Education Minister: Sofia University Best in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's Minister of Education has defended Sofia University and declared it the best in the country. Photo by BGNES

Whatever disadvantages it might have, Sofia University is still the best in Bulgaria, the Minister of Education, Sergey Ignatov, has stated.

“Sofia University deserves only respect, not only today, but also any other day,” Ignatov said Monday when the country marks the National Enlighteners Day.

On Monday, students and professors from Sofia University are staging yet another rally over radical cuts in the state funding for higher education. The previous protests were on October 20 and 28.

According to the education minister, the big problem comes from arts universities, for which the ministry is considering introducing an extended paid admission.

In Ignatov’s words, despite the almost every-day protests, things will settle down. He said he found the students’ demands reasonable because they were not to blame for the recession.

He reiterated that education is a priority for the government.

However, last week the Bulgarian Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, said at a lecture in the University for National and World Economy that he would not recommend to anybody to go to Sofia University.

His statement triggered a strong reaction of the faculty, who declared in a statement that the words of the Deputy PM harm the image of their school, which under a government rating system, praised by Djankov, is No.1 in the country.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!