencil which left space for manipulation and modification of the data.  This eloquently illustrates the fact that the policies of assimilation and denial are still part of the official political agenda of the Bulgarian Government...
There are several documents that regulate Population and housing censuses in the EU but they do not oblige the EU countries to include the different ethnic identities and languages in the Census form. The proposed topics do not give a clear picture of the structure of the population. Acknowledging the presence of minorities and stateless nations through the Census is crucial to the preservation of the democratic values of the EU. It is important to mention that the Annex of the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council under recommended topics mentioned and included notions of ethnicity and language. However these notions do not appear in the adopted Regulation.(source:http://europeanfreeallianceyouth.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/national-census-forms-fail-to-acknowledge-bulgaria%E2%80%99s-and-albania%E2%80%99s-minority-populations)

 

POPULATION BY DISTRICTS AND ETHNIC GROUP AS OF 1.03.2001

Districts	Total	Bulgarian	Turkish	Gypsies	Other	Not stated	Unknown
Total	7 928 901	6 655 210	746 664	370 908	69 204	62 108	24 807
Blagoevgrad	341 173	286 491	31 857	12 405	5 519	4 242	659
Burgas	423 547	338 625	58 636	19 439	3 728	1 919	1 200
Varna	462 013	393 884	37 502	15 462	9 866	3 830	1 469
Veliko Tarnovo	293 172	259 099	22 562	6 064	2 495	2 014	938
Vidin	130 074	118 543	139	9 786	528	553	525
Vratsa	243 036	223 692	2 000	14 899	608	984	853
Gabrovo	144 125	131 494	9 109	1 611	939	615	357
Dobrich	215 217	164 204	28 231	18 649	1 588	1 854	691
Kurdzhali	164 019	55 939	101 116	1 264	385	4 565	750
Kyustendil	162 534	152 644	146	8 294	416	508	526
Lovech	169 951	152 194	8 476	6 316	891	1 522	552
Montana	182 258	157 507	235	22 784	649	322	761
Pazardzhik	310 723	261 260	20 448	23 970	1 461	2 978	606
Pernik	149 832	145 642	108	3 035	375	270	402
Pleven	311 985	280 475	16 931	9 777	1 702	2 135	965
Plovdiv	715 816	621 338	52 499	30 196	7 274	2 869	1 640
Razgrad	152 417	67 069	71 963	8 733	1 444	2 739	469
Ruse	266 157	213 408	37 050	9 703	3 076	2 071	849
Silistra	142 000	84 178	48 761	6 478	1 461	656	466
Sliven	218 474	163 188	22 971	26 777	3 193	1 597	748
Smolyan	140 066	122 806	6 212	686	250	9 696	416
Sofia-cap.	1 170 842	1 124 240	6 036	17 885	13 652	4 645	4 384
Sofia	273 240	253 536	654	16 748	821	661	820
Stara Zagora	370 615	319 379	18 529	26 804	2 400	2 308	1 195
Targovishte	137 689	76 294	49 495	9 868	324	1 259	449
Haskovo	277 478	224 757	31 266	17 089	1 143	2 302	921
Shumen	204 378	123 084	59 551	16 457	2 344	2 350	592
Yambol	156 070	140 240	4 181	9 729	672	644	604

Published on 05.01.2004  http://www.nsi.bg/Census_e/Census_e.htm

2011 Bulgarian Census – National Statistical Institute (categories)

1. Fertility

                                                               

1.1. Births                                             

                               

1.1.1. Births by place of residence, statistical regions, districts and sex

                               

1.1.2. Mean age of the mother at birth by place of residence, statistical regions and districts

               

1.2. Live births                                    

                               

1.2.1. Live births by districts, municipalities and sex

                               

1.2.2.Marital and extra-marital live births by districts, municipalities and place of residence

                               

1.2.3.Live births by districts, municipalities and mother’s age

               

1.3. Birth rates                                     

                               

1.3.1. Crude birth rate by statistical regions, districts and place of residence

                               

1.3.2. Total fertility rate by statistical regions, districts and place of residence

               

2. Mortality

                                               

2.1. Deaths by districts, municipalities and sex

               

2.2. Deaths by districts, age, place of residence and sex

               

2.3. Infant deaths under 1 year of age by districts, municipalities and sex

               

2.4. Infant deaths under 1 year of age by statistical regions, districts, completed days and sex

               

2.5. Crude death and infant mortality rates by place of residence, statistical regions, districts and sex

               

3. Mortality and life expectancy                                     

               

3.1. Mortality and life expectancy by sex and place of residence

               

3.2. Life expectancy by sex and age under hypotheses for exclusion of the basic causes for death

               

3.3. Probabilities for dying by sex, age and basic causes of death

               

3.4. Life expectancy by districts and sex

               

4. Marriages and divorces                                 

               

4.1. Marriages                                     

                               

4.1.1. Marriages by districts and place of residence

                               

4.1.2. Marriages by place of residence and partners’ age

                               

4.1.3. Marriages by place of residence and partners’ marital status before the marriage

4.1.4. Marriages by place of residence and rank

                               

4.1.5. Marriages by districts and partners’ age

                               

4.1.6. Marriages by districts and partners’ marital status before the marriage

                               

4.1.7. Marriages by districts and rank

               

4.2. Divorces                                        

                               

4.2.1. Divorces by districts and place of residence

                               

4.2.2. Divorces by place of residence and age of the ex-spouses

                               

4.2.3. Divorces by place of residence and ex-spouses’ previous marital status

                               

4.2.4. Divorces by place of residence and rank

                               

