Bulgaria's Social Policy Minister Reports 1370 Homeless by Sept 2013

Ademov pointed out that homeless people could find shelter and support at temporary accommodation centers, shelters, sheltered housing sites, and mixed-type accommodation centers. Photo by BGNES

By September 2013, there were a total of 1370 homeless in Bulgaria, according to Hasan Ademov, Minister of Labor and Social Policy.

Ademov provided statistics in response to a question of Semir Husein Abu Melih, MP of center-right party GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) about the number of homeless persons on the territory of the country.

He made clear that a total of 860 people had used social services by September 2013 and 26 homeless children had used health services offered at the designated centers.

Ademov, as cited by the BGNES news agency, pointed out that homeless people could find shelter and support at temporary accommodation centers, shelters, sheltered housing sites, and mixed-type accommodation centers.

He informed that by September 2013, Bulgaria had 13 temporary accommodation centers with a total capacity of 625 beds, of which 442 occupied; 6 shelters with a total capacity of 130 beds, of which 81 occupied, and 13 centers for homeless children with a total capacity of 231, with 19 vacancies.

He said that Sofia also offered a center for accommodating people at risk during the winter season, adding that the facility provided support for 70 homeless.

Ademov also said that a total of 181 soup kitchens in Bulgaria, adding that the number of people using the meals service had gone up by over 50% to the current rate of 16 982, including around 1200 children.

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