The Minister of Culture Prof. Velislav Minekov met today with the leaders of the nationally representative employers’s organizations. The Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) was represented by the President of the Board Dobri Mitrev and the economic advisor of the organization - Shteryo Nozharov.
Minister Minekov and his team presented in detail the draft budget of the Ministry of Culture for 2022 and the budget forecast for 2023-2024. The main goal of the Ministry is to make culture a priority of management policy for 2022, as well as to move towards a sustainable annual increase in funding for the sector by 0,2%. The team of Minister Minekov will insist that the funds in the State Budget for the Ministry of Culture for 2022 be increased from BGN 244 million to BGN 363 million, so that by supporting the activities of the Ministry strengthening, promotion and development of the Bulgarian identity, culture and spiritual values is achieved.
Minister Minekov stressed that the requested increase is absolutely necessary in order for the individual systems in the culture to start functioning in a way acceptable to the society and the mission with which they are charged. During the conversation were discussed specific issues in the field of cultural heritage protection, management of cultural institutions, co-financing by municipalities, regulations in the field of culture (prepared proposals for amendments to the Cultural Heritage Act, the Protection and Development of Culture Act, The Law on Radio and Television, etc.)
On their part, the heads of the nationally representative employers’ organizations expressed their satisfaction that for the first time they were invited to such a preliminary conversation regarding the state budget for next year. They expressed their full support for the increase proposed by Minister Minekov and his team, sharing that the estimates provided to them are a good starting point for the upcoming discussions in the future parliament.
