Member of the European Parliament for Bulgaria
2007 - 2009
(first direct EP elections in Bulgaria);
LEED to OECD partner (Nanotech)
How have countries dealt with coronavirus school closures and what’s next for education? (OECD)
With schools closed around the world, students and teachers are having to find new ways of learning outside of the classroom. Meanwhile, governments are working hard to assess the impact of school closures and make plans for education in a post-crisis world – a world that may well be fundamentally altered. What have the government responses been like so far? Have they worked? And does the crisis imply that we need to change the way we educate the next generation?
Tax in the time of COVID-19*
The number of COVID-19 cases is quickly rising around the world, with major adverse effects on health and mortality. To fight the outbreak and the spread of the virus, countries are imposing unprecedented measures, such as restrictions on the free movement of people and goods, and are shutting down large parts of the economy. The result is that economic activity has fallen sharply in many countries and increased global uncertainty has further eroded confidence.
*OECD, The Forum Network
Tackling the coronavirus*
Contributing to a global effort
What are the impacts and consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on our lives and our societies – and what are some of the solutions we can find to boost our healthcare systems, secure our businesses, maintain our jobs and education, and stabilise financial markets and economies?
Find solutions here: http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/en/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=CTA%3A%20Key%20Impacts&utm_campaign=Tackling%20the%20coronavirus%20%28COVID-19%29&utm_term=demo#id-2
*OECD
Events in 2019
Listen and reflect: Race to Freedom
Read and enjoy: A Short Life Story of Saints Cyril and Methodius
Top-50-global-personalities-with-an-outstanding-commitment-to-diversity –
http://bnr.bg/horizont/post/100693941/mariela-baeva-edinstveniat-predstavitel-ot-iztochna-evropa-v-klasacia-na-ikonomist 
Add your name. Support the campaigns:
Children Under Attack campaign 
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/news/former-mep-fights-bring-back-our-girls-campaign
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/opinion/malala-yousafzai-deserves-nobel-peace-prize
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/blog/eu-must-demand-safe-return-nigerian-schoolgirls
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/blog/syrian-refugee-children-deserve-chance-education
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/blog/eu-must-prevent-tax-fraud-financing-terrorism; 2018 follow-up: https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/news/meps-set-vote-new-rules-fight-terrorist-financing
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/blog/governments-must-step-fill-unrwa-funding-gap-left-us – 02.02.18 Outcome: UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for providing education for over 500,000 Palestinian children, has received a big boost for its work in March’18 as new funding of $100 million was announced at the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in Rome.
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/blog/refugee-crisis-will-eu-live-its-responsibility – 13.07.18 Follow-up: Texas detention camp swells fivefold with migrant children
How modern families increase social inequality How democratic is your country? | The Economist
Is this the future of health? | The Economist Daily chart: The retreat of global democracy stopped in 2018
Collaboration, automation, annihilation: The rise of the refugee startup | The Economist film
What will be the biggest stories of 2019? Africa: Islamic State’s next frontier | The Economist
The Disrupters – Tracking the traffickers
Oxford diversity jumps *
A record 70% of Oxford University’s undergraduates next year will come from state schools. Five years ago state school applicants to Oxford received just 56% of undergraduate offers and 43% went to those educated at independent schools, despite a substantial imbalance in the numbers applying. The university found itself regularly criticised for ignoring well-qualified, state-educated students, especially from black or disadvantaged backgrounds. Target Oxbridge – a diversity recruitment programme which has the author Zadie Smith as a patron – says it has helped a record number of British students of black heritage gain places at Oxford and Cambridge. Naomi Kellman, one of its founders, said: “We started with just six students in 2012, and so it is amazing to see the programme now supporting over 70 black British students to secure Oxbridge offers.”
*The Guardian
What is the Global Refugee Forum?*
The event is the first of its kind and will be held on December 17 and 18 in Geneva – then every four years. It is co-hosted by the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR and the Swiss government.
It’s an opportunity for countries, international organisations, businesses and other stakeholders to pledge action and innovative solutions for more than 70 million people currently displaced by violence and persecution.
It follows on from the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees, a blueprint for governments, organisations and others to help refugees thrive in exile. It has four key objectives:
- Ease pressure on host countries
- Enhance refugee self-reliance
- Expand access to third-country solutions
- Support conditions in countries of origin for refugees to return in safety and dignity
Our Failure to Protect: Political commitment is vital to prevent and respond to young newcomers going missing in Europe*
It is 2015, and Europol have sent a shockwave through Europe with news that, according to national reports, at least 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children have gone missing; today, we know that this was only the tip of the iceberg. Between 2014 and 2017, at least 30,000 young newcomers, escaping violence or poverty in their home countries, disappeared on European soil (Source: European Migration Network). Children going missing in migration risk facing exploitation, violence, starvation, homelessness and physical and mental health problems. Our failure to protect them from such risks is a violation of their fundamental rights. Continue reading
Just launched: OECD Economic Outlook 2019
World GDP growth fell to 2.9% this year
The Economic Outlook includes a general assessment and notes summarising developments and providing projections for each individual country. This issue also includes focus notes on topical policy questions: addressing trade-distorting government support, escaping the low-inflation trap and strengthening the role of fiscal policy.
