BULGARIA: 2008 ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 SOFIA 000124

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP (Hall),G, INL, DRL, IWI, PRM, EUR/PGI, EUR/NCE
(TURNER)
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID
DOJ FOR OPDAT, ICITAP, CEOS, AND CRD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: 2008 ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT

REF: STATE 2731


1. SUMMARY: This cable provides Embassy Sofia's input for the
eighth annual Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. Bulgaria is
primarily a country of origin and transit, and to a lesser degree a
country of destination for human trafficking. The past year has
seen a significant energizing of the government's leading
anti-trafficking agency - the National Commission for Combating
Trafficking in Persons (the Commission). It is finally fully
staffed, has its own office and receives sufficient resources to
implement prevention campaigns as well as to coordinate a
comprehensive approach to victim identification and protection at
both national and local level. The government has continued to
implement anti-trafficking legislation and related regulations
emphasizing the close cooperation between law enforcement and NGOs
in countering trafficking.


2. Senior GOB officials, even President Georgi Parvanov, spoke out
publicly against trafficking in persons, demonstrating renewed
government commitment to this issue. After strong public statements
by the Prosecutor General, the Interior Minister publicly opposed
efforts to legalize prostitution initiated within his ministry in

2006. Anti-trafficking advocates worried that legalization would
fuel human trafficking. This about-face by the GOB is significant,
given the powerful business interests, including the National
Tourism Board, who initially advocated for legalization.

Primary point of contact on trafficking is Political Officer Joslyn
Mack- Wilson (mack-wislonjg@state.gov, tel: +359 2937 5276, fax:
+359 2937 5320). Approximately 100 hours of staff time were
required for the completion of this report. END SUMMARY.

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OVERVIEW
--------------


A. Bulgaria is primarily a country of origin and transit, and to a
lesser extent a country of destination for trafficking in persons.
Law enforcement officials reported an increase in the number of
cases of Bulgarian citizens trafficked within the country. Internal
trafficking is primarily for purposes of sexual exploitation,
particularly in the resort areas along the Black Sea coast and in
border towns with Greece.

Most victims trafficked from or through Bulgaria are sent to
Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Austria and other Western
European countries. Bulgarian victims are also trafficked to
destinations in the Balkans - Greece, Turkey, and Macedonia. The
business of prostitution in these areas has traditionally centered
around bars and nightclubs, but NGOs report that law enforcement
pressure has caused a shift toward call-girl operations managed from
private apartments. Because they operate away from the public eye,
such prostitution networks are harder for NGOs and law enforcement
to monitor and may contribute to a less clear picture of
intra-Balkan trafficking networks.

The prosecution service reported 288 victims of trafficking in 2007,
of them 53 were under the age of 18.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported
assisting 61 victims in Bulgaria in 2007, compared to 82 victims
assisted in 2006. Of the victims assisted in 2007, 3 were foreign
women trafficked to or through Bulgaria.

The Supreme Cassation Prosecution Service gathers information from
all prosecution offices on all trafficking cases from their
initiation through sentencing. The International Organization for
Migration (IOM) maintains information on the number of trafficking
victims based on cases it has actually assisted in its centers.
NGOs, including the Nadja Centre Foundation (NCF) and Animus
Association Foundation (AAF),also maintain information on the
number of trafficking victims that they have actually assisted.

Under the auspices of a multinational project, funded by the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented
by the International Center for Migration Policy Development
(ICMPD),the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in
Persons (the Commission) has been designated a focal point for
collection and maintenance of statistical data on victims of
trafficking. During the year, the Commission's staff actively
participated in the development of a transnational referral
mechanism and was trained to use special software for victim
registration, which would compliment the referral mechanism. The
Commission has started preparations for convening a working group,

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comprised of all government and non-government agencies that deal
with victims of trafficking, to develop local procedures for data
entry.

