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Trafficking in Persons - 2012 - All Quiet on the Eastern Front

26.06.2012

On June 19, 2012 U.S. State Department published the regular edition of its Report on human trafficking. Countries are grouped according to the usual classification:

  • Tier 1: Countries that fully comply with the minimum standards of Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA)
  • Tier 2: Countries that do not meet the minimum standards of TVPA, but are making significant efforts in that direction.
  • Tier 2 - Watch List: countires where the number of victims grows and the assessment is based on the intentions of the governments.
  • Tier 3: Countries that do not meet minimum standards and does not endeavor to do so.

Bulgaria occupies its traditional place in Tier 2. Women and children are exposed to sexual exploitation. Labor exploitation is widespread too. Bulgarians are on black markets of Western Europe, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Macedonia and South Africa.

The country consistently maintains its position for seven years. Statistics in the report bring us back to 2005 with the same result. And while this lack of a negative trend is soothing, there still remains the question about the effectiveness of the policy measures. The 2012 Report mentions meagre budgets of 37 000 dollars for prevention activities and 27 000 USD for programs to support victims. Those figures raise doubts whether the government's plans to curb the problem are supported by resources. In the same paper, we have the excellent contrast example of the post-soviet, war struck Georgia that moved successfully to tier 1 in 2007, remaining steadily amongst the countries, covering the TVPA criteria.

Read Trafficking in Persons Report 2012.

Take a look at the data for Bulgaria.

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