Women’s reproductive rights and right to family life interferance by the Health Minister

The European Roma Information Office expresses its concerns on the statement of the Bulgarian Health Minister Radoslav Gaydarski, who is considering a law aimed to curb the birth rate among minority groups, particularly Roma. According to “Sega” newspaper, Mr. Gaydarski told journalists on Monday that if the birth rate among Roma is not limited, then the mortality rate in Bulgaria would remain among the highest in Europe, as many of these children do not survive until adult. Gaydarski suggested also that a meeting of the health ministers of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia – the countries where large populations of Roma live - should be held to tackle the social problems of these groups.

The European Roma Information Office finds this proposal as a violation of basic human rights and as a first step of the strategy aiming to solve the largely debated issue of demographic crises in the Bulgarian society. Nationalistic statements like “50 years later Roma will become majority in Bulgaria because of the high birth rate” provokes anti-Roma sentiments. The “threat” by the so called demographic crises also could be easily recognised in the statements of high officials and academics.

The statement of Minster Gaydarski was found as inappropriate by law-makers and health care authorities. The Chair on the Parliamentary Commission on Health Dr. Borislav Kitov said: “Such a law could not enter the Parliament, even if it does it would go directly to the Bulgarian constitutional court. We could not incriminate something which is physiology; otherwise it would be genocide!” According to Minister Gaydarski pregnancy under 16 should be restricted by law. Obviously the law will target mainly the Roma community aiming at decreasing the birth rate among this ethnic group. But the question is what the authorities are going to do with pregnant girls under 16.

We understand that this generally confusing idea and anti-Roma initiative of Mr. Gaydarski is a result of a “human” intention to decrease child mortality as a result of early pregnancy, but there are other ways to deal with it, and not with unconstitutional legislation which is considered as a brutal interference in women’s reproductive rights and right to family life.

The European Roma Information Office encourages the European Union authorities to take measures to prevent the adoption of such laws by the Bulgarian legislators, which would be in conflict with the EU policies promoting basic human rights and democratic values.

Ivan Ivanov, Executive Director

European Roma Information Office

More information on the issue:

 The best EU anti-discrimination provision, still insufficient in the case of Roma, by Ivan Ivanov
 Roma participation - indivisible part of the social inclusion process