A vision for the development of St. Kirik and Julita Island near Sozopol, updated and adapted to modern conditions, is set to be adopted, transforming it into a global cultural and scientific hub. This was officially announced during a site visit by Minister of Culture Evtim Miloshev, where future prospects for establishing the island as an internationally recognized center for science, education, and culture were discussed. The constructive talks were also attended by the Governor of Burgas, Diko Dikov, the Mayor of Sozopol, Tihomir Yanakiev, and the Director of the Center for Underwater Archaeology, Dr. Nayden Prahov.

"St. Kirik and Julita Island is a place of exceptional historical value and a rare combination of natural environment, cultural layers, and maritime heritage," Minister of Culture Evtim Miloshev stated during the meeting. The new development vision for the island covers several key areas:

  • The history and cultures of the Black Sea region.
  • Underwater cultural heritage — archaeology, research, conservation, and presentation, with consideration being given to the possibility of the island serving as a headquarters for the Center for Underwater Archaeology under the auspices of UNESCO.
  • Marine sciences with a focus on marine physics, biology, ecology, the impact of climate change, and coastal processes.

Work on the island's future has significantly intensified since April 2025, when an initiative committee placed the project among the priorities of the Ministry of Culture, insisting that it go beyond the role of a simple tourist attraction. In May of the same year, the Ministry of Culture announced a public procurement for the reinforcement of the Old Naval School, noting that the state is working on the comprehensive development of the complex, including granting the Center for Underwater Archaeology the status of a regional UNESCO center. At the end of 2025, following a long hiatus, the actual structural reinforcement of the Old Naval School building began under a contract worth 1.87 million euros.

Over the years, controversies have arisen regarding the management of the site. In January of this year, the outgoing Minister of Transport, Grozdan Karadzhov, told journalists at the Council of Ministers that St. Kirik and Julita Island would be returned to the management of the Ministry of Transport and Communications with the aim of developing tourist infrastructure and relieving the fishing port. At the beginning of February, however, the Ministry of Culture pointed out that the island is public state property that has been under their management since 2012. Ultimately, in April, the caretaker government made a decision to grant the property—public state property representing a part of the island in Sozopol—to the Ministry of Culture for management.