Angel Kabakchiev

Our south neighbor at least according to most of the Bulgarians is related to the beautiful islands, the azure sea and its staggering night life. In the last few years however there is also great interest in the language of the cradle of the European civilization. The number of applicants for the various majors in the universities in which the new Greek language is studied is constantly growing. In each big city apart from the omnipresent language courses in west European languages more and more often there are also courses in Greek. The number of the high schools where the oldest written tradition is being studies is also increasing.

And yet, despite of the proximity of our southern neighbors the number of Greeks who are teaching their own language in Bulgaria is still small. Naturally the reasons for this are many and it is not in the last place the financial remuneration which they would receive practicing this “profession” in Bulgaria. That is exactly why currently the most wanted and respectively the most successful way of learning Greek is still the visitation of summer courses in Greece. For most of them there is no requirement for a preliminary level of knowledge of the Greek language and yet it would be better if you have some.

It could be received with the help of the mentioned courses in Bulgaria, organized by various public and private educational centers. From the courses held in the higher educational institutions with highly qualified professors the most popular and the best planned are the courses of the Institute for foreign students in the Sofia University and also the center for studying foreign languages in the New Bulgarian University.

As far as it comes to the summer courses, then the “holly trinity” is presented by the Athens University, the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki and the Institute for Balkan studies again in Thessaloniki. Naturally they are not the only ones. There are programs like this also in the University of Patras, the Ionian University, the University of Yanina and so on as well as in many other private of public centers for language studies.  

Those who wish to seriously study this difficult at first sight language (this is actually a popular fallacy, probably caused by the peculiarity of the Greek alphabet and why not even because of the medieval western conception – “in Greek – it is illegible”, “GRAECA SUNT, NON LEGENTUR) are probably thinking of receiving a diploma which will certify their command of the language. In the present situation, in which more and more people are looking for professional realization not only within the borders of Bulgaria, but also throughout the entire European Union this matter seems even more of present interest.

In 1998 with a presidential decree in Greece is found a “Public certificate for command of the language” and in 1999 with a decision of the council of ministers of the country the exclusive right of issuing the certificate in question is given to the Center for Greek language. Since 2001 a person who has received a third level certificate has the right to sign up for studying in a Geek university and the fourth level gives the right to take part in contests for public employment within the country of Greece. The exams require to understand and reproduce a written text as well as to understand and reproduce a verbal one.

Information regarding the terms, the requirements and the application of the documents could be found in the embassy of the Republic of Greece in Sofia or at the department for foreign studies of the Sofia University. The signing up for this year will continue until March 24^th and the exams will be held on May 14^th for the first and second level and on the 15^th for the third and fourth level.

           More information about the education in Greek language in Bulgaria you could find on the following addresses:

office@deo.uni-sofia.bg

uobul@deo.uni-sofia.bg

desk@deo.uni-sofia.bg

http://www.uni-sofia.bg

No. 27 Kosta Lulchev str.
1111, Sofia
Tel: 00359 2 720733, 00359 2 723481
Fax: 00359 2 723877

Mrs. Evgenia Benova

More information about the Greek language courses as well as for the receiving of the certificate of command of Greek you could receive no the following addresses:

http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/certification/index.html

http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/modern_greek/foreign/guides/tuition/show.html?start=50&group=2