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Ski Resort Dobriniste
Dobrinishte village is only 6 km south of the popular ski resort Bansko. Dobrinishte is the final station on the narrow gauge line from the town of Septemvri. It is one of the largest villages in the country with a population of over 3000 inhabitants. There are 17 mineral springs with water temperature between 30 and 43 degrees Celsius, as well as a big mineral public bath. There are many typical national restaurants (taverns), shops, bars, disco, school, etc. There is a bus line to Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Razlog, Bansko, Gotse Delchev, etc. The bus station is near the railway station, about 1 km east of Dobrinishte. The town is a point of departure to the chalets called Gotse Delchev, Mocharata, Bezbog and the ski-center called Bezbog. Dobrinishte has own skiing facilities - ski piste and chair lift. The village has a very good potential to turn into a modern ski resort. The local municipality works to attract more investors here, as in our opnion this nice village has a lot to offer as a tourist destination because of the unique combination of skiing, spa and rural attractions at one place. One of the major plans here is to conenct the local lifts to the extensive lift and piste network of Bansko. We very much recommend Dobrinishte and the neighbour villages for skiing holidays, if of course own transport to the pistes is available. Public transport and taxi is an option too.
Ski Resort Chepelare
Chepelare (1100 m above sea level) is a small Bulgarian mountain town in Rhodopi mountain, very near Pamporovo. The nature is beautiful, old pine trees, green meadows (in the spring) and deep snow slopes in the winter. The longest ski run in Bulgaria you can find in Chepelare. The skiing infrastructure is basic, but OK, a 2-chair lift with total length of 2471 m and capacity of 600 persons reaches the top of the mountain to Chala peak (1873 m), where the starting points of the ski runs is located, for just 17 minutes. 1.5 km south of the town, near the road to Smolyan and Pamporovo is the bottom station of the 2-chair lift. The total length of the ski runs is 8400 meters. The first ski run is called 'Chala' 3150 m long and 50 m wide, with a displacement of 720 m, while the second ski run called 'Turisticheska' is 5250 m long and 25 m wide, displacement 720 m. The long distance ski run is 30 km (longest in Bulgaria). For those looking for a busier skiing resort, only 10 km South-West is Pamporovo, one of the largest and most famous ski centres. The places of interest in Chepelare are: St.Atanas Church; St. Virgin Mary Church and the Rojen Observatory. The observatory is about 15 km far from the resort, on the Mechi Chal peak. A regular transport the observatory is not available, but you can go up there walking for about 2 hours, hire a taxi, or ask the hotel owner to organise it for you. The observatory is open for tourists visits and from there you can observe almost all of the Western Rhodopi mountain. Lodging: Many small privately owned hotels are available in Chepelare. During the winter the resort and the hotels are quite busy and a booking is required. Most of the hotels are 2 or 3 stars and you can see some of them in the left table of this page. Most of the hotels have restaurants where guests can order breakfast or dinner. Ski rentals are available at the hotels too. Prices: In general they depend on the season, but the average prices are lower compared to Borovets and Pamporovo. The urbanization has not reached this resort as much like the biggest resorts, so if you are looking for a pure nature and skiing for less money that's your resort.
Ski Resort Pamporovo
Pamporovo is a modern ski resort in the heart of the Rhodopi mountain, the mountain of the mythical singer Orpheus. It is the most southern skiing resort in Europe. It is the sunniest Bulgarian mountain resort with wonderful snow throughout the whole season. Pamporovo is situated on 1650 m above the sea level at the foot of peak Snejanka (1926 m). It is 240 km far from Sofia and 85 km from Plovdiv. Pamporovo has an exclusive climate featuring a soft winter with about 120 sunny days during the skiing period. The significant influence of The Aegean Sea appears here and the skiing season starts from mid - December to mid - April. The average air temperature is - 3 C. The gentle profile of the mountain with its rounded slopes and summits makes Pamporovo particularly suitable for beginners. But there are also difficult ski runs like the Giant Slalom run which is an excellent exercise for every skiing expert. All ski runs are safe guarded and maintained in a very good condition. More than 100 highly qualified ski instructors fluent in different languages are here to teach both beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Ski rentals are available near the ski runs and the lift stations, you can book ski equipment rental, ski school, lift pass with us. The ski runs in Pamporovo come in all hardship levels. They are located between 1926 and 1450 m above the sea level on the northern, eastern and western slopes of The Snejanka peak.The most difficult ski piste is "The Wall", see it on the right picture here.All major ski runs start from the peak of the mountain, where the TV tower is located.Great off-piste skiing and snowboarding is available in this resort, however we recommend using a local guide when going off-piste. The Wall Places to goWe recommend a day trip to Plovdiv or the nearby town of Smolyan. Sofia and the Bachkovo Monastery are of great interest too. See the available excursions and places to see here.ShopsA big number of various shops are available at the resort. A shopping centre is available in the area of Perelik and Murgavets hotels. Restaurants & night lifeAlmost all hotels have restaurants and day bars. Different types of restaurants and places to eat are available in the resort and near the ski pistes. Read more on restaurants and more on night life. Medical & dental serviceThe Emergency SKI PATROL service is available 24 hours a day. Ambulance and clinic (with doctor and nurse) are available, as well as first aid, on all ski slopes. Fully equipped and functioning hospitals are available in Smolyan and Chepelare. Highly qualified dentists are available at Pamporovo or Chepelare.Pharmacies are available at the resort.
