site.btaVice President Iotova Meets Representatives of Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad

Sofia, July 25 (BTA) - The educational centres abroad should be wardens of the Bulgarian spirit, Vice President Iliana Iotova said, as quoted by the presidential press centre. She was speaking after her Tuesday meeting at the Presidency with representatives of the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad /ABSA/.

According to the members of the association, the Bulgarian language is an intellectual treasure. Bulgarians can be proud of it and it deserves to be a state cause for all. In addition, Bulgaria's forthcoming EU Presidency is an appropriate time to put this objective on the agenda.

"State support and the commitment of institutions at all levels to achieve acknowledgement of Bulgarian as a matriculation language in the EU is very important to us," the ABSA said. ABSA added that "the preservation of Bulgarian language and self-identification should not be left only to the efforts of our Bulgarian compatriots abroad".

Iotova and the members of the association's Board agreed that a long-term strategy for Bulgarians abroad is necessary. "A national and coordinated policy for those who return to Bulgaria, for those of Bulgarian origin and for those we want to come back is obligatory," Iotova underscored.

Both the state and Bulgarian entrepreneurs have recently been showing interest in the return of compatriots from abroad.

The sides also discussed the possibility of Bulgarian children abroad taking matriculation exams just as their peers in Bulgaria. An idea to draft a model for adaptation of children at the mandatory school attendance age returning from abroad was also brought up at the meeting.