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The rector of Sofia University Prof. Ivan Ilchev. Photo by BGNES.
The rector of Sofia University Prof. Ivan Ilchev has expressed dim views of Bulgaria’s overall future should what he sees as non-commitment of the state to education continue.
Speaking in an interview for Bulgarian daily Standart, Ilchev severely criticized the current government’s policy of radically cutting funds for education, saying it dooms the country to failure.
The rector of Bulgaria’s oldest and most prestigious institution of higher education said the Sofia University has received the GERB cabinet’s 2011-2013 budget framework which previews the same expenditure for state universities as for 2010, which marks a drastic reduction. Only Bulgaria’s military academies are spared the cut.
Prof. Ilchev quotes BGN 1 B allotted for Bulgaria’s army and police each, with only BGN 350 M allotted to the Ministry of Education, which according to him is a “paradoxical” situation, given that Bulgaria’s future depends first and foremost by the level of education of Bulgarian young people.
He expressed concern that given the situation the ongoing brain drain to Western countries will intensify in the coming years.
Regarding the current financial status of Sofia University, which is experiencing financial hardships in light of budget cuts, Ilchev stated that funds are barely sufficient even for the payment of faculty and staff salaries.
Prof. Ilchev stated that the situation can be improved only by a miracle or a radical change in government policy direction.
In May students and faculty from Sofia University staged a protest against severe budget cuts proposed by Bulgarian Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov and full heartedly approved by Minister of Education Sergey Ignatov.
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