According to the Ministry of Interior's General Directorate for
Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP),IOM and NGOs, young women aged
between 18 and 24 tend to be most vulnerable to become victims of
trafficking. Also, the IOM and the NCF identify those with lower
education and those with problematic family relations as groups more
at risk of being trafficked. Minorities, particularly Roma, are
more vulnerable to trafficking: Roma account for over one-third of
trafficking victims, much higher than their estimated population
proportion of between 6 and 7 percent. Roma children are
particularly vulnerable to internal and external trafficking for
purposes of begging and delinquency. Selling of babies, both in
country and abroad, also occurs within the Roma community.
Trafficking of pregnant women and forcing them to sell their
children abroad remains an elusive problem because the women are
free to travel and can not be stopped by border police.


B. Bulgarian trafficking victims tend to come from regions with
high unemployment and poor economic conditions. The NCF noted
higher numbers of victims originating from the southwest and the
northeast of the country while the AAF reported an upward trend in
the number of victims originating from the northwest. The GDBOP and
IOM reported that foreign victims came from Romania, Moldova,
Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Lebanon and Central Asia. The GDBOP, IOM
and AAF identified Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Italy, the
Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Belgium, France, Spain, Austria, the
Czech Republic, Poland, Macedonia as destinations for victims
trafficked from and through Bulgaria.

In larger cities such as Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas, sexual
exploitation tends to be controlled by organized criminal
organizations while small crime groups and freelance operators are
involved in smaller cities and towns. Foreign victims were
principally recruited through promises of work, while the majority
of Bulgarian victims were recruited individually through close
friends, relatives or acquaintances. Although printed job
advertisements are used less frequently, model agencies continue to
publish ads serving as a front to attract victims. A recent trend
is for traffickers to recruit young educated girls from poor
families by offering them generous education opportunities abroad.


Both Bulgarian and foreign victims of trafficking generally traveled
using genuine rather than forged documents. This was universally
true in cases involving Bulgarian citizens, who do not require visas
to travel to the EU. Victims also tend to be moved frequently from
one place to another avoiding detection from law enforcement
authorities for undocumented stays.



C. The Ministry of Interior (MOI),Ministry of Justice (MOJ),
Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP),Ministry of Health
(MOH),Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Ministry of Education,
State Agency for Child Protection (SACP),Central Commission for
Combating Juvenile Delinquency, Supreme Court of Cassation, Supreme
Cassation Prosecution and National Investigation Service (NIS) are
all involved in anti-trafficking efforts and are represented on the
National Anti-Trafficking Commission.

According to the law the Commission serves as a major focal point
responsible for coordinating government's anti-trafficking efforts.
The Commission was energized by the June 2007 appointment of a
functioning secretariat and started actively assuming its
responsibilities as the lead anti-trafficking agency. The
Commission, which by law is comprised of representatives of
different ministries at deputy ministerial level, has previously
experienced difficulties in sustaining its day-to-day operations.
By contrast, the 2007 staffing of the Commission's secretariat with
eight persons helped lay the groundwork for political decision
making and actual implementation of policies. The secretariat
identified a core group of Ministry experts and further developed
their capacity as key consultants on the National Strategy and other
issues as they arise. This provided an opportunity for a closer and
continuous engagement with all key players. The Government equipped
the Commission with essential resources for its daily operation -
premises, vehicle, equipment and supplies.

In January 2008, the first local commission was formally established
in the coastal city of Burgas. The local commissions replicate the
structure and composition of the National Commission at municipal

SOFIA 00000124 003 OF 008


level and are administratively subordinate to both the Commission
and the mayor. In February, two more local commissions were
established in Varna and Sliven, both identified as regions with at
risk population. The National Commission has bought equipment and
supplies to support the work of the newly established local
commissions and has planned staff training.



