Around 43% of Roma in the country work, with 75% working with a signed contract with their employer. This is according to the latest data of the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation, which was presented in the studio of “Bulgaria Morning” on the air of Bulgaria ON AIR on 20 February 2024 by Ms. Petya Goolamalle, Program Director, Trust for Social Achievement Foundation.

“Since we announced this data in November, we have had to prove many times with figures and data that the truth is that every second person in the Roma community works and it is a myth that Roma do not work. The surveys that we have done concern people over the age of 18, so the 40% that we are talking about is the adult part of the Roma community. The average employment rate from 15 upwards for Bulgaria at national level is around 53% for 2022. So we do not have a drastic divergence between the employment rates in the Roma community and the rate that is national. Discrimination is still a big problem,” said Ms. Goolamalle.

She said more and more people from the Roma community recognise the importance of the employment contract.

“It’s something that’s being sought and required, the figures suggest that the direction is the right one and 75% sound like pretty impressive figures. Where communities are and where employers are, there’s a missing bridge between the two groups. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma. Our work as an organization is focused on being mediators, being a conduit between employers and vulnerable groups. Initially, people do not have the confidence and self-esteem to step into the labour market,” she added on Bulgaria ON AIR.

The full interview can be seen here.