The Human Rights Council at the United Nations (UN) had initiated verification in Bulgaria of a discrimination complaint filed by Roma from the Plovdiv quarter "Stolipinovo" and the Bourgas quarter "Meden Rudnik."

The Mayor of the Plovdiv district where "Stolipinovo" is located has been questioned by the Police as part of Bulgaria's response to the request coming from the UN.

The complaint states that the Roma have not been guaranteed property rights since they have not been allowed access to their homes in "Stolipinovo."

The compliant has been officially filed at the UN by two organizations - "Center for Housing Rights" and "Association for Equal Rights", but has been initiated by Roma owners of 15 illegal buildings, according to Darik radio.

The complaint cites the date of May 23, when electric and water supply to those building has been cut. The measures were taken because the deadline given to the owners to present the necessary construction papers before the administration had expired.

The administration explained that this has not been a question of not allowing Roma to access their houses, but rather a question of construction safety. The documentation related to the illegal building of 2-3 additional levels of 15 houses has been sent to the Regional Directorate for Construction Monitoring and Control.

The complaint, however states that this has been "a refusal on the part of the State to guarantee to Roma in Bulgaria security in using their property and legal defense against evictions." The complaint points out that the reason for Roma living in illegal buildings was the consistent racial discrimination in Bulgaria.

The local administrations have defined the complaint as speculation, adding that it could be used as precedent for people from different ethnic origins, who disobey Bulgarian laws to sue the State.

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