Bulgaria is not efficient in Combating the 'Modern Slavery'

Bulgaria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. This is stated in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report of the US Department of State, presented on the 16th of June 2009. The report covers 175 countries distributed in three Tiers: governments that fully comply in this field to US standards; countries that do not fully comply, but make efforts; and countries that do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

In the section of the report, related to Bulgaria there is some statistical data for 2008 and the reporting period is compared to the previous year. Bulgaria is included in among Tier 2 countries whose governments are making significant efforts to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking. As a significant slip-up is the lack of law enforcement measures to government officials complicit in trafficking. Respectively, this is one of the main recommendations for the Bulgarian government in order to increase its efficiency in combating human trafficking.
In her statement during the presentation of the report the US Secretary of State Ms. Hilary Clinton defines human trafficking as the modern equivalent of slavery. The Secretary of State states that the Obama administration views the fight against human trafficking as an important priority in its foreign policy agenda.

“The problem is particularly urgent now, as local economies around the world reel from the global financial crisis. People are increasingly desperate for the chance to support their families, making them more susceptible to the tricks of ruthless criminals. Economic pressure means more incentive for unscrupulous bosses to squeeze everything they can from vulnerable workers and fewer resources for the organizations and governments trying to stop them.
The criminal networks that enslave millions of people cross borders and span continents. Our response must do the same. The United States is committed to building partnerships with governments and organizations around the world, to finding new and more effective ways to take on the scourge of human trafficking. We want to support our partners in their efforts and find ways to improve our own”

The full information on the issue and the Report itself could be found on the internet site of the U.S. Department of State.