Ski Resort Bansko
The town of Bansko is located on 925 m. above sea level, and its skiing area is on 2000-2500 m above sea level. Bansko is the new Bulgarian ski resort, recently discovered by the foreign skiers and tourists, but well known in Bulgaria. Bansko provides a superb combination of virgin nature of The Pirin mountain and the atmosphere of the ancient Bulgarian small towns. Bansko is not only a resort but also a beautiful historic spot. BANSKO Bansko ski resort is situated in South-Western Bulgaria at the foot hills of one of the beautiful Bulgarian mountain Pirin. The Pirin mountain is a natural preserve included in the World Natural Heritage list. The distance between Sofia and Bansko is 170 km. The nearest International Airport is the one in Sofia. Transfer time from Sofia to Bansko is 2,5 hours. The skiing conditions in Bansko are excellent. The Pirin mountain has a predominantly Alpine character with 2 peaks towering above 2900 m. However, the slopes offer runs and tracks for all types of skiers and will suit both beginners and experts. Bansko is a new destination for the foreign skiers, has good snow record, offers great skiing and Aprиs ski. A good value for money, much different from the international resorts of Borovets and Pamporovo The town itself attracts visitors by its 120 cultural monuments, its museums and the permanent ethnographic exhibitions. A very interesting sight is The Holly Trinity church with its 30 m high bell tower and clock, splendid murals and woodcarvings. Surrounded by The Pirin, The Rila and The Rhodopa mountains, Bansko is a nice mountain resort with short summer and long winter. The skiing season starts in the middle of December and ends in mid April. Bansko ski school is a very good one. All school graduates receive skiing certificate. Children above the age of 6 can attend the ski school too. Ski rentals are available. 24 hours emergency service is available too. It is significant to emphasize that there are no big queues on the lifts, except the weekends when Bulgarian skiers come. The 2 major ski areas are situated above the town, on the northern slopes of the Pirin mountain, approx. 10 km from the town. A new modern lift, starting from the town, is now in process of construction. This new facility should be ready for the new winter season 2002-2003, and it will finally solve the problem with the transportation to pistes, which was the only disadvantage of Bansko. Slalom and Giant slalom runs are available. Bansko offers a cross-country track with a total length of 5 km. A 3 km ski run Rollbahn track is situated 2 km far from the town. The ski runs with a total length of 14 km are serviced by 2 lifts and several drags Aprиs Ski Being a new skiing destination for foreigners, prices in Bansko are still lower than the world famous ski resorts of Borovets and Pamporovo. The Bansko taverns, with unique charm and style offer local cuisine and good selection of Bulgarian wines. Live music is available at some places. 'Dedo Pene' is one of the well known places to go. A big number of local cafes are serving any kind of refreshments. Discos and night clubs work without time limit, and usually close early in the morning. Places to go Of course there's a lot to see in the town of Bansko itself, with around 120 cultural and history monuments will have a lot to explore. Various souvenir shops offer the creations of the local artists and smiths. We also recommend a visit to the famous Rila Monastery and the busy city of Sofia. Accommodation and catering: As one of the big ski resorts of Bulgaria, practically Bansko offers big opportunities in this respect satisfying visitors of different financial means. There are many luxury hotels as well as more than 40 small family hotels. We strongly recommend you arrange your hotel and additional skiing service before you go to Bansko, as the resort is quite busy during the winter. Bansko is very different from the famous ski resorts of Borovets or Pamporovo, which were specially designed skiing centres. Bansko combines great skiing, beautiful nature and historical significance Foros - national real estate company now offers to the clients the best option - to invest in apartments in the few off-plan complexes in Bankso with covered pools, fitness centers, conference halls, with luxuty furnished studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments and maisonettes with superb view to the mountain and close proximity to the ski runs. The ski area around the almost unknown before some years small town, called Bansko, is on it s way to become one of the most developed and provided with all utilities ski resorts in Bulgaria. The place became famous among the enthusiastic skiers during the last 10 years. A hard push for improving of the facilities was made mostly the last year, when the concessionaire Yulen Co. started the building works for improving the equipment in the ski center. It continues even now, during the winter season. Two helicopters are crossing the sky above the mountain all the time, carrying concrete and heavy metal constructions. Four new ski runs with the numbers 1, 3, 5 and 8 are already working. The older ones are widened and cleaned from roots, bushes and stones. All the ski runs in the resort have new numbers from 1 to 13, despite of their old names. They have coloured marks according to the international standards for difficulty. Ski run number 8 is the ex learning children ski run, in the area called Shiligarnika (the first station of the four seats lift). It is longer now 800 meters and it has a new lift, from the anchor type. The expected from everyone new lift - gondola type, must be ready, according to the projects at the end of February, but after 2 weeks bad weather in December, the building works were delayed a bit, so probably it will start functioning March or April. The first station is just behind hotel Strajite, close to the road going to Shiligarnika. The gondola will bring you up to the area called Bunderishka poliana for 15 minutes. The capacity of the lift is 2400 passengers per hour. The working speed is 6m/sec. From Bunderishka poliana, you can reach the height of 2540m (almost to Todorka peak) with two four seats lifts with shields against wind and heavy rain or snowfalls. The first lift will be 1560 meters long and the second - 960. Their speed will be 5m/sec. Capacity 2500 passengers. This means that the whole equipment of the resort can handle 4500-5000 customers per hour. And no more long queues for the lift.The idea of making two small seat lift, instead of one, comes from the different meteorological conditions. Like that, they can be used always when up is cold and windy, the skiers can take only the first lift. And the other way around when the spring comes, the skiing is possible only at the top, because most of the heavy snow is still there and down the grass is already green. A new ski path from the top will go down to Bansko. It will cross the main ski runs at some points for facilitation of the eginners. Soon there must be created a specialized ski police, which should observe for incapable skiers, which can damage or endanger the health of the other people on the ski run. He mentioned also that the ski teachers in his school are very high qualified, most of them are with 2 languages and have long experience. Another new ski run situated on the so called Plateau will have special equipment, which can measure the time for the natural born competitors. It will work with counters at the price of 2 lv. and everyone can check how fast he is. All the lifts are controlled by a modern computer system connected directly with the main company- the Austrian Ski-Data. The new lift passes are actually special electronic chip-cards, for which u pay deposit of 8 lv. more (over the normal price) and recharge everyday. So, on the return of the card, they are giving u back the 8 lv. Some more words about the night life in Bansko. It is not so impressing like the wild nights in the other two main resorts, Borovets and Pamporovo, because this is a town with quiet local people. The place is full with taverns and pubs. Two of the most famous are Dedo Pene and Molerova kushta. There you can mainly eat. A lot. Usually surrounded by some musicians from a folk orchestra. It is exotic somehow and interesting to see it the first 2-3 evenings, but not more. The 2 or 3 discotheques (No name and the one in Strajite hotel) in town are a bit strange, because of the strong presence of the hot tempered local youth. My advice is not to mess with them. However, Bansko is more family oriented vacation village. The next big event on the gorgeous ski runs, will be the International snowboard extreme competition (13-16 February), which promises to gather together the best snowboarders around and to provide great entertainment and show for the spectators. Bansko - more information and facts Altitude of the resort: 925 m., highest peak in the area is Vihren 2914 m. Lifts: 2 lifts and several drags Total km ski runs: 14 km The town of Bansko has population of 9000 people. It is situated at the Glazne river (the right tributary of Mesta) at the North-eastern bottom of Pirin mountain beneath the highest and most beautiful Karst part of the mountain. Its name has a direct connection with the ancient Bulgarian word "ban" (from boean, boyan) which means master. It is 160 km south of Sofia, 60 km Southeast of Blagoevgrad. 