site.btaBulgarian Prime Minister Confers with UNESCO Director-General

May 24 (BTA) - Bulgaria will prioritize education in the
draft of the National Development Programme 2030, Bulgarian
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said during his meeting with
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay on Friday, quoted by the
Council of Ministers in a press release. Education and Science
Minister Krassimir Vulchev and Culture Minister Boil Banov also
participated in the meeting.

The main topics of the talks included the priorities of the
Bulgarian Government in education and science, as well as
cooperation with UNESCO. "The most important factor for good
education are teachers, which is why we fulfil our duty to
increase their salaries," Boyko Borissov noted. He added that
the State provides for equal access to all levels of education
and professional education for adults and children from
minorities, as well as for Bulgarians with disabilities.

Audrey Azoulay congratulated Bulgaria for what it has achieved
in education and science, and thanked for this country's support
 to the United Nations for the prevention of extremism and
Antisemitism.

Borissov and Azoulay discussed cooperation in underwater
archaeology, a sphere that is especially rich in the region
surrounding the islands near Sozopol (on the Black Sea). Azoulay
 noted that she was very impressed with the Thracian gold
treasure, which was displayed in the Louvre in Paris in 2014.

Before the talks, the two officials visited an exhibition titled
 "The Sword of Khan Kubrat", which includes a display of his
ring, in the National Art Gallery. The two items are part of a
treasure found in 1912 in Ukraine. Borissov said there will be a
 discussion with the Hermitage Museum in relation to casting the
 sword so that Bulgaria may offer it as a gift to people
distinguished in education and culture. He also noted he is
grateful that Bulgarians have the opportunity to see Khan
Kubrat's sword and ring.

On Thursday evening, Audrey Azoulay met with Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva. The two
discussed cooperation between Bulgaria and UNESCO, as well as
UNESCO's priorities, such as gender equality, Africa, and the
encouragement of creativity and entrepreneurship among the
youth. RY/TH