Public Relations, Protocol and International Cooperation Directorate

Direktor: Mariela Baleva
E-mail: mariela.baleva@mrrb.government.bg

Public Relations and Protocol
Head of Department: Daniela Gyurdzheklieva
E-mail: press@mrrb.government.bg
E-mail: protocol@mrrb.government.bg

European Coordination, International Relations and Analyses
Head of Department: Vyara Mincheva
E-mail: eucoordinations@mrrb.government.bg

Functions of the Directorate:

1. Plans, coordinates and implements the Ministry’s information policy.
2.Ensures the daily transparency and publicity of the Ministry’s activities by organising access to information in accordance with the constitutional rights of citizens.
3. Informs the public about the Ministry’s policies, programmes and activities.
4. Maintains relations with non-governmental organisations, public associations and other stakeholders.
5. Prepares, coordinates and organises the public appearances of the Minister, Ministry officials, representatives of secondary budget spending units and subordinate administrative structures; organises press conferences and interviews of the Minister, members of the political cabinet and leading experts of the Ministry.
6. Prepares a daily press bulletin covering publications in the print and electronic media; compiles information on announcements disseminated by the Ministry and its administrative units to the mass media; organises the collection and dissemination of information on international events abroad related to the Ministry’s activities.
7. Maintains and updates the Ministry’s website on a daily basis by publishing current and up-to-date information in Bulgarian and English.
8. Handles and ensures the timely response to enquiries submitted by citizens to the Minister through the Ministry’s electronic mail address; maintains continuous coordination with the Public Relations Unit of the Council of Ministers and with the public relations units of other ministries.
9. Assists in the preparation of the Minister’s and the Ministry’s protocol-related internal correspondence.
10. Assists in the preparation of the Minister’s protocol correspondence, provides interpretation during meetings with foreign nationals, and translates and processes international correspondence.
11. Coordinates and supports the organisation, conduct and protocol arrangements of official and working meetings, seminars, discussions and round tables hosted by the Ministry.
12. Organises, coordinates and supports participation in international events; reports on the international activities of the Minister, members of the political cabinet and Ministry officials; prepares and coordinates programmes for visits to Bulgaria by foreign delegations and official guests of the Ministry and manages the overall organisation of such visits.
13. Is responsible for and coordinates the overall organisation of visits abroad by the Minister, Deputy Ministers and other Ministry representatives, as well as visits to Bulgaria by foreign delegations and official guests invited by the Minister.
14. Coordinates and supports the preparation of meetings in Bulgaria between the Minister and Deputy Ministers and their foreign counterparts from ministries, embassies and other institutions, as well as representatives of international organisations.
15. Coordinates and supports the organisation of meetings between the Minister and Deputy Ministers and international financial and banking institutions.
16. Organises, supports and coordinates the participation of the Minister, Deputy Ministers and other Ministry representatives in high-level international forums held in Bulgaria.
17. Conducts the official correspondence of the Minister, Deputy Ministers and the Ministry with foreign partners, diplomatic missions in Bulgaria, institutions abroad and representatives of international organisations whose activities are related to the Ministry’s areas of competence.
18. Provides interpretation during meetings with foreign nationals and translates and processes international correspondence.
19. Coordinates and prepares programmes for official and working visits abroad by the Minister and Ministry representatives.
20. Maintains the Ministry’s relations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the diplomatic and trade missions of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad for the purposes of international cooperation and with counterpart ministries in other countries; in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, establishes and coordinates cooperation with international organisations within the Minister’s competence.
21. Maintains relations with international organisations, including by jointly organising with the Ministry of Economy and/or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the preparation and conduct of meetings of mixed intergovernmental commissions for economic, trade, scientific and technical cooperation, chaired on the Bulgarian side by the Minister or a Deputy Minister.
22. Coordinates the organisation of and provides logistical support for meetings of the Minister and Deputy Ministers with international financial and banking institutions.
23.Provides opinions on draft international cooperation agreements, bilateral agreements, protocols, comparative analyses, reports and other documents with countries that are not members of the European Union, as well as on matters related to the preparation and implementation of international programmes, agreements and arrangements with EU Member States to which the Ministry is a party.
24. Supports the participation of the Minister and coordinates the participation of Ministry representatives in international and regional organisations and initiatives, as well as in working groups and committees related to international cooperation.
25. Organises the ongoing exchange of information on European coordination matters between the Ministry’s administrative units, European Union partners and the Ministry’s representatives in the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union in Brussels, and supports the management of the Ministry’s participation in European structures, institutions and working bodies.
26. Initiates, organises and coordinates sociological surveys concerning public attitudes towards the Ministry’s individual policy areas.
27. Receives information from the National Statistical Institute and the analytical units of ministries concerning sectors whose policies are determined by the Ministry.
28. Monitors information flows regarding statistical data disseminated domestically and internationally by branch organisations and business entities.
29. Consolidates information received from analytical organisations.
30. Periodically prepares reports on the current state of the sectors whose policies are determined by the Ministry.
31. Identifies development trends in sectors directly related to the activities of the Ministry and its executive agencies.
32. Alerts the Minister and the political cabinet to domestic and international developments and indicators affecting areas directly related to the Ministry’s activities.
33. Assists the Minister in implementing policy in the field of international relations, bilateral and multilateral international cooperation, and in participating in the work of international organisations whose activities fall within the Minister’s areas of competence.
34. Plans, organises, supports and coordinates the Ministry’s overall international activities.
35. Is responsible for the participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in the European Union decision-making process and in the formulation of European Union policies within the Ministry’s areas of competence.
36. Coordinates and monitors the implementation of the Republic of Bulgaria’s obligations as a Member State of the European Union within the Ministry’s areas of competence, including the preparation of reports, information papers and progress reports on the implementation of the annual action plan arising from Bulgaria’s EU membership.
37. Coordinates and participates in the preparation and interdepartmental coordination of draft positions and other materials within the Ministry’s competence that are reviewed by Working Group 19 “Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments” and Working Group 9 “Transport Policy” under the Council on European Affairs, or within the framework of the Council; participates in the work of the Council on European Affairs.
38. Supports and coordinates activities related to the implementation of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region.
39. Supports and coordinates the activities of the Ministry’s representative(s) in the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union.
40. Coordinates and supports the Ministry’s participation in European structures, institutions and working bodies; coordinates the preparation of positions and instructions for participation in meetings of European structures, institutions and working bodies and ensures the consistency of the positions expressed by the Bulgarian side.
41. Is responsible for the preparation of new bilateral cooperation agreements within the Ministry’s areas of competence with counterpart ministries abroad and carries out all necessary national procedures for their signature and entry into force; organises, implements and monitors their execution.
42. Coordinates with the competent directorates of the Ministry the approval of draft financial memoranda and other agreements within the Ministry’s sphere of competence through which financial assistance is provided by the European Union and other international donors.
43. Participates in the work of mixed commissions for trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, as well as mixed working groups.