6 km south of Razlog, and 51 km n and one of the ski resorts in the country. The town has both historical and tourist value. The town rose up on its present location around 9-10th centuries after the formation of the adjacent quarters of Bansko. In the middle of 18th century Bansko was a big and rich settlement developing crafts and trade. The caravans of Bansko traders travelled from the Aegean to Middle Europe transporting tobacco, cotton, precious goods, gold. Bansko lived its "Golden Age" in the second half of 18th century and the beginning of 19th century when it reached economic and cultural peak: The art school of Bansko was established: the disciples of the school added many secular and historical subjects; a monastery school and a comprehensive school were opened. However, the Napoleon wars against Austria and the opening of the water way on the Danube put an end to its growth. In the middle of 19th century the economy of the town suffered decay. According to the resolutions of the Berlin Agreement Bansko was left within the boundaries of the Turkish Empire and its inhabitants actively participated in the consequent rebellions - Kresna-Razlog rebellion (1878-1879) and the Ilinden- Preobrazhenie rebellion (1903). The town was liberated from the Turkish rule on 5th October 1912 (the Balkan war). Bansko is the native place of the titans of the Bulgarian Renaissance Paisii Hilendarski and Neofit Rilski. 6 km south of Bansko is the village of Dobrinishte (final station on the narrow gauge line from Septemvri). It is one of the largest villages in the country with a population of over 3000 inhabitants.Famous to be the Gate towards the magnificent Pirin Mountain, Bansko is the newest and fastest developing of the Bulgarian winter ski resort with a growing influence upon the summer season, hosting more than 1300 000 tourists annually, including a large number of foreigners. For the inhabitants of the capital, it its the favorites rest and entertainment site during the weekends. The specific atmosphere of the Bulgarian National Revival, the rich cultural-historic heritage, the preserved folklore and crafts, the original cuisine, the plenty of cozy and snug small private hotels and taverns in traditional style, combined with the marvelous and picturesque nature of Pitrin and the thermal mineral springs in the adjacent Dobrinishte, makes Bansko an unique tourist center where the number of the summer visitors grows every year and for the first time in 2001 the number of summer and winter holidaymakers was equal. The town has its statute of an unique settlement ,acquired international significance for the economic tourism (since 1979), where 60-70-% of the inhabitants are employed. the rest 30-40% make make their living wit woodcarvingIn Bansko one can see 150 cultural monuments. Five of the monuments are of national importance :"St Trinity" Church with the clock-bell tower; "The Velyanova House" with an artistic decoration, made by Velyan Ognev-one of the remarkable representatives of the Bansko School of Fine Arts:The house- museum "Neofit Rilski"; the house museum "Nikola Vaptsarov" ;"Uspenie Bogorodichno" church. The old iconostas of "Uspenie Bogorodichno church" Bansko is the birthplace of plenty of outstanding Bulgarians among wich: Paisiy Hilendarski - name-luminary in our national culture and education, aouthor of th first Bulgarian History, called Slav Bulgarian History; Neofit Rilski - Patriarch of the new Bulgarian education and enlightement; Nikola Vaptsarov - word aknowedges poet anti fascist, the only one Bulgarian awarded with the International Peace Award; Toma Vishanov - Molera - founder of the Bansko School of Fine Arts The Pirin national Park is the largest protected site in Bulgaria with total territory of 40 455,9 ha, 36% of which are within the boarders of Bansko Municipality. because of its unique natural resources, it is the included in the list of monuments compiled at UNESCO according to the Convention for preservation of the world cultural, historical and natural heritage. The territory within Bansko comprises the most beautiful and attractive part of the Pirin Mountain with its highest peak Vihren (2 914 m) - the second highest peak in Bulgaria and third on the Blakan peninsula; the imposing rock phenomena "Koncheto" (The foal) and "Stragite" (the guardians) - alpine climbing national sites, the natural site Banderista & Kazana - two of the deepest caves in Bulgaria. The cirque Bansko Suhodol is one of the not much left permanent snow-site in Bulgaria, where skiing can be practices till the late summer. Over 100 of the total 176 beautiful high-mountain alpine lakes have glacial origin, well known as the "Crystal eyes of Pirin", the fantastic waterfalls Banderishki Skok, Yulenski Akok and Demyanski Skok are also beautiful natural site. The famous Bykusheva Mura (Baykusheva white fir ) is the oldest tree in Bulgaria at the Age of 1300 years and is at the same age as Bulgarian State. The newest reserve in Bulgaria is Yulen, covered with age-old white fir forest. Here are represented almost all of the flora and fauna species, a significant part of which are local Pirin, Bulgarian ende-mytes and relicts, including the symbol of Pirin - the snow-white edelweiss. Chalet and lake "Bezbog". During the hot months Pirin attracts thousands of bulgarian and foreigner holidaynakers, fond of nature and adventures, while the access to the tourist paths. Along the ridge to Peloponnesian Peninsula. In winter Pirin offers excellent conditions for skiing in the ski sites - Shiligarnika, Bandershishka meadow, Chlinollow above Bansko , as well as Bezbog - above Dobrinishte. Among the most beautiful and impressive sites of Pirin is: - the highest peak Vihren (2914 in). North Firm is on the main ridge between the peaks Kntelo I and Hvoynati: a major starting point - Bansko. 17 km of asphalt road southweslwards to the chalet Vihren (3h-3h30 on foot) or 4h30 along a marked tourist path (see tourist itinerar- ies) and 2h311 walking tour west - northwest climbing the peak from Kresna Municipality (and 2 hours back to the chalet). Peak "Vihren" "Moratovo" lake The, most attractive and visited lakes, being a fantastic tourist attraction are: Hvoynato Lake (Ovinatii, Murutovo) North Pirin: in the small and shallow Hvoynati cirque, put into the large Baitderishki cirque, between Hvovnati and Granite peaks and part of the Donehovi Carauli ridge southwest from Bansko. From starting point chalet Vihren - 1 hour along marked tourist path southwestwards to the Banderishka gate (see tourist itineraries) Ribno (Fish) Golyamo (Grand) Banderishko Lake North Pirin: in tlie huge Bunderishki cirque - one of the biggest and prettiest in Pirin Mountain, formed by the main ridge between Vihren, Hvoynati und Granite peaks, Donchovi Carauli ridge, Banderis'hki rockv peak and pan of the Todorino ridge southwest from Bansko; from starting point chalet Vihren - 45 minutes southwards along marked tourist path passing by the Okoto Lake (Eye Lake) towards the chalet Demyanitsa with slight right detour. "Ribno" lake "Valeavishki lakes" Dalgo (Long) (Gorno (Upper) Valyavishko Lake. North Pirin; in the upper part of the Banderishki cirque soutwest of Bansko: with starting point chalet Vihren - 1h40 southeastward along marked tourist path to chalet Demyanitsa and across the Gluvnishku Gale towards the shelter Tevno Lake and the chalet "Yane Sandanski". Golyamo (Grand), Gorno (Upper), Dalgo (Long) Valyavishko Lake. North Pirin; Valyavishki cirque - one of the prettiest in Pirin: formed by the Valyavishki rocky peak, Momin Dvor, Samodivski and Malak Polean peaks south from Bansko: with starting point chcilel Demvanilsa - 2 hours south-southwestwards along marked tourist path towards the chalet Bezbog . With starting point chalet Bezhog - 3 hours southwest along marked tourist path towards chalet Demyanitsa across the Samodivska Gate. Two high mountain lakes - Gorno (Upper) and Doino (Lower). The Upper Polejan Lake is the highest lake in Bulgaria, situated at 2 710 m above the sea level with total area of 2,2 dk. and almost oval form - its length is approximately dl) 111 and its width is approximately 50m. The Lower Polejan Lake situated at 2 462 m above the sea level is larger - 11,8 dk., 160 m long and 100 in wide. Popovo Lake (Papazgyol). North Pirin, Popovski cirque southeast of Bansko: with starting point chalet Re:liog - lhl5 southwestwards along marked tourist path to chalet Pirin near the Banski Lakes; with starting point chalet Demyanitsa - 3h55 southeastwards along marked tourist path to chalet Bezhog with It) minutes south detour near the Banski Lakes towards the chalet Pirin (see tourist itineraries). It is the biggest in Pirin - 123,6 dk. and the second biggest on the Balkan Peninsula after the Smradlivo (the Stinking) Lake in Rila (212 dk.). It is also the deepest in Pirin - 29,50 m and the second deepest in Bulgaria after the Rilsko Oko (Rila Eye) Lake-37,5m "Popovo" lake Archeological