A moving letter written by Bulgarian pensioner Snezhana Kezheva to the National Ombudsman Maya Manolova gave the start of a noble deed before the Easter holidays - the National Charity Campaign Easter for Everyone. Snezhana Kezheva disagreed with the fact that she would not receive an Easter bonus of EUR 20 to her pension, because it exceeds the maximum threshold set by the state by fifty Eurocents. The idea about that charity campaign was born after the personal meeting between Bulgaria’s Ombudsman Maya Manolova and Snezhana Kezheva. So far over EUR 210,000 was raised by the initiative. Thus, the neediest Bulgarian pensioners whose pension is just over EUR 150 per month will receive a small financial aid for Easter. The number of those pensioners will probably exceed 20,000, but the exact number of the people who will receive financial aid will be known after the end of the charity initiative. Those people would receive food vouchers worth EUR 10 and will be able to spend them in over 5,000 shops in Bulgaria. Everyone who wishes to join the noble initiative can donate fifty Eurocents with a short text message. The donated amount is VAT free. The Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria Maya Manolova told Radio Bulgaria more about that charity campaign:

“The charity initiative was born literally in Snezhana Kezheva’s home. She asked me to visit her, because she is in a wheelchair. That woman felt very sad that she would not be able to receive financial support from the government for Easter again. Each cabinet sets a given threshold of pensions, thus determining the number of pensioners eligible for financial aid. Those, whose pensions are slightly higher than the maximum threshold, are always hurt by the fact that they would not receive an Easter bonus. That is how our noble idea was born and the Bulgarian society is now able to help those pensioners. Snezhi told me that no matter how many difficulties and obstacles she faced in her life, she has always been trying to do something good. Many Bulgarian pensioners also joined the charity campaign, in order to support other Bulgarian pensioners.” 

Bulgarian celebrities such as Nikolina Chakardakova, Titi Papazov, Yordan Yovchev, Toncho Tokmakchiev, Rumen Lukanov and Krisko also joined the charity initiative and supported the campaign. The Bulgarian Red Cross, the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, many food manufacturers, employers’ organizations, officials, mayors and media, including the Bulgarian National Radio, the National Alliance for Volunteer Action, the Bulgarian Posts and students from all parts of Bulgaria also joined the Easter for Everyone initiative. The Bulgarian pensioners can receive their vouchers at the offices of the Bulgarian Posts. The positive spirit of the campaign encouraged other noble holiday initiatives - young Bulgarians organized the Buy and Donate initiative, many charity concerts are being held across the country and doctors make free of charge consultations of Bulgarian pensioners. However, the manufacturers and traders of food who are willing to donate food are facing a series of difficulties the 20% VAT rate and 10% corporate tax and now they prefer to dump their food. Bulgaria’s Ombudsman Manolova shared her future charity plans with RB:

“It is very noble to make good deeds during the holidays, but the Bulgarian pensioners sit on an empty table in the remaining time of the year. In fact, thousands of tons of food are dumped in Bulgaria. According to estimates of non-governmental organizations nearly 700,000 tons of food is binned in that country each year. We are witnessing how elderly Bulgarians search for food in the garbage bins, especially in bins situated close to large retail chains. The companies who produce and sell food are more interested in destroying their food, instead of donating it. That is why we must launch a broad public discussion after Easter, in order to find out how local legislation can be changed and how the authorities can stimulate those companies to donate their food. Thus, there will be no hungry people in Bulgaria. Many European countries already solved that problem. We must do our best, so that there won’t be any starving children and elderly people in Bulgaria in the future. Currently, the companies pay lower fees to destroy their produce than the taxes levied on donated food”, Bulgaria’s Ombudsman Maya Manolova concludes.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov