In 2025, the Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPD) initiated 518 formal proceedings seeking protection against discrimination, a significant increase compared to the 179 proceedings filed in 2024, according to CPD Chair Elka Bozhova during a session in Montana on Monday. The Commission subsequently issued decisions regarding 418 of these cases. Bozhova noted that the most frequent complaints and alerts received by the CPD related to employment, specifically instances where employers allegedly failed to comply with established collective labor agreements.
Another notable area of concern involved reports concerning hate speech disseminated through the televised and media statements of politicians. Furthermore, the CPD addressed issues of physical accessibility through the Accessible Bulgaria campaign. In the Montana Region, numerous inspections of publicly significant buildings were conducted, leading to 62 proceedings initiated in 2025 concerning the architectural environment.
In most reported cases, building owners have taken corrective measures to improve access for people with disabilities, who previously faced significant barriers. To bolster preventative measures, a professional development seminar is currently underway in Montana. CPD lecturers are training local civil servants to recognize instances of discrimination and properly direct individuals to the CPD representation services.
As part of this training, participants are taking on the role of experts tasked with determining whether discrimination has occurred in specific reported cases. These efforts underscore the CPD’s commitment to strengthening the protection mechanisms against discrimination across the region.
Topics: #discrimination #proceedings #protection
This dramatic increase suggests that discrimination issues are becoming much more visible to the public.
What factors might account for the reported increase in discrimination proceedings filed in 2025?