The Academic Council of Bulgaria's Sofia University has decided to not raise student fees in 2012, in spite it was allowed to do so by the government.

"At a time of crisis and stagnation of higher education, it would be cynical to throw the burden of financing education on students and their families," stated Sofia University Rector, Prof. Ivan Ilchev.

Bulgaria's center-right GERB government has since 2009 cut funds for public education, as part of its austerity measures, but in the state budget for 2012 allowed state universities to raise their student fees at their own discretion.

"We recall that for a third consecutive year the state subsidy for students is below the sanitary minimum and does not allow Bulgarian universities to take their rightful place among EU institutions of higher learning," reads an open letter by the Academic Council to Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, PM Boyko Borisov, and Minister of Education Sergey Ignatov.

Thursday Ilchev recalled that the state subsidy per student has dropped from BGN 960 per year to BGN 693 per year, or more than 30%.

The president of Bulgaria's older and most prestigious university also stated that the university has made some progress in strapping up its finances, having payed out all debts to private companies, but still has some outstanding debts to state agencies.

Ilchev emphasized that institutions of higher learning are fundamental to a country's prosperity and said that notwithstanding that fact universities have still to fight for their very existence.

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