site.btaBulgarian Hosting of UNESCO Session to Cost Under USD 2 Mln, PM Zhelyazkov Says

Ahead of an extraordinary European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said, replying to a reporter's question, that Bulgaria remains the host of the 47th Session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, with costs expected to be under USD 2 million.

On Wednesday, the Culture Ministry announced that the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee had agreed for the 47th Session of the Committee to be held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris from July 6 to 16, 2025, with Bulgaria providing financial support as the designated host.

Earlier on Thursday, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Manol Peykov said that his parliamentary group insists that the Ministry of Culture and Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov provide an explanation by the end of the day for Bulgaria’s failure to host the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Session.

"The presidency is Bulgaria’s, and it remains so. A commitment was made but was not supported by the [previous] caretaker culture minister. This commitment was not implemented by the caretaker cabinet, nor financing for it was allocated. It was based on the negative opinion of the Foreign Ministry and security services as of July 2025. When we took office, we found absolutely nothing – no arrangements, no finances, no preparation," Zhelyazkov explained, adding that the wasted time could not be made up within three months.

"There was no assessment indicating that we could organize the event in Sofia within three months – the issue is not just about financing. Bulgaria does not have diplomatic missions and consular posts in some UNESCO member states. If a delegate from such a country needs a visa, the Bulgarian state would have to cover the cost of flying them from their home country to a country where we have diplomatic and consular presence so they can submit their applications. Then they would have to return home and later fly back again to pick up their visa – this entire process would be at the expense of Bulgarian taxpayers," the Prime Minister summarized.

He noted that the funds needed for the event in Paris have been provided and are significantly less than if the session were to be held in Bulgaria. "Under USD 2 million, considering that a similar event in Saudi Arabia cost EUR 20 million," Zhelyazkov specified.