site.btaAssociation of Interpreters, Translators Insists on Changes in Regulations of National Culture Fund Translation Programme

The Association of Interpreters and Translators in Bulgaria (AIT) insists on changes in the regulations of the "Translations '23" programme of the National Culture Fund (NCF). This is in a declaration by the board of the organisation, addressed to the Minister of Culture Krastyu Krastev, Executive Director of the Fund Sava Dragunchev and Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev.

"The AIT cannot remain indifferent to the regulation of the programme "Translations '23", which excludes from participation legal entities and organisations outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland and proposes a reduced budget for funding, which at best would be enough for the translation of Bulgarian books into five languages," reads part of the declaration.

The authors of the document point out that support for the publication of Bulgarian literature abroad should be a consistent state policy.

"We insist that all the shortcomings of the regulation be removed, that no insurmountable conditions be created for the participation of foreign publishers and that a sufficient budget be allocated, not lower than last year's," the declaration adds. 

The programme finances projects for literary translation and publication of books by Bulgarian authors. Its total budget is BGN 75,600, and the maximum amount of funding per project cannot exceed BGN 20,000. Eligible applicants are Bulgarian cultural organisations and legal entities and organisations registered outside Bulgaria with activities in the field of translated literature, book publishing and other cultural activities, including state, municipal, private, within the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

The regulation also provoked strong reactions from the Bulgarian PEN Club and publisher Manol Peykov.