D. Officials at high levels of government are committed to
combating trafficking and implementing effective rule of law. The
government's ability to address trafficking continues to face
challenges, including widespread public corruption and bureaucratic
procedures. There is no wide-ranging pattern of corruption related
to trafficking in persons, however low salaries for government
officials and lack of resources expose individual border and customs
officials to bribes and threats from criminal groups involved in
trafficking. The Commission, as a new and uniquely structured
organization, is still establishing clear procedures for
communicating and cooperating within the state bureaucracy but has
managed to win the commitment of key experts from all relevant
agencies. After the withdrawal of major donors in the area, EU
funds are eyed as a replacement by both the government and the NGO
sector, but they seem difficult to access.


E. During the reporting period, the Commission has started to
assume its obligation to systematically monitor the government's
anti-trafficking efforts and implement the overall anti-TIP
strategy. In January 2008, the Commission hired a polling agency to
assess public knowledge of the problem. The results of this
national opinion poll will be used as a basis for developing
government's future prevention campaigns. Again in January, the
Commission requested information from all relevant agencies on their
2007 activities to compile an assessment report of government's
anti-trafficking efforts.

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INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS
--------------


A. In 2002, amendments were adopted to the Criminal Code that set
specific punishments for trafficking. Section 159.A of the Criminal
Code corresponds to the Palermo Protocol and provides for
punishments according to the Protocol. Section 159.B addresses
recidivism and severe forms of trafficking and provides for
punishments according to the Protocol. A 2004 amendment to the
Criminal Code allowed for prosecution of intermediaries involved in
baby smuggling. Further revisions to the Code, in effect since
October 2006, specifically criminalized trafficking of pregnant
women for the purpose of baby selling. A separate provision punishes
the mothers who consent to the sale, both in the country and abroad.
Police reported disrupting 13 cases of baby selling as of October.
The Criminal Code also punishes rape, slavery, forced prostitution
and activities related to prostitution. Current Bulgarian
legislation allows for the investigation and prosecution of all
forms of human trafficking, not only the most severe forms mandated
by the Palermo Protocol. Trafficking is among the offenses covered
by the 2005 Asset Forfeiture Law, which allows for confiscation of
illegally acquired property. Victims of trafficking can also sue
for civil damages.


B. All forms of human trafficking are equally penalized,
regardless of the form of exploitation. The punishment for
trafficking in persons may include 1 to 8 years in prison and fines
up to approximately $5,000 (8,000 leva). If aggravated
circumstances exist -- e.g., a minor or kidnapping was involved --
penalties increase to 2 to 10 years in prison and fines of up to
approximately $6,250 (10,000 leva). Penalties for trafficking
persons across borders increase to 3 to 10 years' imprisonment and
fines of up to approximately $9,375 (15,000 leva). The same
increased punishment is provided for trafficking of pregnant women
for the purpose of baby selling. If the act of trafficking was
carried out in connection with an organized crime group or
constituted a serious repeat offense, penalties increase to 5 to 15
years' imprisonment with fines of up to approximately $12,500
(20,000 leva) and the possibility of forfeiture of assets. In 2007,
the Prosecution Service did not maintain statistics on the number of
imposed suspended sentences. However, it has been designated a
focal point for the maintenance of a traffickers' register under the
ICMPD-implemented project for the development of a transnational
referral mechanism. The register, expected to be operational in the
first quarter of 2008, will encompass 40 different indicators for
the flow of the criminal proceeding against any given trafficker,
including the type of sentence passed.

SOFIA 00000124 004 OF 008





C. As described in paragraph B, labor trafficking is covered by the
same legal clauses and warrants the same punishments as other forms
of trafficking. Labor recruiters and employers who falsely entice
workers or forcibly hold them in the destination countries can be
punished with up to 10 years imprisonment. After Bulgaria's
accession to the European Union, law enforcement officials report an
increase in Bulgarian citizens trafficked abroad for labor purposes,
especially for seasonal work to Greece, Italy and Spain. In 2007,
the prosecution service launched 16 new investigations of
labor-trafficking cases. For the same period, the courts imposed 2
sentences against labor traffickers and there were no acquittals.



