The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, emphasized the housing rights of Roma communities in Bulgaria following his visit to the country from 29 June to 3 July 2026. During his visit, O’Flaherty toured long-term care facilities for adults and met with organizations focused on the issue of Roma evictions.
The need to develop a housing policy that will ensure Roma families are not left homeless in the event of evictions was among the topics discussed during the visit to Bulgaria last week by Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.
In his statement published today, the Commissioner “welcomes progress in promoting Roma inclusion, particularly regarding poverty reduction, social exclusion, and improved access to education and employment. He commends the successful work of Roma health mediators and welcomes legislative amendments enabling homeless persons and people living in informal dwellings to obtain address registration and identity documents.”
At the same time, O’Flaherty expressed concern over ongoing forced evictions, specifically citing the case of Roma residents in Sofia’s Zaharna Fabrika neighborhood in April 2025, which he has been monitoring.
The Commissioner noted that despite the Bulgarian authorities’ efforts to implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, such as in Yordanova and Others v. Bulgaria, many problems persist. Among these is the lack of explicit legal provisions requiring the authorities to conduct a proportionality assessment prior to evictions or the demolition of homes. This “contributes to inconsistent administrative and judicial practice,” he said.
For years, the BHC has insisted that evictions and the demolition of illegal structures cannot be viewed solely as a matter of administrative procedure. When the affected dwellings are people’s only homes, the state and municipalities are obligated to assess the specific consequences for people involved, taking their vulnerability into account, providing real safeguards, and ensuring that people are not left homeless. This requirement stems from both the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the fundamental principle that any interference with a person’s right to private and family life and their right to adequate housing must be necessary and proportionate.
In that regard, the Commissioner “encourages the [Bulgarian] authorities to:
- ensure that the National Housing Strategy currently under preparation adequately addresses the specific housing situation of Roma communities, including those living in informal settlements.
- introduce explicit proportionality requirements for evictions and demolitions in legislation.
- intensify efforts to combat antigypsyism and consider replicating the successful model of Roma mediators in the housing sector.”
In his brief summary on long-term care for older adults, O’Flaherty highlighted efforts to modernize residential care services but also pointed to serious challenges: staff shortages, a decline in geriatric expertise, limited specialized care for people with dementia. He emphasized the need for stronger independent oversight, for effective investigations into reports of abuse or neglect, and to reform outdated legislation on legal guardianship.
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This activity is funded by the European Union under the project “ROMA CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS PROMOTING EU VALUES” (ROVA), coordinated in Bulgaria by Integro Association. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The project is supported by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ). This publication does not represent the position of the EVZ Foundation. The author bears sole responsibility for the content and claims contained herein.
