On 8 June 2023 in Peshtera, Bulgaria was launched Housing and Empowerment Project (HERO) - an innovative EU pilot project with the aim to support Roma communities in Bulgaria through housing and financial literacy.
The project is supported by the European Parliament (EP), the European Commission (EC), the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and is implemented in Bulgaria by the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation (TSA), Tokuda Bank AD, Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria, and Integro Association.
The key speakers of the launch event were Peter Pollák and Andrey Novakov, Members of the European Parliament, Jasmina Glisovic, Head of Grant Operations and New Instruments Division, Council of Europe Development Bank, Boyko Blagoev, Head of Communications at European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, Yordan Mladenov, Mayor of Peshtera, Najden Najdenov, Mayor of Yablanitsa, Boris Borisov, Deputy Mayor of Botevgrad, Sarah Perrine and Maria Metodieva from the TSA, Liliya Makaveeva from Integro and Mincho Benov from Habitat.
More than 50 participants from local administrations and Roma communities took part in the event and 15 national and local media disseminated the launch of the HERO project in Bulgaria.