complex Pirin, the site St. Nikola; 4,5 km southest from Bansko, including 2,5 km asphalt road and 1,5 km dirt road; eith starting point Bansko - 1h. 30 min walking tour; with staring point Dobrinishte - 1 hour walking tour. Ancient fortress Pirin, within the territory of Yulen Natural Reserve. Late ancient fortress Stana (Sitan) Stronghold. Pirin the site Kalyata. Late ancient and mediveal fortress Momina Tower (Maiden Tower). Pirin's part of the Mesta river valley; on the land of village of Kremen. Nowadays in the old quarter of Bansko one can see brilliant examples from different stages of development of the Bansko fortified House from the mind mind 17th century till 60s of the 19th century. Bansko School of Fine Arts. Toma Vishanov -Molera is the founder of the school. It was formed as a woodcarving and artistic school at the end of XV and the beginning of the X X century and is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the Bulgarian cultural history. Local cuisine: Bansko kapamma, chomlek, Katino mezze, Banski starets (Bansko old man) or babichki (little old women) -dry appetizer, Kreshchina(Bansko leg pork) - dry appetyzer, Barkada Banski kachamak (Bansko hominy). Arts and creation activity: Men's Folklore Ensemble - Laureates and winners in the fairs "Pirin Sings", "Koprivshtitsa", "Rozhen", "Balkan Folk", etc; participations in concerts around the country and abroad (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Federal Repub lic of Yugoslavia, Hellenic Republic, Spain, Germany, etc). Women's Folklore Ensemble - gold medals from "Pirin Sings". " Koprivshtitsa ", "Rodzen ", participations in the 11 International Festival "European Music Night" in Ljubliana, Republic of Slovenia, successful tours in Macedonia, Serbia, Greece, Spain, etc. Men's Folkore Ensamble Mixed Folklore Ensemble - gold medals from festivals and fairs, participations in concerts around the country and abroad. Junior Folklore Ensemble - silver medals from "Pirin Sings 1999", and for the students of folklore - the opening of "Koprivshtitsa 2000 " Fair; participations in concert shows around the country and abroad. Folklore Dancing Ensemble - gold plate from the Children's International Folklore festival in the State Kuwait, carried out in May 2000, gold medals in "Pirin Sings", concert show visits in Macedonia, Serbia, Greece. Old-town Songs Company "Edelweiss" - laureates of the Festival "Golden Chestnut" - Petrich, solo concerts in Macedonia. Children's Vocal Company "Zvezditsa"- 3rd place in the "Golden Cock - 2000 " Festival - Blagoevgrad, 2nd place in the "Rila Bells - 2000" Festival - Sapareva Banya; 2nd place in the I International Popular Song Festival - 2001 - Petrich. There are plenty of individual awards from the above-mentioned festivals. Children's School of Fine Arts: piano and accordion classes; piano class, accordion and wind, lute and folk singing class. Cultural events: Christmas and New Year's celebrations (concerts, children's mornings, New Year kukeri competition - Joint Kukeri Company takes part in the International Fancy-dress Games Festival in Pernik, celebrations of the Bansko tradition (evenings of the Banska lyric song, vivacious dances - horos, customs and rituals, culinary exhibitions, national costumes (nosiya) reviews, flowers holiday, etc). The Community Center "Nikola Vaptsarov " hosts meetings, seminars, conferences, and symposia with local and national significance - Balkan Studies Seminar, "Bansko Tour" Presentation, International Arm-wrestling Tournament, International Jazz Festival, etc. Equipment - theatre hall with 450 seats, celebration hall, conference .hall, rehearsal hall, classrooms, foyers, suitable for exhibition performances. Bulgarian wood-carving art - the basic elements are the flowers among which images of birds and fairy tales animals are involved (in the beginning of XIX century part of the iconostasis is dismantled and took out abroad, and on the someplace was put another - an older one, probably belonged to the same church before its reconstruction). The bishop 's throne attracts a great interest. The icons were made by the founder of Bansko School of Fine Arts Toma Vishanov - Molera but are demolished by a great fire in 1958 and were changed with copies of the originals. Today it functions as a tomb-church. Mountain Rescue Service The mountain life-saving service base is situated in the town of Bansko. It comprises of two basic units. The first one includes a voluntary team with 30 mountain lifeguards. The second one has 6 people staff. The mountain life-saving units render their help 24 hours a day. A newsletter about the mountain climate conditions is issued every day. The mountain life-saving service is connected with the headquarters in Sofia.
BSPB
POSITION STATEMENT OF THE BULGARIAN SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIND TURBINE PARKS ALONG THE VIA PONTICA FLYWAY LAYING ON THE BULGARIA BLACK SEA COAST The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds as Nature conservation organization supports in general the production of energy in a Nature friendly way with minimal impact on all components of the Natural Environment, including the birds and their habitats. A type of energy could only be regarded as “Green” if it does not lead to destruction of valuable and rare habitats or mortality in wild animal species. Along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast passes the ancient bird migration fly way Via Pontica. Birds breeding and inhabiting the European continent from Germany to wets to Western Russia use this migration route. The studies on the migration of the soaring birds alone (Storks, Raptors, Pelicans etc.) proved that from August to September along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast fly over up to 204 420 White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) or over 50% of the European breeding population, up to 37 228 White Pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus), up to 4 570 Black Storks (C. nirga), some 30 660 Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo), over 23 000 Heoney Buzzards (Pernis apivorous) and up to 25 769 Lesser Spotted Eagles (Aquila pomarina). Beside the considerable numbers of the above mentioned species along this migration route pass on annual base numerous globally threatened species and other SPEC categories - Dalmatian Pelican, Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Kestrel etc. In total more than 500 000 soaring birds fly every autumn along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, in addition to the soaring migrants there are total of probably more than 5 000 000 birds cross pass along it. Among them many are SPEC 1-3 species with unfavorable conservation status on European or Global level. Some of Europe’s most rare birds are registered on migration along the coastline. Based on the above facts the BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria is firmly against any development of wind turbine parks along bottleneck sites along the migration route Via Pontica. The high mortality caused by win turbines has been proved in many research papers. Other negative impacts are the fragmentation and destruction of rare and endangered natural habitats (steppes, natural pastures and grasslands etc.), disturbance to animal species leading to effective displacement and loss of habitat and mortality caused by direct collision or increased energy demands because of the displacement from the original migration route. With Decision of the Ministry of Environment and water No ЕО-7/2004 the national strategy for energy development from renewable sources should be subject to an SEIA in order to delineate the site where the program will be in conflict with the biodiversity interests. So far there is no development on the SEIA as it is open and developed locally which means lot of the problematic project can be realized by the time the SEIA is made. When planning or evaluating wind turbine parks and projects for such the Recommendation of the Bonn Convention 7.5. on wind turbine and migrating birds, the recommendations in the report of the Bern Convention T-PVS/Inf (2002) 30 – analysis of the impact of the wind turbines on birds and recommendation for using ecological criteria to identify plots for wind turbine parks. Both of these recommendations are not applied in any of the wind turbine projects in the country. The principle to be applied for wind turbine parks development should have precautionary approach and planning of wind turbines along the Via Pontica should be started only after thorough and exhaustive adequate monitoring of the bird fauna in ther area is completed and it suggest low or no risk for soaring or other migrating birds. Having in mind the existing power lines and antenna towers and already erected wind turbines in Northeast coastal Bulgaria there should be a Strategic Impact Assessment made that considers the existing obstacles and the cumulative effect before going on with any further wind farm projects. Bulgaria has the responsibility of safeguarding Europe’s migrating birds that cross the country’s territory and this should be respected by authorities and investors.
