site.btaUPDATED Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad Chair, Culture Minister Discuss Supporting Schools in Moldova

Supporting schools in areas with compact Bulgarian populations in Moldova was the focus of a conversation between parliamentary Committee on Policies for Bulgarians Abroad Chair Stoyan Taslakov and Culture Minister Krasimir Valchev, the National Assembly's press centre said here on Tuesday.

Taslakov said that during meetings with representatives of the Bulgarian community in Moldova, significant concerns were expressed about the possibility of closing schools due to insufficient numbers of students. In this regard, he suggested that the educational institutions in question be granted protected status through a bilateral agreement between the education ministries of Bulgaria and Moldova. "By preserving these schools, we will support the preservation and promotion of the study of the Bulgarian language in settlements with a predominantly Bulgarian population," Taslakov said, quoted in the message.

Minister Valchev expressed full support and committed the Ministry of Education and Science to seek a solution by providing the necessary funding for schools with insufficient numbers of students so that the legal minimum for functioning according to Moldovan norms is reached. They agreed to continue the active dialogue and to work for sustainable solutions to support the Bulgarian community abroad, the statement added. 

Currently in Moldova, the teaching language in schools in schools is either Romanian or Russian. The subject "Bulgarian language and literature" is taught (3-4 hours per week) as a mother tongue subject where the population is predominantly Bulgarian.

On March 28, the Council of Ministers proposed amendments to Decree No. 103 of 1993 in order to expand educational activities among Bulgarians abroad. The draft will open up to 150 places for bachelor and master programmes, as well as 5 places for phD studies at the Taraclia Branch of Ruse University. The new proposal will allow the University of Ruse to accept students from Moldova under simplified procedures.