New structural regulations and regional cooperation in SEE discussedby participants in the Public Council at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
14 August 2013 News
"No rules are eternalbecause internal and external realities change, but there should be a sustainable core over time that is associated with the long-term priorities of the country. These should not be subject to unjustified modifications because even lack of action creates a vacuum that is difficult to fill,” Foreign Minister Kristian Vigeninsaid.
“The structural regulations are important in terms of the organization of work in the ministry, in addition to expressing foreign policy and priorities through structural changes, it proposes changes to the functionality of the operative units,” emphasised the head of the working group that prepared the rules, Ambassador Plamen Petkov. The goal is that national foreign policy should be translated into the language of international organizations through Bulgaria’s active participation in the formulation of a common foreign policy.
The new structural regulations also are aimed at improving the personnel management process at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is extremely important for the effective implementation of foreign policy priorities. The document is explicit in drawing a line between the political and administrative level in the department.
Members of the Public Council praised the new Rules and agreed that they provide agood basis for the workto be done. Comments and recommendations about the rules will be analysed and taken into account in the final version of the document. "The working group has done a tremendous job in understanding the problems of the Foreign Service and largely reflected these findings in the document," said Professor Dinko Dinkov, Professor of International Relations at New Bulgarian University. This is the first step towards an effective foreign policy that depends on a clear formulation of national priorities, staffing and funding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chavdar Minchev from the National Association for International Relationssaid.
Ambassador Lubomir Kjuchukov of the Institute for Economics and International Relations noted the need for the structural regulations to describe in detail the commitment of the government to the Bulgarian communities abroad. Georgi Pirinski, a former Speaker of Parliament, emphasised the importance of protecting the public’s interest in foreign policy priorities. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must have a proactive approach, being in constant dialogue with the National Assembly on issues of high public and political sensitivity,” he said. George Mitchev of the Global Development Association took a positive view of the foundation for strengthening co-operation between the Ministry and the NGO sector.
The topics of today’s meeting of the Public Council also included Bulgaria's place in regional cooperation in South Eastern Europe, with a focus on two main formats: SEECP and the Regional Cooperation Council. “This was one of the priorities that I stated, even upon taking office as Foreign Minister, because I believe it is crucial to restore our active role as a generator of ideas in the region,” Kristian Vigeninsaid. In this regard, the "South East Europe" Directorate will be revived and a working group will be established at the Ministry to work on these issues.
“Bulgaria's place in the international system largely depends on its policy in SouthEast Europe. In speaking about regional co-operation, common interestsmust be identified that will allow Bulgarian foreign policy to pursue specific initiatives,” Professor Ljubomir Kjuchukovsaid. He said that, regarding multilateral cooperation in the region, a national consensus must sought, to formulate Bulgaria’s strategic objectives and mechanisms to implement them. Successful positioning of Bulgaria at regional level depends on the active participation of NGOsand businesses, and better coordination among state institutions. “Combining the expertise of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the interests of Bulgarian business can be very profitable,” Chavdar Minchevsaid.
The second meeting of the Public Council at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was attended by Lubomir Kjuchukov (Institute of Economics and International Relations), Simeon Nikolov (Centre for Strategic Studies), Chavdar Minchev (National Association for International Relations), Ivan Garvalov and Petranka Fileva (United Nations Association in Bulgaria), Georgi Mitchev (Global Development Association), Prof. Dr. Alexander Kostov (Institute for Balkan Studies) Krasimir Premjanov (Union of Thracian Societies) Vencislav Kirkov (Bulgarian Platform for International Development), Atanas Pavlov (Bulgarian Diplomatic Society), Elena Nikolova (Association Pan-Europe), Elizabeth Bozhinova (Student Association for the Study of International Relations), Nikolai Paounov (Liberal Political Science Institute), George Mishev (Student Diplomatic Club), Prof. Dinko Dinkov (University of National and World Economy) AssocProf . Donka Ivanova (South West University). Those who took part in the meeting described as successful and fruitful the format of holding informal discussions on current issues. At the suggestion of Minister Vigenin, they will be able to put forward proposals for topics for discussion at the forthcoming Council meetings.
Note to editors:
The main objective of the Public Council is to create a platform for dialogue with civil society organizations and enhance transparency in the work of the MFA. Those invited to take part are a wide range of organizations that have experience and expertise in the field of foreign policy. The first Board meeting was held in early July.