AKP Phnom Penh, January 20, 2026 —

Bulgaria’s outgoing Culture Minister Marian Bachev and UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany have signed an agreement at UNESCO headquarters in Paris under which the Centre for Underwater Archaeology (CUA) in Sozopol officially acquires the status of a Category 2 Institute under the auspices of UNESCO, the Culture Ministry said Monday.

A ceremony was held immediately after the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Centre for Underwater Archaeology and UNESCO by CUA Director Nayden Prahov and UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Culture Minister Todor Chobanov, Bulgaria’s Ambassador to France Radka Balabanova-Ruleva, and Deputy Permanent Delegate of Bulgaria to UNESCO Iskra Angelova.

This step reinforces Bulgaria’s position as a leading country in the field of underwater archaeology and the protection of underwater cultural heritage in the Black Sea and Lower Danube regions, the Ministry's press release noted. The newly established Institute for Underwater Heritage is expected to play a key role in advancing international scientific cooperation, building expert networks, training specialists, and implementing sustainable policies for the management and protection of underwater cultural heritage. The institute will also actively contribute to combating the illegal trafficking of cultural property through enhanced monitoring and protection of underwater archaeological sites, the Ministry said.

In his remarks, Minister Bachev emphasized that relations with UNESCO are a long-term priority for Bulgaria. He highlighted the personal commitment and leadership role of Ernesto Ottone in supporting Bulgaria’s cultural heritage, as well as his numerous visits to this country in recent years.

"We value UNESCO’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and in building a more stable and tolerant world based on human dignity, cultural diversity, and peace," Bachev said. He also stressed the importance of regional cooperation in Southeast Europe and the role of the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sofia.

The Culture Ministry noted that the agreement granting Category 2 Institute status under the auspices of UNESCO will be valid for a period of eight years.

The institute will play a key role in advancing the sustainable management of cultural heritage, ocean research literacy, and scientific cooperation, the Ministry added.

In November, it was announced that the Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Sozopol had been designated a UNESCO Category 2 institute. UNESCO’s General Conference, the organization’s highest governing body, gave its final approval during its 43rd session.

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