9.2 Administration and governance
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Governance
The Ministry of Youth and Sports implements the national youth policy, which is aimed at targeted and consistent actions of the government, municipalities, youth organisations and society for the purposes of establishing favourable conditions for full-value personal development of young people and their participation in the public and economic life, as well as their inclusion in the governance at local, district and national level. It coordinates the youth policies in the field of education, social policy, healthcare, culture, sports, justice, internal affairs and defence, and is in charge with the synergies between the national youth policy and the policy for young people implemented by and within the frames of the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports is also a party to bilateral memoranda of cooperation in the field of youth with non-EU countries, which set out the legal framework for cooperation on youth issues, such as volunteering, exchange of information and researches, exchange of visits of youth and public official delegations, youth leadership, entrepreneurship, innovations, etc.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the major government authority charged with all issues of the foreign politics and international relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements Mid-Term Program for Support for Development and Humanitarian Aid of the Republic of Bulgarian 2020-2024 (Средносрочна програма за помощ за развитие и хуманитарна помощ на Република България 2020-2024). It also supports the Bulgarian UN Youth Delegate Program implemented by the United Nations Association of Bulgaria (Дружество за ООН в България) since 2006.
The Human Resources Development Centre (HRDC) administers, promotes, advises, organises and coordinates the participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in Erasmus+ - the EU Program in the field of education, training, youth and sports, and its related horizontal programs and activities, in the European Solidarity Corps Program, and in other EU and international educational programs and initiatives. It is subordinated to the Minister of Education and Science.
In terms of non-public actors, we can identify the following youth and non-governmental organisations:
- National Youth Forum
- National Council of Student Councils (Национално представителство на студентските съвети)
- United Nations Association of Bulgaria
Bulgarian Platform of International Development (Българска платформа за международно развитие)
Cross-sectoral cooperation
Despite the strong cross-sectoral and horizontal nature of youth policy, there is no specific body for cross-sectoral cooperation. However, there are mechanisms for cross-sectoral cooperation ensured through the National Consultative Youth Council, the Public Council on Youth Issues, the members of which represent different ministries, agencies, youth organisations and other stakeholders. (see section 9.3).