Within the ALDE Parliamentary Group MEP Filiz Hyusmenova initiated support to the declaration of Polish MEPs against the discrimination of multiple sclerosis patients in the new member states that accessed the EU in 2004. She sent a personal request to each one of the 101 members of the Liberals Parliamentary group to support this initiative. Her letter says in part: “The patients’ rights are a priority of our group and we are conducting a campaign for their effective protection. I myself am engaged in a campaign in support of MS patients in Bulgaria. Knowing their problems, I am convinced of the need to adopt such document. In this connection, I request you to support Declaration 0011/2008.” The invitation to support the declaration was also sent to the 18 Bulgarian MEPs.
  On December 12 2003, the EP adopted a resolution banning discrimination of MS patients. The document “European Code of Good Practices in the Field of Multiple Sclerosis” was presented before the EP at a special conference in May 2007. Statistics show that in Europe there are 500,000 people suffering from MS.
In early February 2008, MEP Hyusmenova began a project within Bulgaria entitled “Assisting MS Patients,” funded by the ALDE Parliamentary Group in the EP within their campaign in defense of patients’ rights. This project assisted the compiling, publishing, and distribution of the first handbook of MS patients in Bulgaria. The booklet was delivered to the five MS offices in Bulgaria located in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.
For two months now, the handbook (total circulation of 4000 and 500 CDs) is being given for free to MS patients during check-ups and consultations or when they are admitted for hospital treatment. The handbook’s author is Dessislava Rayanova who was diagnosed with MS five years ago. Thanks to her experience, the author has compiled lots of information concerning the life of people suffering from this grave disease. About 400 booklets were delivered free of charge to MS patients’ homes after ordering them at tel. 02/814 0101 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

In Bulgaria there are 5,000 MS patients, mostly aged between 20 and 40 years. MS affects the functions of central nervous system and can lead to severe incapacitation.