General Information
Technical Information
The Ministry of Culture conducted consultations at three levels via written correspondence – with specialised directorates within the Ministry of Culture (1), ministries and agencies (2), civil society organisations (CSOs) (3). Information update on the sectoral measures to promote diverse forms of cultural expressions was obtained via designated directorates with the Ministry and the National Film Centre Executive Agency. There were consultations with all administrations involved in Convention-related activities and in creating conditions for implementing the principles of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Responses were received from the National Statistical Institute, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Environment and Water, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commission for Protection against Discrimination, State Institute for Culture within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Information was also obtained from certain civil society organisations (CSOs) in the field of culture.
The consultation process resulted in the conclusion that a large part of the cultural organisations and professional associations in the culture sector recognise the principles of the 2005 Convention as the guiding principles in their activities.
The outline of the measures presented probably does not fully reflect the information related to policy implementation in the field of promoting diversity of cultural expression forms, due to the conditions in which the analysis was eleborated – the COVID-19 pandemic.
A guiding principle in the state cultural policy of the Republic of Bulgaria is to guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are expressed by information awareness, communication, and free choice of cultural expression forms.
The citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms are ensured in the country's Constitution and cultural legislation. In this sense, the Ministry of Culture’s policies abide by the principles of equality and respect for all cultures; equal access to cultural heritage and to the diversity of cultural expression forms; protection of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.
The Republic of Bulgaria guarantees the right of persons from ethnic communities to disseminate and transmit their traditional cultural expression forms, as well as their right to have free access to those forms (Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Culture Protection and Development Act). In this respect, linguistic diversity is especially protected as an important exchange factor (the Bulgarian Culture Protection and Development Act).
The Bulgarian Cultural Heritage Act contains provisions on the role of the state, municipalities and individuals in ensuring equal access to cultural assets, which are also a form of cultural expression. This Act stipulates the right of access to cultural assets as providing physical or intellectual access to those assets without them being damaged or compromised.
In implementing the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the Ministry of Culture builds its policies based on the assumption that cultural diversity is stimulated by the free exchange of ideas and interaction between cultures. In addition to this, we need to state the belief that preserving, promoting and maintaining cultural diversity is an essential condition prerequisite for sustainable development benefiting both current and future generations. Therefore, in all its actions, the Ministry seeks to enable the promotion of creativity, to support artists and professionals in the cultural sector; to assist various social groups in their strife to preserve their culture; to raise citizens' awareness of the diverse cultural expression forms, their promotion and the need to preserve them. In order to meet the needs of all these groups properly, the Ministry of Culture has established cooperation with non-governmental organisations, public and private institutions, artists and other professionals in the field of art and culture.
The Ministry's programmes are aimed at expanding the opportunities for developing cultural activities at all levels, ensuring equal access to funds for producing, distributing and exchanging cultural products and services. At the same time, financial support is provided to cultural and artistic institutions to encourage cultural diversity.
The implementation of an integrated approach to preserving and promoting cultural diversity is reflected in strategic planning of measures for sustainable social development. As a result, culture has become an essential and integral part of national plans for tackling demographic problems, for reducing poverty, for social inclusion, for regional development, for youth policy development, and the National concept of active ageing. All these measures contribute to achieving the general objectives of the 2020 National Development Programme of the Republic of Bulgaria, as well as those for sustainable development by 2030.
The Convention principles also lead the way in setting Bulgaria's Cooperation on Development policy. Cultural diversity protection is included as a priority in the Medium-Term Development Assistance and Humanitarian Aid Programme of the Republic of Bulgaria for the 2016-2019 period.
The National Strategy for the Promotion of Equality between Women and Men 2016-2020, drafted with the active participation of the Ministry of Culture, additionally contributes to eliminating stereotypes still existing in society regarding access to culture and support for creative works.
Bulgarian legislation outlines measures in line with the Convention:
- The Culture Protection and Development Act (CPDA, 1999), Article 2 outlines the basic principles of the national cultural policy, including: “promoting cultural diversity while preserving national culture cohesion” and “enabling the cultural industry and the arts market”. Further in Article 20, in order to protect national identity, there are measures to ensure that programmes, films, etc. with cultural content and priority treatment of culture appear on national media (subsidised).
- The Film Industry Act (FIA, 2003) - enables the development of national film industry by providing direct and indirect measures to support film production, distribution and projection.
- The Radio and Television Act (RTA) - stipulates that a minimum of 50% of total screen time shall be dedicated to European and Bulgarian productions. The law also regulates the option of broadcasting programmes in another language, including also for Bulgarian citizens whose native tongue is not Bulgarian.
- The Copyright and Related Rights Act (CRRA, 1993) - Without being explicitly mentioned in the Convention’s key texts (except in the Preamble), intellectual property is the basis of most cultural goods and services, as well as all kinds of cultural industries. Copyright protection helps maintain and develop the creative process in the interest of authors, artists, performers, producers, consumers, culture, industry and the general audience.
- Cultural Heritage Act - the objectives of this Act are to enable the preservation and protection of cultural heritage, sustainable development for its preservation policy and to ensure equal access to cultural assets for all citizens in compliance with the following principles: 1. equal treatment of different cultural heritage types; 2. decentralisation of management and funding for cultural heritage preservation activities; 3. publicity and transparency in managing cultural heritage preservation activities.
- Spatial Planning Act - regulates cultural heritage protection by governing the creation of “protected areas” and areas under special territorial development protection.
