Bulgarian MEP Filiz Hyusmenova is the main lecturer at a conference ‘Challenges of Bulgarian Membership in the EU: Policies and Good Practices for Efficient Integration of Vulnerable Ethnic Communities.’ The conference is organized by the National Council on Ethnic and Demographic Issues. Filiz Hyusmenova used to be a Minister without Portfolio, also responsible for the operation of the National Council. Now at the EU, she continues working towards the integration of vulnerable groups.
She is going to present a report entitled ‘European Parliament: Political View on the Rights of Minorities.’ The report features the European policy on differences and minorities under the conditions of demographic changes in the European community. At this backdrop, the activity of EU institutions towards integration of national minorities is presented. Special attention is paid to the European Parliament initiatives in the Year of Equal Opportunities – 2007. In her statement, Filiz Hyusmenova highlights the need of more efforts towards the actual involvement of minorities in all areas of social, political and economic life of the Member States.
Hyusmenova shares with the conference delegates the European Parliament position that ‘…there is not one common and universally applicable approach to the minorities. Their protection should comprise a combination of international, regional and national norms that shall be grouped. A certain degree of flexibility is needed, corresponding to the conditions, as the specific situations call for specific approaches.’
Experts from the EU Member States, Representative Office of the European Commission to Bulgaria, representatives of embassies, ministries, agencies, local authorities, scientific institutions, non-governmental organizations and media will also take part in the conference.