/ world today news/ MEP Georgi Pirinski took part in the conference “Multilingualism and equal rights in the EU: the role of sign languages”, which was held in the plenary hall of the European Parliament in Brussels on September 28, 2016. The unique event organized by Belgian MEP Helga Stevens, brought together 850 participants – hearing impaired people and sign language interpreters from all EU member states.
In his speech to the forum, Pirinski stressed that at a time when the majority of Europeans are watching with growing concern the return of borders between EU countries, a large number of people continue to face invisible barriers in their daily lives. The Bulgarian socialist reminded that along with the problems related to the physical accessibility of the environment, people with disabilities too often do not have access to the kind of support that would ensure the full exercise of their fundamental rights to work, education and access to public services.
The MEP expressed the opinion that within the framework of the ongoing discussions on the European Pillar of Social Rights, it is necessary to categorically defend the thesis that basic rights must be guaranteed for everyone regardless of gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, religion or disability. According to Pirinski, ensuring in practice equal access and equal rights for people with disabilities should be a common and irrevocable commitment of European institutions, national authorities and society as a whole.
Georgi Pirinski expressed his support for the adoption of a European Parliament resolution on sign languages and professional sign language interpreters and recalled that in accordance with the commitments made by the EU and the member states with the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it is it is necessary to substantially increase the number of qualified sign language interpreters in order for the hearing impaired to be part of a truly inclusive society.
A group from Bulgaria, which is visiting the European Parliament at the invitation of Georgi Pirinski, also participated in the conference. Among the participants in the group were Mr. Nikolay Ninov – chairman of the Union of the Deaf in Bulgaria, Mrs. Milena Garkova-Kalinova – chairman of the National Association of Sign Language in Bulgaria, Mrs. Sofia Kalinova – chosen as one of the ten most outstanding young people in the world 2015, hearing impaired and sign language interpreters.
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