Bird Flu
Avian influenza (also known as bird flu or avian flu) is a type of influenza virus that is hosted by birds, but may infect several species of mammals. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide. Avian influenza viruses compose the Influenzavirus A genus of the Orthomyxoviridae family and are negative-stranded, segmented RNA viruses. A strain of the H5N1-type of avian influenza that emerged in 1997 has been identified as the most likely source of a future influenza pandemic. Infection Strains of avian influenza may infect various type of animals, including birds, pigs, horses, seals, whales and humans. However, wild fowl act as natural asymptomatic carriers, spreading it to more susceptible domestic stocks. Avian influenza spreads in the air and in manure. It can also be transmitted by contaminated feed, water, equipment and clothing; however, there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat. The incubation period is 3 to 5 days. Symptoms in animals vary, but virulent strains can cause death within a few days. Bird Flu InfectionIn humans, avian flu causes similar symptoms to other types of flu. These include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and, in severe cases, severe breathing problems and pneumonia that may be fatal. The severity of the infection will depend to a large part on the state of the infected person's immune system and if the victim has been exposed to the strain before, and is therefore partially immune. In one case, a boy with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms, suggesting non-standard symptoms. Subtypes pathogenic to humansAll avian influenza (AI) viruses are type A influenza in the virus family of Orthomyxoviridae and all known strains of influenza A virus infect birds. Influenza type A is subdivided into subtypes based on hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) protein spikes from the central virus core. There are 16 H types, each with up to 9 N subtypes, yielding a potential for 144 different H and N combinations. In addition, avian influenza viruses may fall into one of 2 pathotypes: low (LPAI) and high (HPAI) pathogenicity, based on their virulence in poultry populations. Avian influenza H5 and H7 strains are found in both "low pathogenic” or “high pathogenic” forms; influenza H9 virus has been identified only in a “low pathogenic” form. It is feared that if a strain of avian influenza virus to which humans have not been previously exposed undergoes antigenic shift to the point where it can cross the species barrier from birds to humans, the new subtype created could be both highly contagious and highly lethal in humans. If a human infected with influenza also acquires H5N1, a mutant strain of bird flu that can be transmitted from human to human could form. Such a subtype could cause a global pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu that killed up to 50 million people in 1918. H1N1H1N1 was the first identified strain of Type A influenza. In early October 2005, researchers announced that they had successfully reconstructed the Spanish Flu virus. The gene sequence indicates that the 1918 epidemic was caused by H1N1, normally considered a strain of swine flu (which itself falls under avian influenza) that in this case passed directly from birds to humans. The reconstructed virus is very different from normal human viruses in that it infects lung cells which would normally be impervious to the virus [3]. BOTANY BAY THE JOURNEY BEGINS Why Botany Bay? • Canada - French and British settlers were already in Canada, they did not want convicts • West Indies - Negro slaves worked on sugar plantations and slave owners did not want convicts as well. Tropical diseases would kill convicts and guards • Southwest Africa – Land was barren and sandy, water was scarce and it was too hot • Gambia – In 1775 700 convicts were sent to Gambia. Most of them died of diseases or hunger • In looking for Botany Bay, the British wanted somewhere a long way from Britain so prisoners could not get back, somewhere with good soil so that prisoners could grow their own food, somewhere with a good climate suited to the English, somewhere defenceless, because they did not want to send an army and somewhere without dangerous wild animals Choosing Botany Bay • By 1780s Britain was looking for somewhere to put a penal colony • In 1786 the British government decided to send an expedition to Australia • Industrialisation in Britain meant that people moved from the country to work in the city • Therefore, cities were larger and more cramped • Crime rates grew • Punishment included transportation to penal colonies • More modern agriculture in British economy • Rise in technology promotes growth in industry • Strong move towards larger and more modern industry • Growth in trade led to demand for even more trade • Crime rates grew a lot • Growth in crime led to overcrowded prisons • American revolution in the 1770s meant America was no longer available for transportation of criminals • Other sites were unsuitable • Hulks, big ships that stayed at dock and acted as prisons, were tried but not suitable for long term • Another advantage for Botany Bay was the flax located nearby, which Britain needed for her army • Britain wanted to expand its trade in the Asia Pacific • Reports to British government from people such as James Cook and Joseph Banks said that Botany Bay would offer: o Fertile soil, so that the convicts could become self sufficient o Convicts would not be able to get back to Britain, because so far away o A large harbour which would be suitable for major port o A good position to establish base for British operations in Asia and Pacific o Flax (at Norfolk island which was close by) o Not being used by anyone and the locals were not likely to cause much of a fuss H5N1Main article: H5N1 H5N1 is a highly pathogenic form of avian influenza. Since 1997, outbreaks of H5N1 have caused the death or culling of tens of millions of birds. Over 100 people have been infected by H5N1, with a mortality rate of over 50%. H5N1 has been the focus of much concern amid warnings that the H5N1 strain will likely evolve into a form that causes a global human pandemic with a very high mortality rate. Other strainsSince 1997 the H5N1, H7N2, H7N3, H7N7, and H9N2 have been confirmed in humans. H2N2 Responsible for the Asian Flu pandemic of 1957 and 1958 that killed at least a million people worldwide. H3N2 Evolved from H2N2 by antigenic shift and caused the Hong Kong Flu pandemic of 1968 and 1969 that killed up to 750,000. This was the least deadly pandemic of the twentieth century. H7N2 Following an outbreak of H7N2 among poultry in 2002, 44 people were found infected in Virginia, United States. H7N3 In North America, the presence of avian influenza strain H7N3 was confirmed at several poultry farms in British Columbia in February 2004. As of April 2004, 18 farms had been quarantined to halt the spread of the virus. Two cases of humans with avian influenza have been confirmed in that region. H7N7 In 2003 in Netherlands 89 people were confirmed to have H7N7 influenza virus infection following an outbreak in poultry on several farms. One death was recorded. H9N2 The virus type has been documented only in low pathogenic form. Three infections in humans (China and Hong Kong) have been confirmed, all three patients recovered. In October 2005 an outbreak has been detected in the province of Tolima, central Colombia. No human infections have been reported
Tourism