Organization type | Organization | Website | |
---|---|---|---|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria
| I.Bojidarova@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria
| RBazaytova@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria
| G.Vladimirov@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria
| axenia.boneva@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria
| d.dikova@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Execitive Agency National Film Center
| irina@nfc.bg
| http://www.nfc.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Youth and Sport
| Denitsa.Pancheva@mpes.government.bg
| http://www.mpes.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Education and Sciences
| k.todorova@mon.bg
| http://www.mon.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
| dobrinka.boneva@mlsp.government.bg
| http://www.mlsp.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Envioronnment and Whater
| liliya.markova@moew.government.bg
| http://www.moew.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| National Statistical Institute
| SKateliev@nsi.bg
| http://www.nsi.bg
|
Public Sector
| National Culture Fund
| dtzankova@abv.bg
| http://www.ncf.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs
| Yavor.KOINAKOV@mfa.bg
| http://www.mfa.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs
| Hristo.GEORGIEV@mfa.government.bg
| http://www.mfa.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture
| a.dimitrova@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Ministry of Culture
| m.kacarova@mc.government.bg
| http://www.mc.government.bg
|
Public Sector
| Commision for Protection against Discrimination
| t.kanchevski@kzd.bg
| https://www.kzd-nondiscrimination.com
|
Private Sector
| Blok Kino
| irina@nfc.bg
| https://blok-kino.com/
|
Public Sector
| St. St. Cyril and Methodius National Library
| http://www.nationallibrary.bg
| |
Civil Society Organization (CSO)
| Public Community Centres Union
| Union.chit@abv.bg
| https://unionchitalishta.eu/
|
Civil Society Organization (CSO)
| Bulgarian Writers Union
| https://sbp.bg
| |
Civil Society Organization (CSO)
| Union of Bulgarian Artists
| http://www.uba.bg
|
Goal 1 - Support Sustainable Systems of Governance for Culture
Cultural and Creative Sectors
Policies and Programmes for promoting cultural diversity
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Providing State aid to support the Bulgarian film industry in compliance with the Film Industry Act.
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Funding Projects in the Field of Movable Cultural Heritage, Museums and Visual Arts – via call for proposals and targeted financial support.
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Support for developing Bulgarian culture and art, Bulgarian publishing sector, libraries and community centres
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Festivals, contests, cultural events and celebrations. Financial support for activities in the field of non-professional artworks, literary, publishing and intangible cultural heritage
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Public community centres - Bulgarian cultural and educational associations
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Special programmes for education and training in cultural management in the arts, culture and creative works sectors
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Melpomena National Program
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Personal development support centres in the pre-school and school education systems
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020StARTs - Entrepreneurship Training and Establishment of Training Enterprises in Art Schools and Sports Schools
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Promoting the Creative Development of Young People
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Cultural Heritage Programme of the National Culture Fund
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Translation Programme of the National Culture Fund
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020National Youth Strategy 2010-2020
Submitted by on 09 Jul 2020Media Diversity
Policy for Promoting the circulation of European works in linear and non-linear services
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Transparency of media ownership (covered domains - Media & Printed Works)
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Accessibility to media services for the visually or hearing impaired
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Changing gender stereotypes currently existing in society in different areas of public life
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Digital Environment
Developing Media Literacy Skills (covered domain - media)
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Digitalising the archive of immovable cultural assets of global and national importance, creating a specialized information system, electronic register and public portal (covered domains - Digitalisation, cultural heritage)
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Distribution of cultural content in digital environment
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Promoting cultural heritage by digitising valuable collections held by libraries and making them available in open information media (covered domains - Digitalisation, cultural heritage, libraries)
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Partnering with Civil Society
Dialogue between the Ministry of Culture Dialogue and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Training and mentoring to build communication skills for civil society organisations involved in promoting diversity of cultural expression forms. Maintaining communication models between public authorities and CSOs
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Goal 2 - Achieve a Balanced Flow of Cultural Goods and Services and Increase the Mobility of Artists and Cultural Professionals
Mobility of Artists and Cultural Professionals
Mobility Cultural Contact Programme of the National Culture Fund
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Policies and measures to support foreign mobility of artists and cultural professionals, support for cultural professionals to participate in international cultural forums.
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Flow of Cultural Goods and Services
Alleviated Requirements for Labour Market Access for Performers from Third Countries
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Bulgarian Cultural Institutes Abroad
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Treaties and agreements
Ratification of Conventions, Signing Bilateral Agreements
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Goal 3 - Integrate Culture in Sustainable Development Frameworks
National Sustainable Development Policies & Plans
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures (Integration of cultural heritage into national sustainable development policies.)
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020National Development Programme: Bulgaria 2020 (NDP BG 2020) Vision, objectives and priorities of the National Development Programme BULGARIA 2030 (to be adopted).
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Innovative Strategy for Smart Specialisation 2014-2020
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Policy for Including Disabled People in Social Cultural Life as Creators of Cultural Assets or Cultural Produce Users
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020International Cooperation for Sustainable Development
Medium-term Programme for Development Support and Humanitarian Aid for the Republic of Bulgaria for the 2016-2020 period; Bulgaria-UNESCO Trust Fund
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Support for Cultural Diversity Preservation and Intercultural Dialogue
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Goal 4 - Promote Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Gender Equality
National Strategic Documents towards Promoting Equality between Women and Men
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Programme for Socially-oriented and Community Arts of the National Culture Fund
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Artistic Freedom
Preserving and Promoting the Cultural Identity of Ethnic Communities, and Disadvantaged Individuals and Groups
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Measures and Initiatives reported by Civil Society Organizations
MOVIE BLOCK
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Union of Bulgarian Actors
Submitted by on 10 Jul 2020Emerging Transversal Issues
Challenges and Achievements
Annexes
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