The cause of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has always been for it to work in its field together with the entire government for the good of the Bulgarian citizens, or to put it simply – for people to live better.
This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev in an interview with the Diplomacy magazine, in which he commented on issues related to the work of the ministry, the requirements for the diplomatic profession and the challenges to it, including the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its mechanisms and resources, is called upon to protect Bulgarian interests in any case, regardless of the political or geostrategic conjuncture of the day”, Minister Stoev said. He also noted the mission of the ministry to protect the interests of Bulgarian communities abroad, emphasizing the important role of civil society in this regard, which at times gives good ideas for the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and sometimes a necessary adjustment in its activities.
When asked how COVID-19 affected the diplomatic practice in Bulgaria and around the world, Minister Stoev noted that the online communication imposed due to the pandemic could not completely replace direct human contact, especially in diplomacy.
“If we talk about the specifics, this pandemic has created a number of difficulties for Bulgarian citizens residing abroad. Our diplomatic missions faced incredible challenges to help these citizens return to Bulgaria as they passed through various countries that had imposed quarantine measures against the disease. I think that in general our consular services have coped with these tasks”, Svetlan Stoev said, expressing gratitude to the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the achieved results.
What are the key qualities and skills that modern diplomats should possess? According to Minister Stoev, who has more than 35 years of experience in the Bulgarian diplomatic service, diplomacy requires many skills, many specific knowledges in politics, economics, geography, psychology, philosophy, rhetoric, foreign language skills and more.” Last but not least, a show of tact and respect in communication. To mediate, working to avoid an existing conflict or to reduce tension”, Svetlan Stoev said in an interview.
Diplomacy Magazine is a specialized publication of the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the interview, the Minister noted the importance of the Diplomatic Institute and its establishment as an institution where Bulgarian diplomats are trained. He congratulated his colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Diplomatic Institute, and the State Cultural Institute under the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “Let them still keep the bar of professional activity high”, Minister Stoev wished them.
You can read the whole interview here: https://bdi.bg/data/DJ/DJ_26.pdf
