What is it like to lose your home in one night? Where would you go?
Since the beginning of 2019, hundreds of people in Bulgaria have been left homeless following the forced eviction and destruction of their homes.
On the night of January 7, 2019 after a fight between two Roma and a Bulgarian ranger, living in Voyvodinovo, 56 families, including children, elderly and the disabled people, were evicted from the village as a punishment from the locals.
Some of the houses in the Roma neighborhood were demolished in violation of the laws and others were burned after the riots of the locals.
The Roma people were not given the opportunity to take their most needed belongings. People fled in panic, and the view from the empty houses looks like someone had wiped out the occupants.
In the video – Voyvodinovo 360 VR “Being in Ganka’s shoes ” we are immersing ourselves in the world of conflict, we can see the abandoned and vandalized houses of the Roma people, as well as meet one of the evicted families – this of Ganka and her seven children. She recounts the night of the riots and how they escaped in panic without being able to take any luggage with them. During that panic they heard locals yelling that if they returned they would kill them and set their houses on fire. After a while Ganka’s family went to get their personal belongings and found their house vandalized. They had only five minutes to bring their personal belongings.
Because of the forced eviction, today, Ganka’s family is living in extremely difficult conditions with her husband, seven children and baby Nora. The house they currently occupy is also illegal and the conditions are unhealthy and miserable.
“This is a nightmare we can’t wake up from yet,” Ganka says.
The European Court of Human Rights has identified urgent measures by the Bulgarian government for an alternative accommodation for some of the evicted families in public housing.
One year later the municipality is still refusing because of different administrative reasons.
Production: INSIDEOUT REALITY
Director: Hristian Ignev
Camera: Momchil Aleksiev
Voiceover: Peter Meltev
Music: Sad Day from Bensound.com