The Republic of Bulgaria

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Values and principles of Bulgarian foreign policy

MISSION

Modern, responsible and based on the Bulgarian national interests and the shared European values and responsibilities, aiming at making the country a major factor of peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

Restore and affirm Bulgaria/s positive image in the European Union and in the world at large. Bring to conclusion the European integration of the country by joining the Economic and Monetary Union and the Schengen space.

Participate actively in the process of forthcoming institutional transformations in the EU and gain a leading role in the formulation of the European policy towards the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region.

Develop relations of equal partnership with Russia through the prism of our EU membership and in consonance with the Euro-Atlantic realities, with the aim of contributing to the stability of the region.

Secure access of the Bulgarian producers to markets outside the EU and render more dynamic the economic relations with countries like USA, Russia and third countries.

Preserve and uphold the Bulgarian national self-awareness and the ethno-cultural identity of the Bulgarians and the Bulgarian communities around the world as a leading priority.

GOALS

CONFIRM BULGARIA’S PLACE IN THE CENTRE OF EUROPEAN POLICY
•    Participate actively in the drafting of European policies of common interest, including in the field of judiciary cooperation, the fight against organised crime and corruption.
•    Develop cooperation in the EU in the area of justice and home affairs.
•    Secure Bulgaria’s access to all financial instruments and funds.
•    Participate actively in the coordinated actions of the EU and the international community in response to the global challenges, including the financial crisis and climate change.
•    Speed up the preparation work to join the Schengen Agreement.
•    Speed up the preparation work to join the Economic and Monetary Union.
•    Maintain an active and leading role in the elaboration of the European policy towards the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region.
•    Uphold the European perspective of our Balkan neighbours, as well as their integration in the EU in consonance with their individual goals and achievements, and with the EU potential.
•    Develop a common EU energy policy to include the European trans-border energy infrastructural projects, the interconnectivity of the energy networks, the diversification of energy sources, as well as the development of the Bulgarian nuclear energy.
•    Prepare Bulgaria to apply efficiently the Lisbon Treaty in view of its eventual entry into force.
•    Participate actively in the process of the forthcoming institutional transformations in the EU.


DEVELOPMENT OF THE EURO-ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP AS A GUARANTEE OF PEACE AND GLOBAL SECURITY

•    Expand and deepen the strategic partnership with USA and our European partners on a broad range of issues of common interest.
•    Develop a national strategy and adequate capabilities for Bulgaria’s participation in international missions, including those of NATO and the EU.
•    Secure Bulgaria’s active involvement in EU and NATO missions which contribute to the prevention or containment of threats to peace and international security and the security of member-states, to the fight against terrorism, illicit human, arms and drug trafficking, as well as trans-border crime.
•    Participate actively in initiatives in the EU and NATO framework aimed at deepening Trans-Atlantic partnership in the political and the economic field.
•    Preparation for the missions evaluating Bulgaria’s readiness to join Schengen in the ‘Border’ area.
•    Preparation to issue the new identity documents with biometric data.
•    Participate in the work of the EC Committee on “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows” and in the management of the “Repatriation” Fund and the “External Borders” Fund.
•    Exchange information and carry out coordination in the oversight and transfer of explosives, firearms and ammunition within the EU.
•    Train experts for the efficient participation in the work of the EU and NATO bodies.

MAKE BULGARIA A MAJOR FACTOR OF THE DEMOCRATIC STABILITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BALKANS AND THE BLACK SEA REGION

•    Strengthen the country’s leading regional role by implementing the political vision of the EU about the Balkans, carrying out as a priority the European policy of Black Sea Synergy and being actively involved in the Eastern Partnership policy.
•    Pro-active Bulgarian stance in the process of integration of the countries of the Western Balkans, which also involves seeking guarantees about the irreversibility of their democratic gains, as well as lasting solutions regarding the rights and the statute of our compatriots in the region.
•    Assist the construction of energy and transport corridors and expand further Bulgaria’s participation in the region’s infrastructural development in compliance with the European environmental norms.
•    Maintain active bilateral cultural, scientific and educational exchange. Consolidate the Bulgarian national and cultural identity as a part of the European cultural space. Improve the cooperation in resolving trans-border challenges, including the fight against organised crime, the protection of the environment, etc.
•    Chairmanship of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.
•    Establish an Bulgarian-Turkish Border Control and Surveillance Integrated System and a coordination centre under a Schengen Instrument programme, as well as an Integrated Blue Border Control and Surveillance System .
•    Introduce new border-police vessels for the protection of Bulgaria’s sea and river borders in compliance with the Concept on the development of the vessel structure of the border police by 2011.

