Boian Koulov, Chair of ABUCH, believes the GERB government will bring positive change regarding Bulgarians abroad.

Koulov, who is one of the founders and first and current Chair of the Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad (ABUCH) spoke in an interview for novinite.com.

His renewed optimism is rooted in the actions of the new Cabinet and the outcome of the "Native Language and Culture Abroad" conference, held on July 30 at the National History Museum in Sofia.

The optimism and the hopes in the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) government are widely shared by many other participants in the event.

Participants in the conference included state officials, educators from Bulgaria and representatives of 45 Bulgarian schools in 23 countries, publishers, journalists.

The event, according to Koulov, was more than promising, because for the first time two ministers - the new Education Minister, Iordanka Fandakova, and the new Minister for Bulgarians Aboard, Bozhidar Dimitrov, along with the Deputy Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, Georgi Pirinski, were present at an ABUCH's conference.

Participants in the conference say they were impressed to finally see state officials exhibit in-depth knowledge of the problems of the Bulgarian schools, as well as a resolve to turn a new page.

According to Koulov, the second reason for optimism is the appointment of a special Minister for Bulgarians Abroad since one of the most important problems of the previous administrations has been the inter-ministerial communication and coordination, taking responsibility of the issues, concerning Bulgarians abroad.

Koulov and other Bulgarian educators were thrilled by Dimitrov's speech at the conference in which he compared them and their schools to the most sacred icons of the Bulgarian Renaissance.

In the interview, Boian Koulov also spoke about the appointment of Raiyna Mandzhukova as Head of the State Agency for the Bulgarians Abroad, which happened Wednesday, August 12, on the very same day the interview was taken.

The ABUCH Chair pointed out that this prompt appointment is also a source of great hope because in the last two years, this post has been vacant or "in transition", which, according to him, demonstrates the former government's attitude to the issue.

Koulov gave Mandzukova high marks as extremely well suited for the position, both due to her personal circumstances - she is born in the Bessarabia region of Ukraine - as well as by virtue of her long-term professional experience and civil society activities.

The entire text of the interview with Boian Koulov read here.