Bulgaria's university students are coming out to protest Wednesday as university rectors are pressing demands for at least a partial back off from proposed radical cuts in state funding for higher education.

Tuesday the Council of University Rectors met education minister Sergey Ignatov and demanded at least BGN 24 M more state funding than what is previewed for budget 2011, after a drastic cut of more than 20% was introduced in 2010.

What is more alarming, the same amount for university funding is previewed in the Ministry of Finance budget framework for 2011-2013.

Funds for technical schools and military academies have been inexplicably raised, while leaving medical schools, art academies and regular universities severely underfunded.

At the meeting, minister Ignatov said that he will try to persuade cabinet and Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov to find more funds for education and research.

This is an interesting recent tendency on the part of Ignatov, who has up to now defended the idea that universities should be operate on a self-invented "market principle". During the debate for budget 2010, it was Ignatov himself who pressed for lower funding for state universities.

Tuesday he promised that at least student scholarships and stipends will be funded with the new budget, something that students were extremely worried about.

A number of universities are considering closure for the winter months - something unprecedented in Bulgarian history - as well as cuts in meager professor salaries.

At Tuesday's meetings, university rectors expressed outrage at what is happening and questioned the willingness of the cabinet to invest in Bulgaria's future.

Sofia University, Bulgaria's oldest and most prestigious institution, is planning a protest November 1, which is expected to be joined by other schools.

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