Bulgaria National Platform
History
In 2006, the Ministry of State Policy for Disasters and Accidents (later Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General in the Ministry of Interior [the Directorate]), comprising the Directorate with territorial units in every region of Bulgaria, was established and became a national platform for DRR.
In 2012, with amendments in the Disaster Protection Act, a Consultative Council to support the Council of Ministers in forming the State policy for disaster protection was created. It was designated as the new national platform for DRR in Bulgaria.
In 2018, Bulgaria adopted its National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (NDRRS). The NDRRS was adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2018, and will be implemented until 2030. The strategic plan is completed by the development of a National Programme for Disaster Risk Reduction 2021-2025. This structure is planned to be implemented through annual action plans.
Following a request from the Directorate in 2020, UNDRR coordinated an assessment process of the available documents in order to evaluate the alignment of the national strategy with the recommendations of the Sendai Framework and its main pillars in terms of structure, substance, coherence and transparency.
In order to address most of the recommendations of the Assessment of the National DRR Strategy of Bulgaria report, as well as some additional challenges, a Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreement Accelerating Resilience to Disaster Risks between the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development was signed.
This has led to the development and adoption of a National Disaster Risk Profile and Disaster Risk Management Plan in 2023.
Structure
The Disaster Risk Reduction Council is a continuously acting body of the Council of Ministers that ensures coordination and cooperation upon the implementation of the State policy in the field of disaster protection.
The DRR Council acts as a national platform for DRR in compliance with the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (the Hyogo Framework) and the Sendai Framework.
The DRR Council consists of a Chairman and members. The Chairman is the Minister of Interior. The Chairman leads and represents the council and is supported by a Secretary. The Secretary is the Director of the Directorate.
Other members include:
- Representatives of the leadership of all the ministries (mainly deputy ministers), particularly:
- State Agency for National Security
- State Agency of State Reserve and War-time Stocks
- Nuclear Regulatory Agency
- Bulgarian Industrial Association and Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- National Association of Municipalities
- Bulgarian Red Cross
- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
- Up to three representatives of universities
- Up to three representatives of research institutes
- Up to three representatives of non-profit legal entities dealing with DRR
- Up to three representatives of legal entities dealing with DRR
To support the DRR Council, a permanent National Coordination Mechanism comprising representatives occupying managerial positions in the abovementioned ministries, agencies and organizations is created. The Chairman of the National Coordination Mechanism is the Secretary of the DRR Council.
Budget
The financial resources needed to run the DRR Council shall be provided by the budget of the Directorate.
The members of the platform and the National Coordination Mechanism do not receive remuneration for their work within the platform and the group.
Mandate
The general aim of Disaster Risk Reduction Council is to support the Council of Ministers in the Republic of Bulgaria to form and implement the state policy in the field of disaster protection.
Its main functions are as follows:
- Develops and proposes to the Council of Ministers a National DRR Platform;
- Develops and proposes to the Council of Ministers a National DRR Programme and annual plans for its implementation;
- Develops and proposes to the Council of Ministers a National Disaster Protection Plan;
- Make reviews and up-dates the above-mentioned documents;
- Supports development and implementation of acts and secondary regulatory acts in the field of disaster risk reduction; proposes and gives opinion on draft acts related to the implementation of the state policy for disaster risk reduction.
- Coordinates the implementation of the documents under 1-3;
- Supports formation and implementation of sectorial policies related to disaster risk reduction;
- Makes a review and develops an annual report to the Council of Ministers on the state of disaster protection;
- Communicates with UNDRR;
- Develops guidelines related to disaster protection.