On 17 May 2014, at first reading, the parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media passed a bill to ratify an agreement between Bulgaria and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in designating the Centre for Underwater Archaeology as a Category 2 Centre named Underwater Heritage Institute. The adoption of the proposal was 11 years to nays.

The Underwater Heritage Institute will encourage networks of specialists, training and cooperation of stakeholders in the countries of the Black Sea region, and other regions where memoranda of cooperation are signed. The Institute is likely to be at the forefront in promoting the sustainable management of cultural heritage and marine studies.

According to the statement of the Deputy Culture Minister Todor Chobanov, the recognition process has been boosted because of the work of several teams during the last year. He remarked that we reduced the normal period by two years and were one of the few in the world with two UNESCO centres. In November 2025, during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Uzbekistan, the project was unanimously adopted, and the agreement was signed in Paris in January. He said that the name of the Centre would be altered to accommodate its new range of operations. 

Luben Dilov of GERB-UDF remarked that there was so much scientific capacity in the Centre of Underwater Archaeology. Although there is more left to do, a lot has already been done, such as getting a base and creating a facility to house the Centre’s special vessels, as indicated by Dilov. He mentioned that the ratification would improve the international position of Bulgaria and that the work of the institute is of the world standard.

Kostadin Hadzhiyski of Velichie agreed with the proposal but expressed the concern that, over time, the members of the Governing Board could become non-Bulgarian.

According to Chobanov, it was a common practice to have representatives and scientists of other countries on the boards of governance because of their expertise. He has termed the Centre as a strategic facility that needs to be supported by all institutions.

According to Iskra Mihaylova-Koparova of Movement for Rights and Freedoms -New Beginning, the decision made by UNESCO is a win on the part of the Bulgarian nation, not only in demonstrating its national capabilities in the area of underwater heritage but also in enhancing the work of the whole region, to which this country contributes. Preservation of underwater heritage Participation in the Governing Board would enable Bulgaria to be involved in the process of underwater heritage conservation, she said.

Continuing the Change Democratic Bulgaria head Manol Peykov stated: “This is a great move towards the international authority of Bulgaria and a great cultural and political success.”