D. Sentences for rape range between 2 and 8 years' imprisonment;
sentences increase to between 3 and 10 years if the perpetrator is a
repeat offender, or if the victim is underage or a descendent
relative. In cases where rape results in serious bodily injury or
suicide of the victim, sentences range between 10 and 20 years.


E. Prostitution is not prohibited by law but is also not legally
regulated. In February 2006 the Ministry of Interior set up a
working group to draft legislation to regulate prostitution. The
drafting group, backed by powerful business interests kept a low
profile, occasionally leaking statements highlighting the health
benefits for the prostitutes and the tax revenues for the state
budget. In October 2007, both the Interior Minister and the Chief
Prosecutor publicly opposed legalizing prostitution, emphasizing its
potential to fuel organized crime. These public comments
effectively ended the debate, marking a victory for anti-trafficking
advocates.

Under the Criminal Code, the activity of a prostitute is not illegal
but a variety of activities often associated with prostitution, such
as pimping, are illegal. Penalties for related activities include
up to 3 years imprisonment for pimping and up to 5 years
imprisonment for operating organized prostitution establishments.
Forced prostitution is illegal and is punishable by up to 6 years
imprisonment for perpetrators or between 3 and 10 years imprisonment
for government officials involved in the activity. Inducement to
prostitution is punishable by up to 3 years' imprisonment. Prior to
the October 2006, revisions of the Criminal Code, the penalty rose
to 10 to 20 years if the crime was performed by or through an
organized crime group, if the victim was a minor under age 18 or
legally incompetent, if two or more persons were induced into
prostitution, or if the offense was repeated. In October 2006,
amendments to the law inadvertently created a loophole that
significantly limited penalties for inducement to prostitution. In
a particularly notorious case, a defendant who was appealing his
12-year sentence when the law was amended was released because the
new maximum penalty for his crime was three years. After a public
outcry, Parliamentarians moved to correct the loophole and in 2007
increased the penalties.



F. In 2007, the prosecution service investigated 209 trafficking
cases under the special provisions of the Criminal Code. 179 of the
investigations concerned trafficking for the purpose of sexual
exploitation and 22 dealt with labor exploitation. As a result, the
prosecutors filed in court 62 indictments against 97 individuals,
all of whom were Bulgarian nationals. A total of 75 persons were
convicted on trafficking charges and 3 were acquitted. Of them, 71
were sentenced for trafficking for sexual exploitation and 2 for
labor exploitation. Sixty-two of the sentences went through all
stages of appeal and the convicts started serving their sentences.
In some of the cases, the prosecutors pressed multiple charges
against the perpetrators and where there was not sufficient evidence
to prove the trafficking charges, the perpetrators were prosecuted
for enticement into prostitution. Additionally, 4 investigations
were launched under the Criminal Code's provisions on money
laundering which involved the proceeds from human trafficking.
Offenders convicted of trafficking generally served the full
sentences mandated by the court.


G. The government and its international and NGO partners provide
front-line law enforcement officers with training in the
identification and investigation of cases of trafficking. In 2007,
the UNHCR and NCF continued implementing a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Border Police and the Police Academy under
which over 600 law enforcement officers have been trained. Training
modules employed by government agencies emphasized sensitivity and
the importance of differentiating between trafficking victims and

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offendes. IOM worked closely with law enforcement officils to
strengthen their victim identification capcit and continued its
education campaign among scial workers with a particular emphasis
on the saff of the three crisis centers for children. The
Department of Justice (DoJ/OPDAT) in cooperationwith the NCF
organized 5 regional seminars in al appellate regions for judges
and prosecutors focsing on curbing corrupt practices related to
traficking in humans. DoJ/OPDAT also completed a seris of five
regional workshops for prosecutors and police on forfeiting the
assets of human trafficking. These workshops were designed to
orient prosecutors and law enforcement officials to the need for
cutting off the money supply that fuels human trafficking,
especially through use of financial profiling, bringing money
laundering cases, and applying asset forfeiture procedures.
Consular officers posted to Bulgarian embassies and law enforcement
personnel received training on recognizing trafficking victims and
how to refer victims to the IOM and NGOs for legal, medical and
psychological assistance.



