News

20 October 2025

Nearly 10,000 children with disabilities remain outside the education system, according to a meeting of the Council for Monitoring Persons with Disabilities, chaired by Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva.

The Council is an independent public mechanism established under the Persons with Disabilities Act, which monitors the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Its members include representatives of the Ombudsman, the Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPD), organizations of persons with disabilities, and the academic community. Its main goal is to ensure equal rights, an accessible environment, and effective policies for protection and social inclusion.

 At the meeting, Dr. Eva Zhecheva, director of the Ombudsman's Child Rights Directorate, emphasized the need to support parents with disabilities who are raising their children on their own.

Maya Vasileva, Director of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Discrimination Directorate at the Ombudsman Institution, highlighted problems in medical examination activities and the payment of disability pensions.

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva reported as a success the removal of restrictions on the issuance of preferential parking cards by harmonizing the application of Article 99a of the Road Traffic Act.

"We will insist that the institutions respond to all unfulfilled recommendations," Delcheva emphasized.

She handed over the administration of the Council for Monitoring People with Disabilities to the chair of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, Elka Bozhova. The change is in line with the introduced rotation principle of management of the Council for the next two years.

Antoaneta Peneva from the Bulgarian Association for Neuromuscular Diseases became the new vice-chairperson representing the organisations of people with disabilities, taking over from Svetoslav Chernev, chairperson of the Organisation of Little People in Bulgaria.

The main priorities for the next two years will be the European Parking Card and the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.