The tourism industry in Bulgaria is characterised by high hopes and deep problems. On the upside, in 2004 foreign tourism turnover reached 2.4 billion euro, while revenues were 1.7 billion euro. This latter figure represented about 11 per cent of GDP in 2004. According to National Statistics Institute figures released on March 10, 2005, more than seven million foreigners visited Bulgaria in 2004, up 11.9 per cent year on year, and of the total number of visitors, 4.01 million were tourists. Visitors from Ireland increased the most, by 81.6 per cent, followed by the United Kingdom (60.5 per cent) and Portugal (60 per cent). The highest number of tourists was from Greece (707 000), followed by Macedonians (656 000), Serbia-Montenegro (577 000), Germany (565 000), the UK (259 000) and Russia (121 000). Over the past three years, the number of foreign tourists to Bulgaria increased 50 per cent, according to statistics held by the Economy Ministry, which before the February 2005 Cabinet restructuring was responsible for tourism. According to the same records, investments in the tourism sector exceeded 500 million euro in the past five years, with about 90 per cent of private investments being of Bulgarian origin. There has been a rapid increase in the construction of large-scale hotels at the Black Sea coast and at mountain resorts, and this trend is expected to continue for the next few years. According to March 2005 figures, a total of 1306 hotels, rest houses and camp sites provided to both Bulgarian and foreign guests 86 000 rooms and 190 000 beds in 2004. A total of 1016 hotels are located along the Black Sea coast, of which 269 are in Varna, 191 in Bourgas and 86 around Dobrich. Projections are that the number of foreign visitors will rise by a further 12 per cent this year. Some within the country and the hospitality industry hope that Bulgaria can win a slice of the international convention business. The problems facing the tourist industry are manifold. The country attracts low-budget visitors from the West, many arriving as participants in charter groups that have no trend of spending outside of the “all-inclusive” terms of their tours. There has been negative publicity abroad and domestically about the “construction tourism” that results from building work at the seaside and in the mountains continuing during season, an unpleasant experience for visitors. National and local governments have attempted to curb this problem, but some tour agents have cancelled bookings because of concerns that dissatisfied clients will demand refunds. Other problems include inadequate infrastructure, insufficient capacity at airports at the coastal cities of Varna and Bourgas, inadequately trained hospitality industry workers, and the country’s continuing failure to launch a high-profile, professional, international marketing campaign. In addition, Bulgaria is not a party to international agreements in the air industry that have allowed low-cost airlines to flourish in other countries, making the country one of the most expensive countries to reach by regular air services. For all the problems, the 2005 tourist year made a strong start, with foreign tourists visiting the country in January numbering almost 196 000, about 13.68 per cent more than in the first month of 2004. A significant development was the creation, as part of the February 2005 Cabinet restructuring, of a new Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Minister Nina Chilova has pledged to build a framework for modern development of culture and tourism. Bulgaria has many potential niches to develop, including eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and archeological tourism, given the spectacular recent discoveries in the country.
Doing Business in Bulgaria
Setting up a companyThe two most popular legal forms for carrying out business in Bulgaria are a joint stock company (AD) and a limited liability company (OOD), though the law also provides for: sole trader operations (ET), joint ventures, branches, holdings, cooperatives, and representative offices. They all have to be registered with the district court, which is a process that usually takes 2 or 3 weeks, though courts do tend to have some very long holidays! The first two restrict the liability of the shareholders to the amount of their share in the capital of the company, which means that the AD and OOD are the most preferred forms for doing business by both locals and foreigners. Whilst in an OOD the shares are attributed to individuals and can only be transferred with a court decision and by entering in the Commercial Register, the shares of an AD are not individually named and can be sold or transferred without informing the court. An AD may issue registered, bearer's and preference shares. Both paper-backed and book-entry shares may be issued. The AD company ensures the anonymity of shareholders and allows for raising funds through issuance of bonds or shares on the stock exchange. An AD is managed by the general meeting of shareholders, and the board of directors or supervisory board and management board. An OOD’s annual financial statements need not be audited by a CPA unless the company happens to meets certain requirements under the Bulgarian Accountancy Act, whereas all ADs have to have their annual financial statements audited by a CPA. Individuals can also establish both types of companies. In these cases the one-man limited liability company is called an EOOD and the one-man joint stock company is called an EAD. EOODs and EADs are regarded as local legal entities even when the sole owner of the capital is a foreign physical or legal person. These forms are widely used by foreigners to acquire ownership over land in Bulgaria, since foreign individuals are not allowed to own land at present. In any of these cases you should use a reputable law firm to handle the whole process for you, from choosing the company name to registering the company with the court and all the subsequent compulsory registrations with tax authorities, National Insurance Institute, etc., all of which have to be done within strict deadlines and carry hefty fines if they are not adhered to! There are many legal firms with excellent reputations and most now speak the major European languages so finding one should not be a problem. In short the process for setting up a company is as follows: · Check the company name is free and reserve it; · Produce Articles of Association; · Pay in to the bank at least 70% of the obligatory company capital for an OOD (the total capital being 5000 levs); or 25% for an AD (the total capital being 50,000 levs); · Submit the application to form the company together with the proof you have paid the capital to the district court; · The company becomes active when it is published in the State Gazette (2 or 3 weeks later); · Registration with the National Statistical Institute to receive a BULSTAT identification number must be done within 14 days; · Registration with the National Insurance Institute (NOI) within 7 days; · Registration with the local tax authority must be done within 14 days; · Any bank accounts that are opened in the company name must also be registered with the tax authority within 14 days. Warning: Intellectual Property Make sure you use a registered patent lawyer in your dealings with the Patent Office. To be on the safe side, even if your company name is the same as that of your activity, register the name under the relevant sections anyway with the Patent Office to prevent anyone stealing your name. The Patent Office works painfully slowly (a trademark usually takes 18 months to be registered and a design 6 months), as do the regional courts who would be called upon to decide on any disputes, so make sure your case is watertight. Taxes Company Taxation Corporate tax has been reduced to 15% for 2005. If this government carries on for a second term this may be reduced further, but if the Socialist Party gets in it will not be reduced and may even be increased in subsequent years. In December 2003, Parliament provided that licensed special investment purpose companies will be exempt from corporate tax. Companies setting up in areas with high employment also pay 0% tax. The tax year runs from 1st January to 31st December and company tax returns must be in by 31st March and taxes must be paid within 15 days of submitting the declaration. Monthly advance tax payments are obligatory and calculated on the basis of the previous year’s declared profit. The amount paid in April is then the difference between the advance tax paid and the actual profit declared. Dividends are taxed at 15% at the source (the paying company or partnership), which is the final tax on this kind of income (except when the dividends are distributed to local commercial companies). Stock dividends are not taxable. VAT VAT is 20% and although a reduction has been mooted there are no concrete plans. The Socialist Party has said that if it wins the June 2005 elections it will reduce VAT on some products, namely those of primary importance. VAT is declared and paid on a monthly basis, the last deadline being the 14th of each month. Fines for late submission and payment are hefty. Personal Income Tax Bulgarian tax residents are all individuals who have their permanent domicile in the country, spending more than 183 days in any 365-day period ending within the calendar year in question. The annual taxable base is the sum of all taxable incomes received during the calendar year, deducted by: incomes taxed with a final tax, mandatory and voluntary national insurance, pension, health insurance, unemployment fund contributions, as