H. The GOB actively cooperates with other governments in
investigating and prosecuting cases of trafficking. In 2007, the
GDBOP participated in two major international police operations
targeting human traffickers. There were Bulgarian liaison officers
from the MOI working in Athens, Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris,
Prague, Skopje, Vienna, Warsaw, at Europol in The Hague, at the SECI
Center in Bucharest, and in other locations. These liaison officers
actively worked on international trafficking investigations.
Bulgarian law enforcement authorities continued joint investigations
with Italian and Greek counterparts into the trafficking of
Bulgarians for labor exploitation.


I. In 2005, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted an amendment to the
Constitution allowing the extradition of Bulgarian citizens for
crimes committed abroad pursuant to international treaty. Under the
terms of the Palermo Protocol, this provision applies to human
trafficking as well as other crimes. Implementing legislation
allowing for the extradition of Bulgarian nationals has been in
force since July 2005. During the year, the Prosecution granted 29
requests for extradition on trafficking charges. Twenty-five of them
were Bulgarian nationals and 4 were third-country nationals.


J. There is no evidence of government involvement in or tolerance
of trafficking on an institutional level. However, there have been
reports of low-level law enforcement officials being involved in
trafficking-related corruption.


K. During the year no government officials, including police
officers, were charged with or convicted of trafficking.


L. Reporting not applicable to Bulgaria.


M. Although Bulgaria does not have an official child sex tourism
problem, it is increasingly becoming a destination point, especially
along the sea coast, for sexual exploitation. Trafficking of
victims to resort areas, mostly internal, often involves young girls
aged between 14 and 18, who are considered children under Bulgarian
legislation.


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PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS
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A. The 2003 Anti-Trafficking Act created a special immigration
status for foreign trafficking victims who choose to cooperate in
trafficking investigations. The status provides for full residency
and employment rights until the end of criminal proceedings. For
foreign citizen victims who choose not to cooperate in trafficking
investigations, the GOB provides 10 days plus one month for
recovery; if at the end of the recovery period victims still choose
not to cooperate in the trafficking investigation, they are
transported to their country of origin. The recovery period for
foreign citizen child victims, at the recommendation of the SACP, is
ten days plus two months.


B. The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) operated three
crisis centers for children victims of trafficking and other forms
of violence. The centers, designed to help rehabilitate and
integrate the children through specialized treatment and education,
are under 24-hour police protection. Each center offers
psychological and medical assistance to victims and has the capacity
to shelter 10 kids aged between 6 and 18 for a period of up to 6

SOFIA 00000124 006 OF 008


months. The center's social workers seek to ensure the safe return
of the children to their biological families after this period
expires and, whenever necessary, to find them appropriate employment
or accommodation in a specialized institution or a foster family.
One of the crisis centers, in the village of Balvan, is accommodated
in a building which was previously allocated by the municipality to
a local NGO for social services to vulnerable groups. The center
continues to work closely with the NGO benefiting from its
experience and established network of social consultants in nearby
localities. The five social consultants, initially supported by the
NGO to engage in trafficking prevention activities, are currently
employed by the municipality. During the year, the MLSP started
negotiations with Sofia's municipal authorities on the allocation of
premises to be used as a shelter for children victims of trafficking
who are repatriated from abroad.

The Government referred adult trafficking victims to the IOM and
NGOs (primarily the NCF) for sheltering and assistance with legal
and other needs. In 2007, IOM sheltered 61 victims of trafficking.
Additionally AAF assisted 63 victims in their crisis unit. The
Anti-Trafficking Act provides for repatriated Bulgarian trafficking
victims to receive the same assistance and care as foreign and
Bulgarian trafficking victims identified within the country. NGOs
and government agencies do not distinguish between foreign victims
and Bulgarian citizens in providing assistance to trafficking
victims. Trafficking victims receive medical, psychological and
psychiatric care by IOM and NGOs such as AAF and NCF.


