“Bulgaria appreciates highly UNICEF’s contribution to the implementation of the reform in the field of child care,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said speaking at a meeting with UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, who is on a visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian Head of State.

Mr Borisov remarked that Bulgaria considered very responsibly its membership in the UNICEF Executive Board, adding that the country did its best to take active part and bring added value to the work of the managing authority of the United Nations Children's Fund.

Bulgaria is a member of the Executive Board for 2013-2015, as in 2014 Bulgaria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Stefan Tafrov was deputy chairperson of the bureau.

“Bulgaria has leading position in the deinstitutionalisation of the children and today the number of the children in social and medical care centres is 10,000 smaller,” Mr Lake remarked.

According to him, it is scientifically proven that sheltering children in such institutions has a negative effect on their psyche for the rest of their life and restricts their development and skills.

“This is bad both for the children and the society they live in,” the UNICEF Executive Director said further.

Mr Lake stressed that UNICEF was engaged to continue its support to the government through work in family-consultative centres and for the provision of services for early child development for all kids, especially those in disadvantaged position.

The two officials also acknowledged that thanks to the partnership with the organisation the number of the children sheltered in institutions has decreased by 40% since 2000.

Bulgarian Prime Minister also upheld country’s position that all institutions for children’s accommodation in Bulgaria should be closed down by 2015