site.btaParliament Establishes Council for Coordination of Policies Regarding Bulgarians Abroad

By adopting conclusively amendments to the Bulgarians Resident outside the Republic of Bulgaria Act on Wednesday, Bulgaria’s Parliament voted to establish a council for the coordination of policies regarding Bulgarians abroad as a permanent advisory body to the Council of Ministers. The bill moved by the Council of Ministers was supported by 114 MPs, 38 voted against it, and 8 abstained.

The council will be tasked with coordinating the executive power structures on issues related to the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of State's policy regarding Bulgarian communities and their organizations outside Bulgaria. The council will address coordination issues related to the preservation and dissemination of Bulgarian language and culture among Bulgarian communities abroad and access to quality administrative services for Bulgarian citizens abroad. The council will issue guidelines and recommend actions for the reintegration of Bulgarian expatriates and for the protection of the rights and interests of Bulgarians abroad.

The council will be chaired by the Prime Minister or a member of the Council of Ministers appointed by him. Its members will include the ministers of foreign affairs, justice, culture, labour and social affairs, interior, education and science, and e-governance, and the Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad. The council’s work will be coordinated by a Secretary.

The MPs will adopt regulations on the organization and activities of the Council within three months of the entry into force of the revisions.