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1. Structure of Decision-making

2. Main Themes

3. The National Agency for Youth

4. Policy monitoring and evaluation

Structure of Decision-making

The national youth policy is implemented by the Council of Ministers through the Minister of Youth and Sports in accordance with the national youth strategy.

The national youth strategy is prepared by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and is then submitted for approval by the Council of Ministers. Then the Council of Ministers submits the national youth strategy for adoption by the National Assembly.

The Minister of Youth and Sports coordinates the work of the central and territorial governmental structures with regard to the implementation of the youth policy and interacts with youth organizations for the realization of the national youth policy. The Minister further organizes and coordinates programs and projects in the field of youth.

District governors ensure the implementation of the national youth policy within the territory of the respective district by maintaining close cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and with the youth organizations that are registered on their territory. District governors draft the districts' youth plans by summarizing the relevant municipal youth plans. District youth plans specify the goals and priorities of regional youth policy in line with the national youth strategy and the needs of young people in the region

Mayors of municipalities are in charge of implementing municipalities' youth policies, in line with the national youth policy. They draft the municipalities’ annual youth plans and implement municipal (local) youth plans and programs. In implementing the municipalities’ youth policy, mayors of municipalities with population of over 45 000 residents are assisted by Municipal Youth Advisory Councils.

A multi-sectoral approach is applied to the implementation of the national youth policy. While implementing the national youth policy, the Minister of Youth and Sports is supported by the National Advisory Council on Youth (Национален консултативен съвет за младежта). You can find more information about the National Advisory Council on Youth in section 1.5 Cross-sectoral approach with other ministries.

The Public Council on Youth Matters (Обществен съвет по въпросите за младежта) is another advisory unit to the Minister of Youth and Sports. It prepares positions, gives opinions and proposes initiatives for solving problems under the jurisdiction of the minister of youth and sports. It consists of representatives of organizations registered under the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act that carry out activities in public interest and of youth activities. The Public Council on Youth Matters was established in 2017. The latest amendments to the Youth Act formalize the role, function, composition and responsibilities of the Public Council on Youth Matters in the Youth Act.

In addition to the Public Council on Youth Matters, municipality youth councils and children’s parliaments are established. They are subsidiary and advisory bodies to the local authorities in the field of youth policy. Municipalities with population of more than 45 000 inhabitants are obliged to establish local advisory youth councils.

The Committee on youth and sports at the National Assembly is a special committee consisting of seventeen members of the Parliament and is responsible for the matters related to youth and sports within the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Committee is responsible for the bills that Parliament is considering in the youth sector. It discusses, debates and gives opinions on youth issues in the Parliament. The Committee also communicates and cooperates with the other parliamentary committees when deciding on draft laws and other documents in the field of youth within the competence of the National Assembly.

Main Themes

The main policy themes addressed by the national youth policy are defined in the National Youth Strategy (2021 – 2030) and are aligned with the policy areas of the EU Youth Strategy. See section 1.3 National youth strategy.

Furthermore, the Republic of Bulgaria Governance Program (2025-2029) (Програма за управление на Република България за периода 2025-2029) identifies the support and development of young people of Bulgaria among its priorities, with the objective to:

• Raise the awareness of young people and to intensify their overall participation in public life;
• Promote young people’s activity in the decision-making process;
• Design mechanisms for acquisition of key competences among young people;
• Establish Bulgaria as a regional youth policy hub in the Western Balkans region;
• Improve the conditions for provisions of quality youth services.

The policy themes addressed in the National Youth Strategy (2021 – 2030) were defined after an intensive process of consultations with other ministries, youth organizations and other stakeholders, through working groups, non-formal consultations, countrywide visits by representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. 

The objectives set out in the Republic of Bulgaria Governance Program were agreed upon at political level among the members of the governing coalition. They are defined in the spirit of consensus and political responsibility in order to ensure stability, foreseeability and development of the country in the context of dynamic economic and geopolitical challenges.

The National Agency for Youth

There is no National Agency for Youth. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has a department dealing with youth policies. The Youth Policies Directorate at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (дирекция “Младежки политики“, Министерство на младежта и спорта)  is responsible for the implementation of the national youth policy and youth programs and projects.

Policy monitoring and evaluation

The Ministry of Youth and Sports drafts youth report every two years. The youth report provides a summary of changes and trends in the socioeconomic position of young people during the relevant two-years’ period. The report covers at least the following topics: 

• Education;
• Employment;
• Health and well-being;
• Equality and inclusion;
• Young people from small regions;
• Awareness and digital skills;
• Youth organizations. 

The youth report is approved by the Council of Ministers and is then adopted by the National Assembly.

As part of the implementation of the National Youth Strategy, every year, the Council of Ministers adopts an annual youth action plan proposed by the Minister of Youth and Sports. The annual youth action plan is based on information about youth initiatives and activities collected and summarized by the relevant central and local government bodies. The implementation of the annual youth action plan is reported on annual basis.