World Bank Offers Bulgaria's Interior Help for Roma Integration

Tsvetanov (left) with Harold (middle). Photo by Interior Ministry press center

The World Bank has expressed readiness to back the efforts of the Bulgarian government for integration of the Roma.

Peter Harold, Director for Central Europe and the Baltic at the World Bank has met in Sofia with Bulgaria's Deputy PM and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

"As the Minister of Interior I am the most interested to solve the Roma issue since a number of the Roma, primarily people with low social status, deal with household robberies, and others participate in human trafficking," Tsvetanov said pointing out that in the last months the Interior has cracked down on illegal money lenders in Roma populated quarters.

Tsvetanov declared the most important thing is to have models for education and integration of the Roma.

According to Peter Harold, there are two areas in which the World Bank can help with Roma integration – with data and developed strategies and with mechanisms for carrying out outlined goals.

"Money has to go to the right place in order to produce effect," Harold said while vowing the World Bank's support for solving Bulgaria's problems with Roma integration.

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