Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers has adopted an Action Plan for the Application of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2015-2020). The plan outlines specific steps and defines the role of national authorities and other related bodies in their pathway to adapt Bulgarian legislation to the provisions of the Convention.

The plan sets out eight strategic goals. Some of them relate to the designation of responsible coordination and monitoring bodies, the creation of an expert group with the purpose of coordinating the planned executive actions, as well as initiatives for changes in current legislation based on already adopted conceptions.

All relevant ministries, national representative organizations of people with disabilities, as well as the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria will be responsible for raising public awareness and changing public perceptions towards people with disabilities. Within the framework of this strategic goal actions will be undertaken to raise the capacity of personnel from different administrative bodies and organisations.

A central element of the Action Plan is the preparation of a long-term National Strategy for people with disabilities in the context of the applicable provisions from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. National representative organisations of employers and employees will be involved as partners for the realisation of this goal.

The Action Plan will be financed within the national budget and/or with other sources of funding.
 
The Action Plan has been reviewed and adopted by the National Council for Integration of People with Disabilities. It was published for public review on the web page of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria. The full text of the Action Plan can be found here (in Bulgarian).