well as the premiums paid in on account of the persons under life insurance contracts and "Life" insurance, if connected with an investment fund; statutory deductions applicable only to non-employment contracts (e.g. 35 per cent of the gross income for services contracts; 10 per cent for management fees); tax relief on donations not exceeding 10 per cent of the taxable income after other statutory deductions have been made - not applicable to employment income; there are no tax deductions related to personal allowances for spouses and dependants. The annual income tax declaration is due by April 15 each year, and must be paid within 30 days of the submission of the tax declaration. Wages paid under a labour contract are taxed on a monthly basis and adjusted on an annual basis by applying the annual progressive scale below. Income Received by Civil Contractors and Freelancers is subject to a 20 per cent advance tax, but between 35 and 50 per cent of the gross income is tax deductible. The pre-paid tax is set off against the final annual tax obligation. The taxation table changes each year, with the tendency to go down for the past several years. Annual tax rate table Up to 1440 BGN no tax 1440-1800BGN 12% on the amount above 1440 1800-3000BGN 43.2 levs plus 22% on the amount above 1800 3000-7200BGN 307.2 levs plus 26% on the amount above 3000 Above 7200 BGN 1399.2 levs plus 29% on the amount above 7200 Double Taxation Changes to taxation rules in 2003 provided that the income of a foreign person who is resident in a state with which Bulgaria has signed an agreement on avoiding double taxation, but who has earnings in Bulgaria, will be declared as subject to taxation under the terms and procedure of the respective Bulgarian tax law. After the tax payment, the foreign person may request a refund of the difference between the tax paid and the one due under the relevant double taxation agreement. In such cases, the foreign person has to prove that he is a resident of the country with which Bulgaria has signed such an agreement, and that he has no establishment or fixed base within Bulgarian territory related to the respective income. Any income derived by an individual from the conduct of business on the territory of Bulgaria is considered to be from a Bulgarian source. A person is considered to have carried out business on the territory of the country where he has a permanent establishment or a fixed base in Bulgaria; he has assigned or performed an assignment on the territory of the country, whether in person or through a procurator, agent or in some other way. Any income under an employment contract or derived from rendering services is considered to have been derived from a Bulgarian source where labour has been extended or services have been delivered on the territory of the country, regardless of the source of payment for the labour extended or services rendered. Royalty payments and technical services fees, when paid to non-Bulgarian tax residents, are subject to a 15 per cent withholding tax at the source (the paying company or partnership). No additional tax is levied. Fees for management services are not considered technical services fees and are not subject to withholding tax. Tax Exempt income The following are considered tax exempt: incomes derived from the sale or exchange of certain types of immovable property (flats, houses or villas) or means of transport, subject to certain conditions; incomes derived from the sale or exchange of movable property except for the means of transport as per the preceding bullet, as well as the sale of shares, quotas and other equity interest in a commercial company, etc; compensations received as a result of statutory pension, health and social security insurance, as well as other certain compensations; interest accrued on deposits in local commercial banks and branches of foreign banks, the interest and expenses on court-awarded claims, as well as incomes derived from investments of the insurance reserves on life insurance, marriage and children's insurance and life insurance, if connected with an investment fund; cash and non-cash income from social financial aid and the unemployment compensations and subsidies; financial aid granted by social funds and organisations; subsidies from the state in respect of children and payments determined by court to support a child; student grants for Bulgarian resident individuals for their education in the country and abroad; prizes from the lottery and other games of fortune; salaries and emolument of foreign diplomats pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations; company profits distributed as new quotas and shares in commercial companies, as well as the profits distributed as an increase in existing quotas and shares' par value; rentals from agricultural land; and incomes derived from transactions with public companies' stocks and trading rights on public companies' stocks, made on the regulated Bulgarian stock market. Incomes, not specified by PITA as tax exempt, are considered taxable. Capital Gains The tax base in case of sale or exchange of immovable and certain movable property is the difference between the selling price and the higher price between the factual and updated price paid for the acquisition of such property. This rule applies to certain types of vehicles (e.g. aircraft, sea vessels, and cars). For any other type of movable property the tax base is the difference between the selling price and the re-valued price for the acquisition of such property. Rental Income Received 20 per cent of the income is tax deductible. If the rent is payable to a non-Bulgarian tax resident, a 15 per cent withholding tax is levied. Accounting Bulgaria introduced International Accounting Standards (IAS) on January 1, 2003, for certain companies. This was done two years ahead of European Union countries. The companies for which IAS as mandatory as from the beginning of 2003 include Bulgarian banks, insurance companies, social security institutions, and investment and public companies. They are now required to prepare their entire monthly, quarterly, and six-monthly accounts according to IAS. IAS will become mandatory from 2005 for all companies in Bulgaria, including small and medium-sized enterprises. This is in contrast to EU countries, where only public companies will be obliged to use IAS from 2005. Questions have been raised about whether SMEs in Bulgaria will have the capacity to comply with the requirements of using IAS. Elsewhere in Europe, there has been major resistance among small and medium enterprises to being required to use IAS. Media reports in early 2003 pointed out that the Bulgarian-language version of IAS runs to 800 pages. An English-language version has been compiled by a group of experts. The introduction of IAS in Bulgaria was regulated by the new Accounting Act, which was approved by Parliament towards the end of 2001. In January 2002, the Government adopted 37 new National Accounting Standards, compliant with the IAS. Of these, 32 standards refer directly to the IAS and five are Bulgarian standards because they have no equivalents in the IAS list. A Government ordinance regulates the use of IAS, and flows from the provisions of the Accounting Act. According to the Accounting Act, the reporting period is January 1 to December 31. HR Issues Economic development and the imperative to remodel business practice as part of Euro-Atlantic integration means that human resources practice is increasingly taking on a shape ever more similar to the ways of the West. Labour law is, however, still rather restrictive for the employer, involving a great deal of paperwork and bureaucracy as well as restricting the employer’s right to dismiss and replace staff. Bulgaria is frequently praised for its highly educated workforce, but at the same time the complaint can also be often heard that this same workforce lacks initiative and the all important service mentality. Finding Staff The most common ways are to use a human resource agency, of which there are now many, both local and international, or to advertise in the press or one of the online job sites. HR agencies usually carry out all of the work, including placing advertisements, prior selection, and psychometric testing of applicants. Most of these companies also have a database of people seeking work and head-hunting is becoming more frequent. In Sofia unemployment is very low (probably only around 4 or 5%) and this makes finding good staff difficult. You may get 200 responses to an advertisement only to find that not one fits