Bulgaria Vows Support for Deinstitutionalization Efforts of UNICEF

President Rosen Plevneliev has assured that Bulgaria will continue to support the UNICEF mission aimed at deinstitutionalization in the child care system.

Plevneliev expressed Bulgaria's stance at a meeting with Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of UNICEF, according to the press office of the President.

Plevneliev confirmed Bulgaria's plans to close down specialized children's institutions by 2025.

"Early childhood development is of crucial importance for a normal process of growing up and this is why it is essential for the children to live in an environment in which they feel emotionally happy. Only the family can give love," the Executive Director of UNICEF said.

He thanked Plevneliev for the conference held in Sofia in November 2012 under his aegis devoted to curbing the placement in institutional care of children below three years of age.

Plevneliev noted that Bulgaria was to sign a Partnership Agreement with the European Commission on the 2014-2020 programming period, adding that the step would provide additional opportunities for integration and social inclusion of refugee children, representatives of ethnic minorities and children deprived of parental care.

"We are ready to share our experience in the process of de-institutionalization with other countries in southeastern Europe," Bulgaria's head of state declared.