Mothers protest in Sofia
02/11/2007
The Bulgarian Mothers Movement organized a protest in front of the Social Ministry on Tuesday 9th November to ask for the resignation of Labout and Social Policy Minister Emiliya Maslarova.
The mothers protested against the extremely poor condition in the institutions for children with disabilities and the indifference shown by the ministry to its stated commitment to deinstitutionlisation.
The protest was provoked by Kate Blewett’s documentary about the situation of children in the Mogilino Institution, near Ruse. The film revealed systematic neglect of children with disabilities. The movement was joined by organizations like Full House, Association of Mothers and Mothers-to-Be and others. One protestor said ‘Bulgaria’s childcare homes look like concentration camps and there’s no monitoring or supervision of the directors and staff.
Maria Mileva, chairwoman of the movement said ‘There are enormous problems in the entire social policy of the ministry.. But the most urgent problem is in the orphanages. Children really do die there, and healthy children start suffering from mental disorders because no one cares for them.
Social Minister Emiliya Maslarova fought back the accusations, labeling the complaints against her ministry as "babbling".
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