ENHANCE BULGARIA’S ROLE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

•    Support the efforts of the state and the business to overcome the negative impact of the world economic crisis on the country’s economy.
•    Attract foreign investment and capital into Bulgaria.
•    Facilitate the access of Bulgarian producers to markets outside the EU and render more dynamic our economic relations with the USA and Russia as well as with the countries of the Middle and the Far East.
•    Efficient participation of Bulgaria in international infrastructural projects.
•    Improvement of the terms of Bulgaria‘s  participation in international trade and economic cooperation by facilitating the access to resources, energy sources and markets.
•    Defend Bulgaria’s national interests in the international economic and financial organisations. Contribute as an EU and WTO member to the success of the Doha Round. Expand the country’s participation and cooperation with the OECD operative bodies.

ASSIST THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE INTEGRATION OF THE BULGARIAN COMMUNITIES ABROAD AND AFFIRMING THE POSITIVE IMAGE OF BULGARIA

•    Develop a national strategy for the preservation and dissemination of the Bulgarian culture, identity and language, and for guaranteeing the rights of the Bulgarians and the Bulgarian language communities around the world.
•    Maintain contacts with the representatives of the Bulgarian communities and their organisations outside the Republic of Bulgaria.
•    Undertake economic and administrative measures encouraging the reintegration of our compatriots returning to Bulgaria.
•    Improve the consular services for Bulgarian and foreign natural and legal persons.
•    Create a crisis management centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an inter-agency crisis management centre to act as structural units for the management of critical situations with consular implications.
•    Create the necessary normative regulations to guarantee timely and efficient consular protection of Bulgarian citizens and Bulgarian businesses abroad, and of non-Bulgarian EU citizens in third countries.
•    Disseminate the Bulgarian spiritual, cultural and historical heritage abroad by holding events to introduce the national cultural values. Draft and implement a programme for the pro-active presentation of Bulgaria in the cultural calendar of international festivals and fairs.

CONSOLIDATE THE NATIONAL IDENTITY AND PURSUE A POLICY OF ADJUSTMENT OF BULGARIANS FROM THE BULGARIAN COMMUNITIES ABROAD IN THEIR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

•    Preserve the Bulgarian self-awareness among our compatriots abroad by means of educational programmes and cultural initiatives.
•    Support the Bulgarian orthodox churches and parishes throughout the world by means of coordinated activities in pursuing the state policy in the area of the right to religious faith.
•    Provide conditions for the preservation of the Bulgarian archives and their popularisation in the ethno-cultural European space in view of consolidating the national identity.
•    Foster the establishment and the development of Bulgarian media around the world – Bulgarian TV, printed and internet media.
•    Foster efficient educational policies in the Bulgarian public, private and Sunday schools abroad.
•    Support the reopening of the centres for Bulgarian studies and the Bulgarian lectureships in the European universities. 
•    Create a positive image of Bulgaria by means of cultural projects and dissemination of Bulgaria’s cultural and historical heritage

IMPLEMENT STATE POLICY VIS-À-VIS THE BULGARIANS LIVING ABROAD BY MEANS OF LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

•    Optimise the procedure of granting Bulgarian citizenship.
•    Initiate legislative amendments to the Bulgarian Citizenship Act.
•    Ease the procedure of acquiring Bulgarian citizenship for persons of Bulgarian origin and for highly qualified experts.
•    Draft a bill on the Bulgarian communities and the Bulgarians living outside the Republic of Bulgaria.
•    Support and protect the interests of the Bulgarian communities by developing institutionalised policy to them.
•    Develop a uniform mechanism regarding the application of comprehensive policies to the Bulgarians living abroad (educational, cultural, social, economic and others).
•    Safeguard the rights of the Bulgarians in consonance with the European legislation and the Human Rights Charter, and in the context of the European migration policy.

INTEGRATION AND SOCIALISATION OF BULGARIAN IMMIGRANTS DESIROUS TO RETURN TO THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

•    Develop a database to administer, trace out and analyze migration flows.
•    Exercise coordination among the institutions that carry out the policy regarding the Bulgarian communities abroad.
•    Organise expert working groups on the problems of the Bulgarian communities abroad and develop effective mechanisms to address specific problematic situations.
•    Launch joint initiatives with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, and the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad to carry out information and education campaigns among our young compatriots from the Bulgarian communities.

SECURE AND MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONAL AND COMPETENT DIPLOMATIC SERVICE

•    Analysis and streamlining of the network of Bulgarian diplomatic missions abroad.
•    Organise an orderly selection system, creating conditions for predictable career development and raising the qualification and the language training of the employees in the diplomatic service by amending the existing normative regulations. 
•    Review and evaluate the existing property abroad, and execute the necessary actions to adapt to the requirements of the Schengen Agreement.
•    Open the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the general public, especially to the young people; make more efficient the dialogue with the civil society structures and with the academic community.