BTA :: Bulgaria Must Prepare Young People for Future OECD Membership Opportunities

Bulgaria Must Prepare Young People for Future OECD Membership Opportunities - Expert

Valentin Evstatiev, BTA correspondent Maya Stefanova

Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute under the Foreign Minister, moderates a discussion on the implications of Bulgaria's expected OECD membership for young people, Burgas, on the Black Sea, October 30, 2025 (BTA Photo/Hristo Stefanov)

Burgas, on the Black Sea,

30.10.2025 11:30

(BTA)

Bulgaria must prepare its young people for the opportunities that its future membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will bring, said Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute under the Foreign Minister, during a conference in Burgas.

The conference looks at how Bulgaria’s future OECD membership will work for the success of young people. The focus of the discussion is on innovation in education and youth entrepreneurship.

Mihaylova said: “Our efforts over the past seven to eight years have focused on organizing public events that create a platform for debate and discussion on why membership in this organization, built on the principles of democracy, freedom, dialogue, and progress, is important.”

She recalled that the first such forums were held in Sofia, but the initiative has extended to other cities. “Two to three years ago, we held the first regional forum in Plovdiv, dedicated to cooperation for regional development and growth. Last year, the host was Stara Zagora, and today we are here—in one of the most hospitable cities I know and love—Burgas,” the Director of the Diplomatic Institute said.

Mihaylova emphasized that the focus on young people is natural, as they will be the generation to benefit from the country’s future OECD membership. She also highlighted the importance of contemporary challenges—artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and cybersecurity—as key areas for developing young people’s skills.

The forum’s opening was also attended by Burgas Deputy Mayor Mihail Nenov, Ivanka Tasheva, Director of the Directorate for Foreign Economic Relations and Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Prof. Milen Baltov, Rector of Burgas Free University.

/NZ/