Bulgaria, Moldova Accede to Statelessness Conventions

In Bulgaria, foreign refugees and asylum-seekers are kept in the notorious facility in Busmantsi near Sofia. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria and Moldova have become the latest states to accede to the international conventions on statelessness, the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR announced.

"UNHCR is very pleased by these new accessions to the global treaties to address and resolve statelessness. Achieving an increased number of states parties to the two statelessness conventions is key to making progress," UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said at a press briefing on Tuesday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

With the accession of Bulgaria and Moldova 73 states have acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, and 44 are now States parties to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

The Republic of Moldova formally deposited its instruments of accession to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness with the United Nations in New York on 19th April.

Bulgaria acceded to the two important treaties a month earlier, on 22nd March.

In Europe, hundreds of thousands of people are affected by statelessness. Worldwide, the number of stateless people is estimated at up to 12 million.

Statelessness can occur for a number of reasons, and its impact on those affected can be dramatic. A person unable to obtain a birth certificate, for example, can have difficulties proving their identities and accessing state and other services – potentially leading to other serious denials of rights.

Bulgaria plans to establish a status determination procedure and intends to also draw on the experience of good practices of other countries.

UNHCR assured it will support the authorities by disseminating information on the new procedure in regions where stateless persons reside.

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