site.btaRoadmap to Address Crisis at Theatre and Film Academy Reaches Education Ministry
Valentin Evstatiev, Dimitrina Vetova
Education and Science Minister Georgi Valchev takes part in question time in the National Assembly, October 16, 2026 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)
Sofia,
16.10.2026 18:02
(BTA)
The Ministry of Education and Science has received a letter from Miroslav Dachev, Rector of Sofia’s National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), which includes a roadmap drawn up in accordance with September 18 recommendations of an interdepartmental working group to address <a href="https://cinemamix360.com/2026/10/16/when-students-learn-to-speak-they-also-learn-to-listen/” title=”When students learn to 'Speak,' they also learn to listen”>students‘ and lecturers’ grievances concerning matters of management and organization at NATFA. This and other developments related to the NATFA crisis were discussed by Education and Science Minister Georgi Valchev during question time in the National Assembly on Friday.
Valchev explained that the roadmap covers several groups of issues: the operation of NATFA’s integrated information system for managing academic and administrative processes; the functioning of NATFA’s board of trustees; the Academy’s branch in Burgas; the possibility of reimbursing students 20% of their tuition fees upon successfully completing the academic year; the provision of courses for groups of fewer than four students; and NATFA’s participation in the European consortium.
Protests at NATFA began in late June. Discussing one of the issues on September 2, Minister Valchev said there is no risk to NATFA’s participation in the FilmEU European Universities Alliance. On September 15, NATFA students and lecturers staged a protest march, demanding the resignation of Rector Dachev and action by the Ministry of Education and Science in response to the conflict between the protesters and the Academy’s management. On September 25, Minister Valchev said the Education and Science Ministry had conducted an audit at the Academy.
