Bulgaria Funds ICC Trust for Georgian Victims

Sofia: The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) welcomes the voluntary contribution of EUR 20,000 received from Bulgaria, a State Party to the ICC. The contribution will be used to support the TFV programme in the situation in Georgia.

In welcoming the contribution, Andres Parmas, member of the TFV Board of Directors stated “The Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC welcomes Bulgaria’s contribution, which highlights the crucial role of global collaboration in addressing the harms suffered by victims of Rome Statute crimes. We urge continued support from States Parties and private donors. Bulgaria’s ongoing commitment is essential in reinforcing the victim-centred mandate of the ICC.”

H.E. Konstantin Dimitrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the Kingdom of the Netherlands said, “The Republic of Bulgaria reiterates its unwavering support for the work of the Trust Fund for Victims in delivering restorative justice to the victims, their families and communities. We believe that the victim-centered approach is vital in the fight against impunity and we are pleased to support the TFV through this voluntary contribution.”

In April 2023, the TFV launched the programme for the situation in Georgia, after consultations with the affected communities, government authorities, civil society, as well as a rigorous competitive bidding process to select implementing partners. To date, over 1,300 affected individuals in and around Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Mtianeti regions in Georgia have directly and indirectly benefitted from the programme. They received medical treatment, trauma counselling and psychosocial assistance, as well as livelihood support.

This is the second voluntary contribution provided to the Trust Fund for Victims by Bulgaria. Since 2004, the TFV has received over EUR 53 million from 52 States Parties and private individuals. In 2023, the TFV received EUR 5,3 million, which is the highest yearly total since 2004 when the TFV started receiving voluntary contributions.

Voluntary funding received by the Trust Fund for Victims has allowed the completion of the first judicial cycle of the ICC, with the completion of the reparation programme for victims in the Katanga case in October 2023. Reparation implementation is ongoing in the cases Lubanga and Al Mahdi. By the end of 2023, more than 3,100 victims received reparations in these three cases. The reparations programme in Ntaganda has been approved by the ICC in February 2024 and will start in autumn 2024. As soon as resources are available, the programme for victims in the Ongwen case will commence.

The TFV is also implementing other programs for the benefit of victims through the provision of medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, socio-economic support, education, peacebuilding, and commemoration activities with collaboration from local authorities and local communities. These programmes are currently being implemented in seven situations under the jurisdiction of the ICC in the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Kenya, Mali, and Uganda. In 2023, over 26,000 individuals directly benefitted from seven programmes of the TFV.

The Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC is one of the pillars of reparative justice of the Rome Statute which contributes to realising the right of reparations for victims-encompassing restitution, compensation, and rehabilitation. Initiatives extend to victims and families within the ICC’s jurisdiction.