C. The Government supports the IOM and NGOs in their assistance to
trafficking victims. Part of this assistance includes use of
facilities, at below market rates, and police protection for
IOM-operated shelters and safe houses throughout the country. NOT
FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION: IOM's financial standing as of March 2008
is uncertain and the Government has not allocated any direct funding
for its activities. The Commission has researched the possibility
to request supplemental funding outside the normal budget cycle and
has indicated readiness to resort to these procedures should urgent
victim protection needs arise.


D. In 2007, the prosecution service identified 288 victims of
trafficking, of which 53 were minors. MOI law enforcement personnel
routinely refer victims of trafficking to IOM and NGO partners,
particularly the NCF. Children victims were referred to the three
state-run centers, under an established children referral mechanism
coordinated by the SACP. In 2007, the Commission participated in a
multinational project for development of a transnational referral
mechanism. Jointly with NGO partners, the Commission started
implementation of a project funded by the Dutch government for the
elaboration of a comprehensive national referral mechanism compliant
with the transnational procedures. The first phase of the project
focuses on mapping existing referral practices, both formal and
informal, and developing a needs assessment.


E. Prostitution in Bulgaria is not prohibited by law but is also
not specifically addressed.


F. According to the IOM, victims are treated with full respect for
their rights, according to international norms, and are not treated
as criminals. Victims are generally not detained, fined, or
prosecuted for minor offenses.


G. The GOB encourages victims to assist in the investigation and
prosecution of trafficking cases and provides special status for
foreign citizen victims who choose to render such assistance. A
witness protection program is available to Bulgarian citizen victims
who choose to render similar assistance. All trafficking victims
have the right to seek assistance from government agencies, and
these agencies are obligated to assist them. Victims can also file
civil suits for material and moral damages suffered.


H. Trafficking victims who have chosen to cooperate have been
afforded witness protection under the Criminal Procedure Code, which
includes withholding of the victim's identity and physical
protection by police officers. 2004 legislation established a more
sophisticated government witness protection program, which offers
special protection measures to witnesses, victims, defendants,
suspects, convicts, and experts providing essential testimony,
explanations, or information in serious cases, including
trafficking, as well as their close relatives. Protective measures
for witnesses range from being provided a personal guard and
temporary placement in safe houses to changing residence or
workplace to changing identity in extreme cases. The legislation
also provides for witnesses to be transferred abroad if there are

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not sufficient security guarantees in country.


I. In association with the IOM and NGOs, the Government conducted
trafficking prevention and awareness programs, including programs
for law enforcement officers and consular officers posted to
Bulgarian embassies abroad. These programs included segments
addressing the legal provisions relating to human trafficking as
operational and psychological treatment for trafficking victims.


J. The Government referred repatriated Bulgarian trafficking
victims to the IOM and NGOs for legal, medical and psychological
assistance. The Anti-Trafficking Act provides for repatriated
Bulgarian trafficking victims to receive the same assistance and
care as trafficking victims identified within the country.


K. In 2007, the Government provided direct assistance to children
victims of trafficking in the three shelters operated by the MLSP.
Opening one crisis center for adult victims of trafficking is part
of the Government's anti-trafficking draft strategy for 2008. In
2007, the IOM continued to be involved in addressing trafficking and
assisting trafficking victims. The AAF and NCF also provided
assistance to trafficking victims. All three organizations report
having excellent cooperation with Government officials, on a
national and local level, including support for shelters and
awareness/prevention campaigns, providing protection and support to
the organizations and their representatives. The government does not
allocate direct funding to such groups, but works with them closely
on identification and referral. NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION: NGOs
and government officials also cooperate to facilitate prosecution of
trafficking perpetrators by providing witness protection and
assistance to victims of trafficking who testify against their
traffickers.


