Bulgaria is preparing to finalize an administrative agreement to supplement its existing Social Security Agreement with Azerbaijan. This supplementary document is reportedly necessary because pension institutions in Azerbaijan have indicated they will not process claims or exchange necessary information with Bulgaria without the accompanying administrative agreement. The matter was discussed during a meeting on Monday between Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Hasan Ademov, and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, Anar Aliyev.
The ministers met on the sidelines of the OECD Skills Summit 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. During the meeting, both sides expressed a mutual commitment to strengthening cooperation across labor market issues. Ademov reported that the Bulgarian government has approved a draft agreement intended to regulate labor migration between the two nations, with negotiations for its signing approaching completion.
Furthermore, a draft action plan for 2026–2027 has been prepared to implement the Memorandum of Cooperation governing bilateral relations between Sofia and Baku since 2011. Ademov noted that the final approval of this plan and agreements will require endorsement from the incoming leadership of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy in Bulgaria. At the OECD Skills Summit, Ademov is scheduled to present Bulgaria’s national experience regarding the utilization of skills bases.
The summit itself focuses on rethinking formal education and harnessing adult skills across member nations. In addition to the bilateral discussions concerning Azerbaijan, Ademov also plans to meet with the Turkish Minister of Labor and Social Security.
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