Foreign Minister: Bulgaria is actively countering antisemitism, xenophobia and hate speech

At a meeting with the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry (NCSEJ), Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva emphasised Bulgaria’s role in countering antisemitism and intolerance, a statement by the Foreign Ministry on October 30 said.

The NCSEJ is an American non-governmental organisation whose primary function is to support Jews and Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The NCSEJ has been active in the Eastern European and Eurasian region since 1971, works closely with governmental and non-governmental organizations and monitors antisemitism in the region.

“Bulgaria is proud of being a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Our government is active in countering antisemitism, xenophobia and hate speech. We are a tolerant people who have proven over the years that different communities can live in peace and understanding,” Zaharieva told the NCSEJ delegation, led by chairman Daniel Rubin.

Ways to prevent all forms of intolerance were among the main topics of the meeting, with an emphasis on working with young people, the Foreign Ministry statement said.

The key to prevention is also the immediate response of the institutions to each incident, Zaharieva said.

Rubin thanked the Bulgarian government for the measures it was taking to combat antisemitism.

“Your actions give us hope – not just for the region, but for Europe as a whole,” he said, as quoted by the Foreign Ministry.

The NCSEJ delegation said that Bulgaria had not only adopted the definition of antisemitism in 2017, but also applied it. The same year, the Bulgarian government appointed a national coordinator for the fight against antisemitism, Deputy Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, who also attended the meeting.

“We are grateful for the support Bulgaria is giving to the Jewish community. People here for generations feel integrated into society. We especially thank the Bulgarian government for this,” said Mark Levin, NCSEJ chief executive.

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