site.btaContinue the Change Sounds Alarm about National Cultural Heritage, Blames Culture Minister

The opposition Continue the Change (CC) party sounded the alarm on Monday about the state of Bulgaria’s national cultural heritage and blamed Culture Minister for that.  "Minister of Culture Marian Bachev not only does not work for the cause of preserving the national cultural heritage, but also puts the entire cultural sector at risk of becoming another victim of the current corrupt government model. If he does not take measures to preserve Bulgaria's immovable cultural heritage, we demand that he resign," CC said in a statement on Monday.

CC quote a monitoring report by the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage (NIICH), conducted in 2021 for the first time in decades, which revealed that 10% of the heritage is irreversibly lost, 35% is in critical condition, and 40% has lost its authenticity. This means that 85% of cultural sites could be lost for Bulgaria, Europe, and the world.

"Based on this analysis, the Institute and its management proposed a plan with strategic measures and urgent actions to save our cultural heritage. The Institute’s public reports serve as clear evidence of policy changes in this area, despite the long-standing challenges. The Institute developed a roadmap for restoring the preservation system, took steps to revive research in the field, and began the NIICH’s fundamental restoration, with staffing and expertise secured," CC said. Instead of supporting these efforts, the Culture Minister dismissed the Institute’s leadership on March 6, which sparked protests from the cultural community in the last week of April.

"Furthermore, the Minister did not hold a transparent debate on his actions and policies in the sector and ignored the well-founded opinion of the professional community in defence of the previous leadership of the Institute. He made a controversial appointment of a new interim director, with no experience in cultural heritage preservation, no involvement in academic or international projects, and with an unclear vision for the Institute’s development—an indicator of possible corruption practices," CC further said.

CC also pointed to the Minister’s refusal that Bulgaria host the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled for July 2025, which they argue would have been an opportunity to protect Bulgaria’s heritage and enhance its international prestige. Additionally, they criticized the Ministry for not recognizing professional experience gained through a joint programme between the National Institute and the prestigious French school École de Chaillot.