09.02.2026
In the Aula of the Rectorate of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Mathias Cormann delivered a public lecture titled “Bulgaria on the Path to OECD Membership”.
Mathias Cormann is visiting Bulgaria on the occasion of the presentation of the third OECD Economic Survey of Bulgaria. Bulgaria’s accession to the OECD is among the country’s leading foreign policy strategic priorities. Membership in the Organisation is seen as a key instrument for establishing Bulgaria as a stable, predictable, and competitive economy based on good governance practices, the rule of law, and sustainable development.
The lecture was moderated by Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. She noted that the event was organized by the Diplomatic Institute jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, in partnership with Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
The Rector of Sofia University, Prof. Georgi Valchev, stated that it was a great honor for the university to host this important national forum. He emphasized that in an increasingly uncertain world — one facing new problems, new rivalries, and changing foundations that once seemed extremely solid — it is essential to draw as much as possible from the good practices developed over past years. He stressed that Bulgaria had gone through a very complex transition, with both the economy and society experiencing difficult transformations, while also achieving significant successes through EU membership, entry into the Schengen Area, and adoption of the euro as an official currency. According to him, OECD membership would harmoniously integrate Bulgaria into the world to which it belongs. He expressed hope that Mr. Cormann’s visit would be productive and wished success to the forum.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, Georg Georgiev, also welcomed the audience and thanked the leadership of Sofia University and the Diplomatic Institute for organizing the public event dedicated to cooperation with the OECD and Bulgaria’s path toward membership. He described OECD accession as one of the most important foreign policy priorities not only for the current government but for several previous administrations as well. He expressed gratitude to Mathias Cormann and his team for supporting Bulgaria’s accession to the Organisation, which represents a global community of 38 countries across five continents committed to democracy and the market economy. The minister stressed that joining the OECD — following Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen and the Eurozone — is not merely a technical process or foreign policy objective but a strategic choice about the country’s future, including how its economy, institutions, and public policies are governed and how Bulgaria consolidates itself as a modern, prosperous democratic state with a developed market economy.
Georgiev highlighted the government’s focused efforts to achieve rapid progress on this major foreign policy priority and stated that Bulgaria has irreversibly committed to this path despite the challenges inherent in any accession process. He also welcomed Bulgaria’s initiative to host the OECD Global Skills Summit in 2028, noting that it demonstrates the country’s strong long-term commitment to cooperation with the Organisation. He added that expanding OECD membership and encouraging more countries to adopt higher standards of governance ultimately contributes to better quality of life.
Assoc. Prof. Atanas Georgiev, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, expressed satisfaction that the faculty was among the event’s organizers and emphasized that OECD accession is a key topic for any business and economics faculty. He noted that Sofia University has already been actively engaged in OECD-related activities: since 2021 its Faculty of Economics and Business Administration has been an associate member of the OECD International Network on Financial Education, and university experts have also participated in working groups of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. He suggested that, at an expert level, the university is already integrated into OECD networks. According to him, the faculty aims to drive integration with leading educational, research, and business networks in order to support global social, economic, environmental, and digital transformation. He expressed hope that this event would be the first in a series connected with Bulgaria’s OECD accession and that academic cooperation with OECD institutions, research centers, and international companies would continue to expand. He thanked the Diplomatic Institute, Tanya Mihaylova personally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Georg Georgiev, and Rector Prof. Georgi Valchev for their support.
Tanya Mihaylova briefly introduced Mathias Cormann, noting that he has served as the OECD’s sixth Secretary-General since June 1, 2021, with a mandate focused on sustainable growth, climate action, and digital transformation. She also highlighted his extensive political experience, including many years as Australia’s Minister of Finance.
Cormann thanked Minister Georgiev for the progress made in Bulgaria’s OECD accession process and for keeping the country on the right track. He said it was a pleasure to discuss Bulgaria’s path toward membership, the progress achieved so far, and the benefits this process brings both to Bulgaria and to the Organisation.
“For me, it is a real pleasure to be here with you today to discuss Bulgaria’s path toward accession to the OECD, the progress we have achieved together so far, as well as the benefits this process brings and will continue to bring both to the people of Bulgaria and to the Organisation”, the OECD Secretary-General said. He added that member states share a commitment to safeguarding individual freedom, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and the principles of the market economy.
In his lecture, Cormann stated that Bulgaria has built solid momentum on its path toward OECD membership. He highlighted the achievements of the past 12 months, which, in his words, give him confidence that this momentum will not be lost.
Cormann added that the OECD expects further progress in five areas where the technical review has not yet been completed. The first concerns anti-corruption measures, with Bulgaria’s progress on this issue expected to be reviewed at a plenary session in March. The second relates to the corporate governance of state-owned enterprises, with the evaluation to be finalized once Bulgaria implements key OECD recommendations regarding senior management appointments, the adoption of international financial reporting standards by all major state-controlled companies, and related measures.
The third area concerns waste management, with an assessment to proceed after the Bulgarian National Assembly adopts amendments to the Waste Management Act aligned with OECD legal requirements regarding the reuse and recycling of beverage packaging. In the area of investment policy, Bulgaria has implemented several reforms in line with OECD recommendations, but further steps are still needed before the Investment Committee can reach conclusions on the review. The fifth area concerns public governance, where progress is needed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the judiciary through amendments to the Judicial System Act and alignment with recommendations on public integrity and anti-corruption, including stronger oversight of political campaign financing and the adoption of lobbying legislation.
Mathias Cormann recalled that Bulgaria’s “journey”, as he described it, toward OECD membership began in January 2022, shortly after he assumed office as Secretary-General of the Organisation. Since then, teams from 25 OECD committees have successfully completed reviews of Bulgaria’s legislation, policies, and practices across a number of fields. Among the completed technical work he highlighted areas such as fiscal and monetary policy, education, competition, healthcare, agriculture and fisheries, statistics, employment, and social policy.
Addressing the audience in the Aula, Mathias Cormann described the OECD as a unique international organisation whose member countries are united around market-oriented democratic principles and shared commitments to values-based international policies and practices aimed at achieving greater prosperity. He also recalled that today the OECD carries forward the legacy of its predecessor, the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, established in 1948 to support the post-war economic recovery of Western Europe and which played a role in the European integration we know today.
After the lecture, Mathias Cormann answered questions from the audience.