Combating antisemitism
Combating anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia is high on our human rights agenda. This is reflected in the Government's decision in October 2017 to adopt the IWAH working definition of anti-Semitism and to appoint a national coordinator for combating anti-Semitism, the Deputy Foreign Minister.
Countering anti-Semitism was one of the priorities of the first Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, which contributed to the visibility of the issue on the European agenda today. Bulgaria actively participated in the coordination and adoption of the Council Declaration on combating anti-Semitism and developing a common security approach to better protect Jewish communities and institutions in Europe on 6 December 2018.
The Bulgarian Government's policy in this area is implemented in close cooperation with the Bulgarian and international Jewish community. In November 2018, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria "Shalom" and the World Jewish Congress. The agreement provided an opportunity to establish a mechanism for regular consultation and cooperation in order to exchange information, experience and best practices in the field of preventing and countering anti-Semitism and improving the security of the Jewish community.
In November 2018, Bulgaria was became a full-fledged member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization with 35 member states whose aim is to provide political and public support for the study, research and preservation of Holocaust remembrance at the national and international levels. By joining IHRA, our country makes a firm commitment to open debate and in-depth research on the history of the Holocaust and to zero tolerance for any manifestations of historical revisionism and anti-Semitism.
In October 2023, the Council of Ministers adopted Bulgaria’s first National Action Plan on combating antisemitism for the period 2023-2027.