February 16, 2010

“The trainee, who will achieve the best results at the end of the Fourth Program for Interns, designated for young Roma, will be appointed to work in the administration of the 41st National Assembly. This is how we want to show that those who are competent, ambitious, willing and able, should have access to all levels of government administration and economic life”, said the chair of parliament Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva at the official opening of the program on February 16, 2010 .

The initiative is held under the auspices of National Assembly Chair Tsetska Tsacheva and the support of Program Roma of the Open Society Institute in Sofia, the US National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Club of Roma Interns at the National Assembly.

During the presentation of the program, the Speaker of Parliament noted that it enables the training of young Roma, interested in various spheres of social and political life. “We owe this tradition to the Vice-President of the 40th National Assembly, Mr. Philip Dimitrov, but the educational curricula of the present 41st parliament’s program aspires to be carried out at a higher level”, said Tsetska Tsacheva. “For the first time this year, the participants will become part of a special program intended for university students”, she explained, adding that young people will be assigned a number of tasks on specific topics, which will be of direct benefit to MPs. The National Assembly President noted that the parliament has followed the interns’ wishes to help the work of various standing committees, including that of labor and social policy, health and regional policy. "Have a Good Time! It is not going to be easy, but it will be interesting! " Tsetska Tsacheva addressed the audience.

The U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, James Warlik, congratulated the President of the National Assembly for being part and for her full support of this program. Philip Dimitrov expressed his satisfaction that the initiative is continuing with the ambition to involve more people of Roma origin in the activity of state institutions.

The Executive Director of the Open Society Institute in Sofia, Georgi Stoychev, also expressed gratitude for the personal involvement of Tsetska Tsacheva and for the time and efforts spent on the part of the parliament’s leadership to raise the level of this year’s program.

The internship program aims to increase the knowledge among young Roma about the legislative and decision making process of the state and to show the other face of the Roma community - that of young, educated people willing to contribute to the development of Bulgarian society. Young people will attend meetings of various parliamentary committees and plenary sittings when parliamentary control is taking place.

More than 40 candidates from around the country competed for the internships 10 were selected. They are all aged between 20 and 32 years and have college degrees, or are still pursuing higher education. Each of them will be given a practical task during the two-month long training at the National Assembly.

Since its beginning in 2007, 30 young Roma interns have completed the training.