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PREVENTION
--------------


A. Government officials at all levels are committed to combating
trafficking in persons. Political will to address the problem
received a new impetus in 2007 with high-level public figures,
including the President, the Interior Minister and the Chief
Prosecutor, condemning the devastating effects of trafficking.


B. In October the Commission organized a national awareness
campaign to officially acknowledge the EU day for combating human
trafficking. Activities included a press conference, widely covered
in national media, an expert workshop, a discussion with university
students preceded by a ceremony for signing a Memorandum with the
university and an exhibition. The Commission produced more than 1
000 posters to advertise the campaign. In December, in partnership
with the U.S. Embassy, the Commission organized several events to
commemorate the 16-days of activism to eliminate violence against
women, including a press conferences and a round table on
prostitution. The highlight of the campaign was the Bulgarian
premier of the documentary film, "Cargo: Innocence Lost," by U.S.
director Michael Cory Davis, which was attended by Deputy Prime
Minister and senior magistrates. The Commission gained rights to
use the movie in its prevention activity and produced 3 000 posters
to publicize future educational screenings for vulnerable groups.
As part of a joint project with the NGO Face to Face titled "Every
child can become victim of trafficking, especially the child we
rarely see", the Commission published and started distribution of 1
000 posters and 5 000 brochures. The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs continued to implement a trafficking awareness program aimed
at standardizing identification and referral procedures for victims
of trafficking by Bulgarian consular officers posted abroad.


C. The energizing of the Commission has provided momentum to the
anti-trafficking sector. The Commission enjoys excellent relations
with international partners, NGOs and governmental agencies; and
representatives from these sectors comment that the appointment of a
functioning secretariat has significantly improved coordination
within the sector.


D. Effective monitoring of immigration and emigration patterns is
hampered by the fact that travel between Bulgaria and its neighbors,
as well as to the EU is largely visa-free. In addition, the overall
number of trafficking victims is a tiny fraction of the hundreds of
thousands of Bulgarian citizens working abroad legally. The
National Border Police actively monitors airports and land border
crossings for evidence of trafficking in persons; however, with
Bulgaria's membership in the EU, passport control for EU citizens is

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becoming less stringent.


E. As described in section C. of the Overview the Commission serves
as a multi-agency institution with policy-level membership and its
own dedicated expert-level staff. It is the main point of contact
on government's anti-trafficking policy for international and local
partners. The Commission's effectiveness has been reinforced with
the 2007 establishment of an expert advisory group, with
representatives from all agencies that are members of the
Commission. In addition, the National implementation team for the
development of the transnational referral mechanism, which includes
representatives of the Prosecution Service, GDBOP, Border Police,
AAF and the Commission, serves as a task force for refining return
procedures. The Commission also hosts regular meetings of a
coordination group, comprised of international donors and NGO
representatives, to promote cooperation and advancement of
anti-trafficking efforts.


F. The government's current National Strategy for Combating Human
Trafficking was adopted by the Commission in June 2007 and was
approved by the Council of Ministers in September 2007. It was
developed in consultation with all relevant government agencies, as
well as NGOs and the IOM. The strategy has been disseminated to all
relevant implementing partners. In February 2008, the Commission
circulated a draft 2008 Strategy, developed by the expert group, for
comments and input to all relevant agencies and NGOs.


G. In 2007, the Commission launched awareness campaigns to educate
citizens about the dangers of sex trafficking (See Prevention, B).
Such efforts were directed at potential victims, customers, as well
as educating law enforcement and services providers about sex
trafficking. In January 2008, the Commission announced the results
of a public opinion poll which will be used as a basis for
developing the government's future prevention campaigns. In 2007,
the Ministry of Interior rejected plans to legalize prostitution.



H. Bulgaria does not have an identified problem with child sex
tourism by Bulgarian nationals.


I. Reporting not required for Bulgaria.


BEYRLE