Europe rights expert urges Bulgaria follow ECHR orders after Roma homes demolished – JURIST

Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights for the Council of Europe, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, on Friday denounced denounced the recent demolition of Roma houses in the Zaharna Fabrika area of Bulgaria’s capital, in spite of an interim order from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that ordered Bulgaria to stop the forced evictions.

According to Eurochild, more than 200 people were left homeless with no access to basic necessities or support from the state. The statement demanded that the Bulgarian authorities ensure that those affected by the forced evictions are provided support to prevent them from becoming homeless. In addition, Mosler-Törnström highlighted that interim ECHR orders are binding.

Under the European Convention on Human Rights, signatory states are responsible for enforcing the courts’ decisions. This means that the court must rely on Bulgaria to enforce its rulings, although a pattern of disregard for ECHR decisions could result in the EU withholding funding from Bulgaria due to the obligation of EU member-states’ to uphold the rule of law and international law. In the past, the EU has frozen member state funding for passing laws that undermine the rule of law and judicial independence. That being said, for this case to escalate to a freeze in funding at the EU level, Bulgaria would likely need to disregard additional ECHR orders.

The interim ECHR order issued on April 11 ordered Bulgarian authorities to stop the planned demolition of the illegally constructed homes until the ECHR case challenging the planned demolitions was resolved. The state claimed that the demolition of the homes was necessary because the buildings were “dangerous to the health and life of citizens”.

The Roma community is extensively vulnerable to discrimination in Bulgaria due to an ingrained culture of intolerance. Human rights groups urged the state to ensure that the displaced people are protected from violence.