Dozens of schools across Bulgaria have had ties to pro-Russian organizations or have taken part in initiatives supported by Russian institutions, according to answers provided by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) to questions submitted by MP Kristina Petkova of the "We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) coalition. The information was released via the press center of the DSB party, which is part of the WCC-DB alliance.

Ministry Representative Attended Russian Language Forum Without Authorization
One of the key issues Petkova raised was the participation of MES representatives in a forum held in late February at the Russian Cultural and Information Center in Sofia. The event, titled “Russian Language in Bulgaria – Status, Problems, Prospects”, sparked public debate. The education minister confirmed that a senior expert in foreign and mother-tongue languages had attended the forum, but noted that this participation was not coordinated with the ministry.

Ties Between Schools and Pro-Russian Entities
Petkova also sought clarity on which schools had formal or informal cooperation with organizations known for promoting Russian interests. The list she presented included groups such as the Sustainable Development Foundation for Bulgaria, the National Movement “Russophiles,” the Union of Bulgarian Teachers, the Union of Bulgarian Writers, the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, the Bulgarian Anti-Fascist Union, and the Society of Russians in Bulgaria. She further highlighted the involvement of Russian state-backed entities such as the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Rossotrudnichestvo (which appears on EU sanctions lists), and the Russian Orthodox Church.

The MES disclosed that two schools are currently engaged in cooperation with the Sustainable Development Foundation: the “Maxim Gorky” High School in Stara Zagora and the Vocational High School for Foreign Language Teaching “Exarch Joseph” in Razgrad. Two others - “Sava Mladenov” Forestry and Woodworking High School in Teteven and the “Nikolay Katranov” School in Svishtov - previously had relations with the Foundation but have since ended their cooperation.

“Exarch Joseph” in Razgrad was also the only school listed as having ties to the National Movement “Russophiles” at present. The Teteven and Svishtov schools, which were previously involved, have cut their connections as well. Participation in activities sponsored by the Russkiy Mir Foundation was confirmed only for the “Maxim Gorky” school in Stara Zagora.

Participation in Russian Cultural Initiatives
The MES provided a list of schools that have taken part in initiatives organized by the Russian Cultural and Information Center during the current academic year. These include:

• “Maxim Gorky” High School, Stara Zagora

• “Angel Karaliychev” School, Strazhitsa

• 132nd “Vanya Voynova” School, Sofia

• 32nd “Peter V. Arnaudov” School, Sofia

• 13th “Alexander Pushkin” School, Sofia

• 12th “Tsar Ivan Assen II” School, Sofia

• SEU “Dobri Voynikov,” Sofia

The following institutions have ceased their involvement:

• “Sava Mladenov” High School, Teteven

• “St. Cyril and Methodius” School, Velingrad

• “Lyuben Karavelov” School, Nessebar

• Private Primary School “Little Prince,” Varna

• “Ivan Vazov” School, Pomorie

The ministry clarified that no school has formal ties with the Russian Orthodox Church or has taken part in initiatives it supports.

The “Russian Corner” Project in Bulgarian Schools
In response to another inquiry, the ministry revealed that five schools had implemented a “Russian Corner” - a project initiated by the Russian Orthodox Church aimed at promoting Russian culture, language, and values in Bulgarian schools. Four of these corners were established before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, with only one - at “Lyuben Karavelov” Secondary School in Nessebar – appearing afterward, in 2022.

The “Russian Corner” initiative is reportedly backed by the Russian Cultural and Information Center, the Orthodox Initiative Foundation under the patronage of Patriarch Kirill, the Russian Embassy, and the Consulate General in Bulgaria. Petkova emphasized that internal documentation for the project refers to its goal of expanding Russian presence in Bulgaria, including through educational displays, Russian-themed lessons, masterclasses, and souvenir-making sessions.

The schools involved in the project before 2022 include:

• “Dr. Peter Beron” High School, Pernik

• “Sava Mladenov” High School, Teteven

• “St. Paisii Hilendarski” Language School, Dupnitsa

The “Lyuben Karavelov” School in Nessebar is the only one confirmed to have created such a space after 2022, which is described as an educational room rather than a political initiative. The ministry stated that the schools involved reported no instances of political or ideological propaganda and that the corners are used solely for educational purposes. A formal review has been launched to verify this.

Controversy Over Ministry-Endorsed Russian-Themed Competition
Another issue raised by Petkova concerns the MES’s support of a student competition organized by the Sustainable Development Foundation for Bulgaria, which promotes Bulgarian-Russian solidarity and peace. This competition, titled “Together for the 21st Century,” has reportedly been held under the patronage of the Russian Embassy and involves encouraging Bulgarian students to submit works in Russian.

The foundation behind the contest is affiliated with an organization that publicly recognized Crimea as Russian. Despite this, the MES has included the competition in its official national calendar of extracurricular activities for the 2024–2025 academic year and has supported it under several Bulgarian governments.

Minister Krasimir Valchev responded that the ministry has not found any evidence of propaganda in the competition’s content or execution, nor any political interference. Nevertheless, “due to public sensitivity,” the competition will be excluded from the calendar for the 2025–2026 school year. Valchev also announced that the ministry would look into introducing additional mechanisms to pre-screen future proposals for inclusion in the national program.

Sources:

• BTA
• BNT
• OFFNews
• Radio Free Europe
• Club Z