The opening of new Bulgarian schools abroad, donations for them, alleviating the procedure for granting Bulgarian citizenship, are among the achievements of the Minister without Portfolio for Bulgarians Abroad, Bozhidar Dimitrov, while in office.

The report was made by Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, Friday, in plenary hall, during the parliamentary control session.

The statement of the PM came as a reply to a question from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) about what has Dimitrov done for a year and a half as Minister.

Bozhidar Dimitrov resigned at the end of December, 2010, and was released from duties in February, 2011, over being an agent of the former Communist State Security (DS) in the midst of a scandal, involving a number of current Bulgarian Ambassadors, exposed as DS collaborators. After that, the post was terminated and the duties transferred to Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov.

Borisov reported that in 2010 new schools have opened for Bulgarians across the globe and from 125 that year they have reached 172 by now. Also in 2010, 108 of these schools have received donations amounting to over BGN 2 M.

Dimitrov further  got high marks by Borisov for the amendments in the Bulgarian Citizenship Act, shortening the times to obtain a Bulgarian passport – in 2010, three times more applications have been processed, compared to previous years and the backlog has been reduced by 50 000 applications. 18 000 certificated for Bulgarian origins have been issued as well.

The Minister has also done great work with Bulgarian college students outside the country in convincing them to return to their homeland, according to the PM.

The Member of the Parliament from BSP, Anton Kutev, dismissed the report, saying the post was invented for Dimitrov over his close friendship with Borisov.

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