site.btaFunds for 2025 Programme for Bulgarians Abroad Secured, Foreign Minister

The funds under the 2025 programme for supporting Bulgarian communities abroad have been secured, and 21 project proposals have already been approved, Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said in Parliament on Friday. The Minister responded to a question by Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Elisaveta Belobradova regarding the programme’s delay and the issues faced by Bulgarian cultural and educational organizations in Serbia, during question-time session. 

The Minister noted that the 2025 procedure started later than usual, but work on the projects is being carried out in an accelerated manner. He said the planned funds will be disbursed on time and no interruption in the activities of Bulgarian organizations abroad will be allowed. 

Georgiev specified that out of a total of 49 submitted project proposals, 21 have been approved and the rest are under evaluation. He stressed that support for Bulgarian communities abroad is a priority for the Foreign Ministry and will continue sustainably in the years ahead. 

The Minister said the Ministry is in constant contact with Bulgarian organizations in Serbia and is monitoring issues related to their activities and funding. He assured that the necessary steps will be taken to ensure their normal operation. 

Georgiev said the 2025 programme builds on efforts from previous years, with emphasis on media literacy, countering disinformation, and support for Bulgarian communities in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe. The funds will be used for cultural, educational and media initiatives aimed at strengthening Bulgarian identity abroad. 

He added that in the future more flexible and timely financing is envisaged through direct inclusion of the programme in the Foreign Ministry’s budget, which will reduce administrative burden and allow faster implementation of projects. Georgiev underlined that the ministry systematically monitors respect for the rights of Bulgarians abroad and takes action through diplomatic channels when violations are identified.