4.2.5. Divorces by districts and age of the ex-spouses

                               

4.2.6. Divorces by districts and ex-spouses’ previous marital status

                               

4.2.7. Divorces by districts and rank

               

5. Migration                                         

               

5.1. Mechanical movement of the population by districts, municipalities and sex

               

5.2. Mechanical movement of the population by place of residence, districts, reasons and sex

               

5.3. Mechanical movement of the population by place of residence, districts, age and sex

               

5.4. Internal migration of the population between statistical regions by sex

               

5.5. Internal migration of the population between towns and villages by sex

               

5.6. Mechanical movement of the population between districts

               

5.7. External migration by age and sex

               

5.8. Permanent resident foreigners in Bulgaria by citizenship

               

6. Population and demographic projections                                 

               

6.1. Population                                    

                               

6.1.1. Population by districts, municipalities, place of residence and sex

                               

6.1.2. Population by statistical regions, age, place of residence and sex

                               

6.1.3. Population by districts, age, place of residence and sex

                               

6.1.4. Population by towns and sex

                               

6.1.5. Average annual population by districts, municipalities and place of residence

                               

6.1.6. Average annual population by statistical regions, districts, place of residence and sex

                               

6.1.7. Natural movement of the population by districts, municipalities and sex

                               

6.1.8. Natural increase per 1 000 persons of the population by statistical regions, districts and place of residence

                               

6.1.9. Residence structure, sex ratio and age dependency ratio

               

6.2. Population projections

                                                                               

6.2.1. Population projections by sex and age

                               

6.2.2. Population projections by districts and sex

Population – Table data

Source:  http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53

PERMANENT RESIDENT FOREIGNERS1 IN BULGARIA BY CITIZENSHIP AS OF 31.12.
Citizenship	Permanent resident foreigners
	As of 31.12.2004	As of 31.12.2005	As of 31.12.2006	As of 31.12.2007	As of 31.12.2008	As of 31.12.2009
Total	50756	53197	55653	63615	66806	69423
Europe	35437	37051	38988	44261	47106	49379
EU - 27	5690	5949	6245	6861	6904	6948
Austria	119	145	176	185	187	189
Belgium	47	57	62	63	66	69
UK	196	226	269	290	292	304
Germany	1228	1295	1372	1402	1407	1411
Greece	814	837	892	937	955	963
Denmark	28	30	33	34	34	34
Estonia	8	7	7	9	10	11
Ireland	15	18	18	23	23	23
Spain	33	36	41	45	45	45
Italy	317	341	358	379	382	388
Cyprus	82	80	80	84	85	85
Latvia	25	28	29	35	35	35
Lithuania	41	39	41	43	43	43
Luxembourg	2	2	2	2	2	2
Malta	1	1	1	1	1	1
Netherlands	82	88	103	107	107	109
Poland	1538	1558	1564	1657	1659	1660
Portugal	17	17	17	18	19	19
Romania2	.	.	.	338	339	341
Slovakia	182	189	196	198	199	200
Slovenia	17	16	16	18	18	18
Hungary	214	225	227	234	234	234
Finland	34	34	38	39	39	40
France	121	132	143	149	151	151
Czech Republic	467	485	493	504	505	506
Sweden	62	63	67	67	67	67
Other EU	29747	31102	32743	37400	40202	42431
of which:
Albania	99	113	142	198	229	265
Belarus	283	306	326	351	362	377
Bosnia and Herzegovina	46	47	48	50	58	63
The former Yugoslav Rep. of Macedonia	821	918	1115	2188	4375	5507
Moldova, Republic of	1643	1626	1703	2071	2203	2403
Norway	43	39	43	45	45	46
Romania2	267	290	307	.	.	.
Russian Federation	18639	18947	19216	21171	21309	21483
Serbia	1068	1116	1121	1326	355	593
Turkey	1880	2583	3361	3778	3828	4092
Ukraine	4500	4659	4861	5263	5350	5514
Croatia	43	43	43	50	49	53
Switzerland	58	66	75	83	83	83
Asia	7060	7700	8162	9308	9623	9888
Armenia	873	1018	1142	1268	1322	1380
Viet Nam	796	832	867	1033	1043	1040
Iraq	359	366	369	430	437	443
China	1081	1421	1581	1785	1934	2011
Lebanon	794	817	832	913	932	953
Syrian Arabic Republic	1617	1648	1690	1929	1945	1987
Other Asia	1540	1598	1681	1950	2010	2074
Africa	546	562	591	611	627	651
Algeria	80	79	85	89	90	91
Egypt	75	86	89	94	102	106
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	39	42	37	36	34	38
Morocco	50	49	50	51	56	57
Nigeria	87	86	91	92	92	96
Tunisia	43	45	50	46	46	47
Other Africa	172	175	189	203	207	216
America	618	669	732	821	838	890
Canada	38	41	40	43	45	49
Cuba	157	158	160	200	203	204
Nicaragua	55	55	54	58	57	58
Peru	20	19	22	24	23	25
United States of America	221	273	332	360	374	412
Chile	27	28	27	27	27	27
Other America	100	95	97	109	109	115
Australia and New Zealand	30	34	39	39	44	48
Stateless	1749	1896	1903	2157	2167	2171
ex-USSR	5316	5285	5238	6404	6386	6372
Unknown citizenship	-	-	-	13	14	23
Release from citizenship	-	-	-	1	1	1
1  Ministry of interior is the sourse of date on the permanent resident foreigners in Bulgaria
2 Romania has been a member of the EU since 2007

Source: http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1574&a2=1582#cont