On February 18th (Saturday) from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in hotel “Sankt Peterburg”, Plovdiv was held the first discussion within the framework of the “Encouraging Women’s Participation in Political Life” project, implemented by the Liberal Politological Institute, with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD)

The forum aims at encouraging more active participation of women in the public and political life in Bulgaria. Alongside with the national specifics of the women’s participation in public and political processes and the variety of barriers they face, current equal treatment and anti-discrimination legislation and governmental policies were discussed in the context of the forthcoming EU membership of the country, as well as the next steps to be taken for empowerment of women.

Speakers in the discussion were Mrs. Gergana Grancharova, deputy minister of foreign affairs, Mrs. Maria Angelieva – Koleva, deputy chairperson of the European Integration Parliamentary Committee, Mrs. Petya Gegova, MP of the NMSII group, Mr. Konstantin Piskov, deputy mayor of Plovdiv, Mrs. Lilia Abadvieva, secretary of the National council for equality between women and men at the Ministerial council, Mrs. Liliana Valcheva, Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, Mrs. Tatyana Kmetova, Executive Director of Center of Women’s Studies and Researches, Mrs. Stanimira Hadjimitova, Coordinator - Gender Task Force at the Pact of Stability, Mrs. Milena Kadieva, Bulgarian Center for Gender Researches – branch Plovdiv, Mrs. Miroslava Chantova, Foundation for Cares in the Community “Diva” as well as representatives of local authorities, NGOs, business representatives, etc.

Apart from Plovdiv, such seminars are envisaged in three other towns – Stara Zagora, Varna and Shoumen.

More information about the event and the project is available on the website of the Liberal Politological Institute: http://www.lpi-bg.org