run for elections and has achieved some success. A report by the New York Times notes that during the COVID-19 pandemic "in the Roma suburb in Kyustendil, most roads are unpaved and strewn with garbage," and that Roma children have no access to computers and broad-band internet for learning during the pandemic. Kyustendil authorities claim the lockdowns in the town are to prevent the spread of the virus, while Roma activists claim bigotry. Human trafficking There has been a growing awareness of human trafficking as a human rights issue in Europe (see main article: trafficking in human beings). The end of communism has contributed to an increase in human trafficking, with the majority of victims being women forced into prostitution. Bulgaria is a country of origin and country of transit for persons, primarily women and children, trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The Bulgarian government has shown some commitment to combat trafficking but has been criticized for failing to develop effective measures in law enforcement and victim protection. Religious freedom The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the law prohibits the public practice of religion by unregistered groups. The Constitution also designates Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the "traditional" religion. There were some reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice. Discrimination, harassment, and general public intolerance, particularly in the media, of some religious groups remained an intermittent problem. International criticism The European Court of Human Rights often holds that Bulgaria violates the European Convention on Human Rights. In 2015, the Court issued a special press release dedicated to a systemic problem of Bulgaria's justice system: it underlined that "in over 45 judgments against Bulgaria...the authorities had failed to comply with their obligation to carry out an effective investigation." The European Court of Human Rights has also handed down pilot judgments against Bulgaria - they are delivered when the Court identifies a series of applications pertaining to similar facts. For example, in the pilot judgment Neshkov v Bulgaria, the Court gave Bulgaria 18 months to improve prison conditions. Social activists have raised concern that Bulgaria is lagging behind other European Union Member States in a number of international indexes which measure the protection of civil rights and liberties. The Council of Europe has also expressed worries about Bulgaria's compromised rule of law. See also Gay rights in Bulgaria Internet censorship and surveillance in Bulgaria Notes