ENIL Press Release, 26th September 2012
ENIL and Rosen appeal for your supportRosen Karamfilov is a young man from Bulgaria – well educated and willing to learn more. He is independent by spirit and confined to his wheelchair, the only fact which prevents him from going to the University of Vienna to study English Language and Literature. Rosen is now forced to raise money for his personal assistance to be able to study - a service which Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities says should be provided by the State.As numerous other young people in the European Union, Rosen decided to study in another EU Member State, and was happy to be admitted to the University of Vienna. However, unlike his able-bodied peers, he is not able to accept his place at the university. Unfortunately for Rosen, the Bulgarian State does not provide for personal assistance, and as a non-Austrian citizen, he is not eligible for disability allowance in Vienna.
Rosen is not giving up. He went on one of the most popular shows in Bulgaria –
Slavi's Show and told his story. This story is quite simple - the system does not work for people like him who want to study, work, have their own families and decide what to do with their own life.
The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) would like to see the Freedom of Movement within the EU – which implies the ability to study and work in other EU Member States – become a reality for all EU citizens. For years, ENIL has been advocating for portability of personal assistance within the EU and the right of people with disabilities to access support services in those countries where they decide to work or study. There has been no progress, despite the fact that the European Union and many of the Member States (including Bulgaria and Austria) ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
While we wait for the European Union to decide how to make Freedom of Movement work for
all, we would like to help Rosen, whose education cannot wait. Together with Rosen, we appeal for your support. Rosen has already raised €2.000 and needs another €9.000 to be able to pay his personal assistance at the level of €20 per hour for the first six months of his study in Vienna. After this time he might be eligible for Austrian State assistance for disabled students.
Contributions, no matter how small, can be made to ENIL's bank account (with a reference: for Rosen Karamfilov): Bank account name: European Network on Independent Living
Address: Leeson Street/Ranelagh, Dublin 6 , IBAN: IE91 BOFI 9001 7242 0485 98, Swift Code; BOFIIE2D, Sort Code; 900172
Thank you for your support!
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