site.btaBulgarian Minority Council in Serbia Adopts 2026–2031 Strategy

The National Council of the Bulgarian National Minority in Serbia adopted its strategy for 2026-2031 during its tenth regular session in Bosilegrad on Monday. The strategy was prepared with support from the OSCE Mission in Serbia. Council leaders said the document sets out priorities for preserving and developing the community and establishes clear guidelines for the next five years, with implementation dependent on both institutional support and active involvement from the Bulgarian community in Serbia.

During the session, the Council presented updated data and initiatives in education, media, culture, and the official use of language and script. In the discussion on education, Council Chairman Stefan Stoykov highlighted measures to support instruction in the Bulgarian mother tongue. In 2026, free textbooks and teaching materials will be provided for all students studying in Bulgarian, with approximately RSD 850,000 allocated for the purpose.

Cooperation with the Bosilegrad Municipality was also reported, including the awarding of students with top results. Awards were presented to participants who placed among the top three in the national competition in Bulgarian language and literature, as well as to graduating students. Work has also begun on translating textbooks for the 12th grade into Bulgarian and preparing new anthologies for all grade levels.

The report also noted several cultural and publishing initiatives undertaken by the Council.