Meeting of Patriarch Daniel and BSP on the Subject of "Virtues and Religions"

A meeting took place today in the Synodal Palace, attracting public attention. At the meeting, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel met with the parliamentary group of "BSP - United Left". The delegation, led by Atanas Zafirov, chairman of the BSP and Deputy Prime Minister, engaged in a conversation of high significance. This was announced by the press service of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate (BPC-BP).

The occasion for the meeting was the discussion of a bill, passed on first reading, concerning the amendment and supplement to the Law on Preschool and School Education. The main focus of the debates was the changes related to the introduction of a subject entitled "Virtues and Religions", which is intended to become mandatory in the curriculum.

Other prominent figures from church circles were also present in the hall. Among them were the Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe Antony, as well as the Melnik Bishop Gerasim, who performs the role of Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod. Also present was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Kyoseva, legal advisor to the Holy Synod.

Patriarch Daniel briefly presented the position of the Holy Synod regarding the bill. He emphasized the benefits that are expected to arise from the teaching of the subject in schools. In support of his arguments, the Patriarch recalled the experience of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in developing curricula and textbooks for the subject "Religion - Orthodoxy" in schools throughout the country.

Atanas Zafirov and the MPs, for their part, shared the questions that have sparked discussions in their constituencies after their meetings with citizens. An extensive exchange of views took place, with various aspects being discussed. These included issues related to the provision of qualified teachers, the development of curricula for the different educational profiles, as well as the deadlines for the phased introduction of the new subject.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides reached an agreement on a key issue. The BPC-BP notes that they share the view that the subject "Virtues and Religions" will make a positive contribution to improving the education and upbringing of young people. The subject is expected to contribute to the formation of virtues that are essential for the development of young people as fully-fledged individuals and citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The BTA news agency recalls that on October 8, the National Assembly approved on first reading the bill of the Council of Ministers to amend the Law on Preschool and School Education (ZPUO). The result of the vote showed support from 169 MPs, three voted "against", and 28 abstained. In addition to the introduction of the new school subject "Virtues and Religions", the proposed changes also include providing language support for children who do not have sufficient command of the Bulgarian language, as well as the introduction of an annual attestation of teachers, instead of an attestation every four years. It is also envisaged to create a new professional qualification "early learning and care", which will cover the period from zero to seven years.