11/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – In an open letter published on Monday 11 February, the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) – a European network of associations of people with disabilities who work to advance independent living – has urged the Bulgarian government to “immediately” suspend the construction of 68 institutions for people with disabilities. These institutions are co-financed to the tune of €18 million by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), according to the organisation. The problem is that they do not comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and specifically Article 19, the right to live independently within a community, despite the fact that this is an ex ante condition provided for in the Structural and Investment Funds, ENIL insists. The organisation has asked the managing authority and the Commission to suspend funding and redirect it to compliant projects. The letter can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/2TQzPwg (PH)