The National Assembly was host of the 38th meeting of the Committee on Culture, Education and Social Affairs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. The key accent of the discussion was put on the protection of children in the member states of the Assembly.

At the meeting the head of the Bulgarian Delegation to PABSEC Dimitar Atanasov noted that the time to adopt a new state policy concept related to the child had come. He underscored that children should be regarded as legal subjects, not as passive care recipients on the part of the state and the society. The development of children and the protection of their rights is a priority requiring concentration of resources, constant political attention and maximum coordination of all relevant policies on all levels, he pointed out. He presented the new draft bill on the protection of children and the legal framework in this respect adopted in the country in the last years.

The chair of the Committee on Culture, Education and Social Affairs, Ms. Gala Alieva, welcomed the participants and mentioned the aim of the meeting was to look for solutions for the better education of children, for their care within the family, for the ban of children’s labor up to 16 year age, as well as how to counter the family violence on children.

During the 38th conference of the PABSEC Committee on Culture, Education and Social Affairs many proposals were received for future agreements for medical treatment of children with diabetes, thalassemia, hemophilia and other diseases.

The meeting was attended by representatives of all 12 member countries – Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine, observers, guests, by representatives of the State Agency for Child Protection, local and foreign non-governmental organizations.