The Republic of Bulgaria

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Career at the MFA

The initiation, amending and termination of employment relations with the employees in the diplomatic service are regulated by the Diplomatic Service Act. Under this act the employees in the diplomatic service are:
•    diplomatic officers who are civil servants with a diplomatic rank;
•    civil servants without  diplomatic rank;
•    workers and employees under  an employment contract.

All civil servants at the MFA are appointed on the basis of a competition announced publicly.

Competition for diplomatic officers – regulated with Regulation No. 2 of 17.07.2008 on the terms and procedures for holding the competitions for diplomatic officers. Persons who have passed this competition successfully are appointed to the position of “probation-attaché” with a trial period of 18 months. After the expiry of one year from assuming the position and after a successful graduation of a diplomatic course at the Diplomatic Institute under the Minister of Foreign Affairs probation-attachés hold an examination to acquire the first diplomatic rank of “attaché”. Persons who fail at the examination are entitled to a second examination to acquire the diplomatic rank of “attaché” within six months after the first examination. The contract with an employee who has failed also at the second examination to acquire the diplomatic rank of “attaché” is terminated without notification.

Competition for civil servants without diplomatic rank – regulated in the Regulation on Holding Competitions for Civil Servants.

Workers and employees under an employment contract must comply with the requirements under the Labour Code as well as the requirements of the Diplomatic Service Act and the Civil Servants Act applying to them

Specific requirements towards the officers in the diplomatic service specified in the Diplomatic Service Act:

1.    Education – an obligatory master’s degree is mandatory for the persons under a service contract.
2.    Language qualification:
•    for civil servants with diplomatic rank – command of at least two foreign languages, one of which should be an official language of the UN;
•    for civil servants without diplomatic rank – command of at least one foreign language;
•    for persons under an employment contract – working knowledge of at least one foreign language.
The announcement of the competitions is done through publishing an announcement in at least one national daily, in the Register under article 61, paragraph 1 of the Administration Act, on the web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at a publicly accessible place – at the visitors’ entrance of the MFA at 2, Al. Zhendov Street.


TRAINING INTERNSHIPS AT THE MFA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria accepts as interns students from higher educational establishments in Bulgaria and abroad. The internships take place at the Ministry’s directorates and at the missions of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad.

Internship at the MFA

Conditions with which candidates for internship must comply:

•    to be Bulgarian citizens;
•    to be students in the last year of education in specialities where subjects related to international relations and the foreign policy of the Republic of Bulgaria are studied;
•    to command at least one foreign language and have a working knowledge of a second foreign language;
•    while interns to attend the MFA during the official working hours ( from 9.00 to 17.30 hours).

Documents which should be submitted when applying for internship:

•    written application to the Director of the Human Resources Directorate submitted at least one month before the supposed starting date of the internship. The application should contain the candidate-intern’s full names, the personal identification number (PIN) and permanent address (according to the identity card);  contact information (e-mail, phones); preferred directorates (or specification of the fields of operation of the Ministry in which the intern is interested); length of the internship and period which is suitable for the candidate;
•    The following documents shall be attached to the application mandatorily:
-    a CV in the Bulgarian language;
-    current certificate from the educational establishment.
•    The following documents may be attached to the application: a motivation letter (if such a paragraph is not contained in the application itself); a short recommendation drawn up by the head of department or the scientific adviser on the academic and personal abilities and the circle of interests of the candidate-intern.

The internship at the MFA is practically oriented lasting for one month (in exceptional cases it may be prolonged to two months) and is not paid.

The Human Resources Directorate notifies the approved candidates at least one week before the start of the internship.

After the completion of the internship at the MFA headquarters the interns are issued with certificates in the Bulgarian language on the conducted internship.

Internship at a mission of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad

The documents for internship at a Bulgarian diplomatic mission abroad (application, containing mandatorily PIN and address in Bulgaria according to the identity card, CV, motivation letter) are submitted to the respective diplomatic mission of the Republic of Bulgaria. In case of a positive opinion of the head of mission on the internship application the mission notifies officially the MFA Human Resources Directorate which after the respective coordination procedure issues within one month a final opinion on the internship. The internship is not paid and the mission abroad has no obligation to provide accommodation. The certificate on the conducted internship is issued by the head of mission.