Indicator 2(F): Does the government manage its budget in a way which advances the right of people with disabilities to live in the community?
Conclusion:
The Bulgarian government continues to spend significantly more money on institutions than on supporting people to live in the community.
Explanation:
In 2012, 71% of government funding for disability services went to specialised institutions, and only 29% was spent on community-based services. In total, the Ministry of Social and Labour Policy spent 102,189,000 BGN (approximately 51 million EUR) on specialised institutions for adults and children with disabilities,[56] more than a third of which went to the institutionalisation of people with mental disabilities.[57] Almost the same amount, 33,406,502 BGN (almost 17 million EUR)[58] was spent on homes for medico-social care for children and 2,223,300 BGN (over 1 million EUR) went to special schools for children with intellectual disabilities.[59]
EU funds are the most common source of financing,[60] with approximately 107 million EUR provided for the purpose of ‘deinstitutionalisation’ (see Glossary) from European Structural Funds.[61] They are mostly allocated for the construction of protected homes and family-type centres (see Glossary). Community-type services such as personal and social assistance are also financed with EU funding.[62] EU funding is distributed to municipalities.
[56] See data on the website of the Council of Ministers at http://pris.government.bg/prin/file_view.aspx?did=53705&pid=53903 (last accessed 23 September 2014).
[57] 36,903,700 BGN was spent on institutions for people with mental disabilities (approximately 18,449,850 EUR).
Ibid.
[58] Data provided by the Ministry of Health in a formal reply to a request of information, No. 94-1790 of 5 November 2012, 2.
[59] http://pris.government.bg/prin/file_view.aspx?did=53705&pid=53903 (last accessed: 23 September 2014).
[60] See more on this on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in connection with a seminar about deinstitutionalisation and the provision of community services, and the use of European funds to provide care, 27 February 2014. The information is available in Bulgarian at http://ophrd.government.bg/view_doc.php/6724 (last accessed: 23 September 2014).
[61] European Network on Independent Living – European Coalition for Community Living, Briefing on Structural Funds Investments for People with Disabilities: Achieving the Transition from Institutional Care to Community Living, 2013, 13.
[62] Ibid., p 10