This measure was taken following a conflict between Roma and non-Roma communities which attracted intensive media coverage and political manipulation from far-right parties and leaders [1][2]. Violent protests, increasing police presence in the Roma settlement, have been held by non-Roma against the "illegal Romani houses"[1]. The local authorities undertook house demolition and forced evictions as a response to the protesters’ claims [3][5]. As a result pregnant women, babies, elderly and children with disabilities were forcibly evicted without being provided alternative shelter despite a legal decision of the European Court for Human Rights [4][6][7]. 

Thus, particularly vulnerable people, including children with disabilities, have been deprived from basic living conditions, adequate infrastructure and access to running water and sanitation [12]. All the evictees had to find solutions by themselves, being hosted temporary by relatives in Kremikovtski in other houses built without permission, decreasing the living space per capita [7, page 36]. Other families moved to makeshift housing built from unstable and inflammable materials rising health hazards, such as fires and potential spread of epidemics due to the lack of running water and worsened hygiene conditions [7]. Garmen’s local authorities called on government to tackle the humanitarian crisis caused by forced evictions [4]. However they planned to demolish another 120 houses in the Roma settlement in the following months aggravating the humanitarian crisis in Garmen [5][4][13]. 

Health and social impact of forced evictions and house demolition has never been analysed by the relevant authorities despite the high number of evictions carried out in Bulgaria affecting only Roma communities, including children with disabilities, pregnant women and people suffering from serious health issues.