STOP BULGARIAN discrimination on the basis of ethnical origin and language

Equal Access: Integrated Education for Roma in Bulgaria

David Copperfield proves to be less efficient

than the state’s pen…

While the Dimitrov Bulgarian Constitution of 1947 recognized the existence of minorities and presented a tolerant attitude towards them, the Bulgarian Constitution of 1971, made reference neither to ethnic nor religious minorities.  Actually the term “minority” was replaced by regulations regarding only Bulgarian citizens, who were divided into the Bulgarian ones and those with a non-Bulgarian ancestry. 

The Bulgarian state’s pen made people appear and disappear in official papers; additionally, it converted Bulgaria from a pluralist society and a favorable one towards the inter-ethnic components and the fraternity model imposed by the Soviet doctrine to a homogeneous state that acknowledged no diversity “threats”.  This elimination process served the one-nation state goal -that Balkan states in general focus on- and had serious implications e.g. name-changing campaigns, persecutions, etc.

Until nowadays, things remain more or less the same, concerning the recognition of minorities in the official state-language under the constant absence of the International Law to provide a precise definition for the term “minority”.   So, revision of Histories and distortion or erasure of facts has become a common and legitimate practice.

Definition of “minority”

WANTED

Did you know that there has never been a conclusive and universally accepted definition regarding the term “minority” within the international law?

Well, in spite of using the word regularly either in everyday discourse or in official documents, there is nowhere to be found such a definition.  This fact has led to various and loose interpretations always in connection with the various interests of different nation-states.  For instance, the title "minority" is denied to the Roma living in Germany, since the latter sets as prerequisite for recognition of minorities the permanent settlement in well-defined areas; of course that has never been the case for Roma, as they have developed a nomadic way of life, as a result of centuries of fleeing persecution.

So, if you are ready to accept the challenge to find a commonly accepted and widely respected definition, take into consideration the following: before start working on defining minorities with words such as “people” and “nation” there are some extras to think of… there is no clear-cut and universally accepted definition for “people” and “nation”; besides that, what you come up with must cater for special cases like that of Roma that have neither a homeland nor any ties with any currently existing state.