site.btaCaretaker Education, Culture, Sport Ministries Report Work Done

113 POLITICS - MINISTRIES - REPORT

Caretaker Education, Culture,
Sport Ministries Report
Work Done


Sofia, November 3 (BTA) - Roumyana Kolarova, Minister of
Education and Science in the caretaker government, reported the
work of her ministry over the past three months, which was
focused on Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart
Growth. The report was made at a news conference hosted by the
Council of Ministers Monday.

The ministry's team worked on both the text of the operational
programme and on guaranteeing the preliminary conditions for its
implementation, and the organization that will guarantee an
effective Managing Authority.

The preliminary conditions were to draft two strategies and two
plans, Kolarova said. The action plan for development of
educational staff under the Strategy for Educational Staff
Development was adopted at the last meeting of the Council of
Ministers. The other action plan, an integral part of the
Scientific Research Strategy, has also been prepared and
adopted. The updated Scientific Research Strategy, on which the
experts agree, will be tabled in the National Assembly.

The Strategy for Development of Vocational Training has been
developed further, along with several ordinances. The ministry's
team has managed to finalise the four preliminary conditions so
that absorption of structural funds could begin, Kolarova
noted.

***
At the time when he had taken over the Ministry of Culture there
was a deficit of 4.6-4.7 million leva in the sphere of state
arts. This deficit will nearly double by the end of the year,
Culture Minister Martin Ivanov told journalists in turn. The
problem of Bulgarian culture is not quality, but funding. The
theatrical season has begun, but the budget should be updated
for it to continue.

The preparation for the new budget is also important because the
money for this particular sphere is not enough, totally
inadequate for just conservation alone, Ivanov said, citing as
an example the Roman finds in the centre of Sofia.

***
The caretaker government provided funds for awarding Bulgarian
athletes of note and for hosting championships, Youth and Sport
Minister Evgenia Radanova said later. She was also reporting on
the work of her ministry over the period.

The updating of the budget related to the construction of sport
sites was extremely important, she added.

The funding of sports clubs and hosting international
competitions was also evaluated. Now the ministry already has a
programme with which federations can apply for funds for such
hostings, Radanova said. A National Youth Programme was also
launched and it has 182 projects to date./VI/BR/