Bulgaria's Education System 'Not Ready to Work with Migrants'

A trade union official has noted that Bulgaria's education system is not ready to work with migrant children.

Speaking at a roundtable dedicated to the migrant crisis, Yanka Takeva, who heads a teachers' trade union (part of union confederation CITUB), has warned of "double standards" about state support for migrants and Bulgarian adults which "leave society divided."

"They create fears that everyone hides here in the room but that we don't want to voice openly," Takeva has argued.

In her opinion, Bulgaria might be facing problems with the integration of migrants similar to those seen in the country's Roma population.  

Labor and Social Policy Minister Zornitsa Rusinova has admitted institutions face numerous issues while trying to take steps to integrate migrant children.

The lack of proper social services for migrant children, language barrier and difficulties in establishing personal data such as age of the respective children are some of the challenges, Focus News Agency quotes her as saying.

As many as 36 children of Middle Eastern migrants went to school for the first time last week, it was also announced at the roundtable.