Statement explaining rationale behind the closure of the Polish Institute in Sofia

The decision on the discontinuation of the Polish Institute in Sofia will in no way be detrimental to maintaining a substantial and significant cultural presence in Bulgaria. Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently reviewed the network of Polish Institutes across the globe and attempted to re-examine their roles in the contemporary geopolitical reality. The analysis proved that the Polish Institute in Bulgaria, having served its purpose, can no longer function on the basis of the old rules. Poland continues to attach great importance to relations with Bulgaria and it would be a gross misrepresentation to interpret the discontinuation of the activities of the Polish Institute in Sofia in the previous format as in any way reflecting an intension to give less prominence to our mutual relations. Quite the contrary, no changes will be made to the scope of cooperation, the adjustments being confined to the institutional framework through which the relevant activities are conducted.

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