the bill. The Law Employment relationships are governed by law through employment contracts. The contracts must be in written form, and should specify the place and nature of work and salary. Usually, such contracts are for an indefinite period. However, the Labour Code also provides for fixed-term contracts, for temporary, seasonal, or other short-term work. Probation periods of up to six months are allowed. Contracts must include certain items set out by law: working hours, remuneration, holidays, safe and healthy conditions of work, social and cultural services, and conditions and requirements for termination of the contract. Civil contracts are also used when the position is not a permanent one and rather leads to the fulfillment of a specific order. This means that the employer cannot specify the working times, leave, and other conditions standard to a labour contract. If there is a civil contract, the employee pays 20 per cent advance tax, as set out by the Law on Taxation of Incomes of Natural Persons, but neither the employer nor the employee pays the unemployment fund contribution. Therefore, if the contract is terminated, the employee cannot register as unemployed, and, logically, cannot receive unemployment severance. Termination may be done in various ways. Notice of termination should be in writing, for a period of 30 days up to three months. If notice periods are not observed, either party can claim compensation, based on remuneration or damage caused, respectively. It should be noted that you cannot fire a staff member simply because you are unhappy with their work, you have to prove that they are specifically not doing certain tasks and that is why it is recommended you have a very detailed job description and a good lawyer! Discrimination by employers on the basis of race or gender is not allowed. Salaries The rules for remuneration and salary structure are revised on a yearly basis and a complicated system of salary levels according to industry category and job class. The total cost of employment consists of the basic salary plus social security payments and a range of other smaller taxes. Monthly remuneration must not be less than the minimum wage, which for 2005 is 120 leva per month. Income taxes, mandatory and voluntary social security contributions are deducted at source. The employer is obliged to provide social security and make contributions regularly at the expense of the employee. According to the Foreign Investment Agency, the most common forms of incentives are free medical service, food vouchers, transport cards for public buses, clothing allowances, and discounts on purchases of company products. Social Security Contributions and Taxes All workers have to be insured, whether on labour or civil contracts. The total insurance burden for an employee on labour contract for 2005 is 42%, officially split between the employer (70%) and employee (30%) (this ratio will gradually go up to 50/50 in 2007), though many employers pay the whole amount, quoting a net salary to the employee. For those on civil contracts, the insurance burden is lower and this option is chosen by freelancers and other professionals. Employers now have to register any new employee at the local social security administration within seven days of the date of contract commencement. Public social security is obligatory for all employees employed by Bulgarian or foreign natural or corporate bodies within the country. The social insurance code includes insurance for general illness, work accidents, diseases resulting from the occupation, maternity leave, old age and death, unemployment, as well as additional compulsory pension insurance. Working Hours and Holidays Working hours for a five-day working week are up to 40 hours, and 46 hours in a six-day week. Flexible working hours are permitted by law. An employee is entitled to annual paid leave after eight months of service. The minimum annual paid leave is 20 days. Maternity leave currently is up to two years, during which time the employer is obliged to keep the position open and if anyone is taken on to fill the position their contract can only be temporary. Foreigners and Working in Bulgaria All foreigners who have permanent residence or are granted right of sanctuary or refugee status have the same rights to work as Bulgarian citizens. Temporary work permits are issued by the National Office of Employment of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. These work permits are issued for a specified time, job and employer and can only be issued after an application is submitted by the employer. It is valid for the time of the employment contract but not more than one year. The permission may be extended. The permit can be issued only if there is no Bulgarian citizen suitable for the job. The number of employees who are foreign citizens cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total workforce. The employer must ensure transport expenses for the foreigner’s return in the event of termination of the contract ahead of time, expiry or annulment of the work permit. Work permits for foreigners will not be issued if the employer making the application has within the past eight months dismissed Bulgarian citizens suitable for the job for which the permit is being requested, or the offered work conditions and remuneration are less favourable than those usual for Bulgarian employees, or if the salary offered is insufficient to ensure the necessary means of existence, or the constitution or the law require Bulgarian citizenship for the job. Contract disputes with foreigners may be handled either by Bulgarian or other courts, as agreed. Links
Real Estate
EnvironmentEveryone’s into Bulgarian real estate these days. The market reached incredible heights in 2004, boosted by foreigner interest and by the increased purchasing power of Bulgarians due to the increased availability of mortgage loans. Hundreds of agencies have sprung up, not just in the big cities but in the resorts too. Others just have a website and appeal straight to the foreigners – mostly Brits and Irish – who are keen to invest in cheap Bulgarian property, frequently with the aim of using it themselves as a holiday home but also fairly safe in the knowledge that the money invested will appreciate faster than if it were sitting in a bank at home. The expectation that Bulgarian real estate will continue to rise up to the country’s EU entry in January 2007 keeps the market buoyant. Despite an average rise of 25% last year (this figures changes depending which survey you read!), prices are still relatively low by EU standards, though Sofia is looking less of an investment these days, with so much new construction going on and rental demand fairly low. Its not just foreign interest that has bumped up real estate prices – as the Bulgarian economy becomes stronger so people have the disposable income to buy property and the mortgage boom over last couple of years has meant that even those without savings can buy a first or second home. Other boom areas are the Black Sea, especially the southern stretch, which has begun to resemble the Costa Del Sol with its concrete developments, and the ski town of Bansko. There are of course many opportunities outside of this – there are other large ski resorts for instance and quite a potential for the development of new ski resorts in those places where there are currently only one or two pistes. Bulgaria is lucky in that almost everywhere here is beautiful and it is difficult to say that one place in the mountains is better than another, though of course location and proximity to cities, airports, etc. is of importance if you are looking to rent the property out. Some of the old houses in mountain villages can still be bought for 3 or 4000 euro! AgenciesThe market is thus far not regulated, in fact you don’t even need a licence to operate as an estate agency, so the ground is ripe for various rip-off merchants to practice their trade. We have heard various horror stories, including one Brit who was alerted to the fact that he was about to pay a ridiculously high price for a property by a conscientious notary and ended up fleeing in fear from his agent. Though he lost his deposit he felt his physical safety was more important. We have also heard complaints about poor service even from some of the expat-owned agencies, who are perhaps unable to cope with the demand and just leave their clients hanging. If you are buying from abroad do some thorough research on the many sites available – take a look at the photos of houses, get a good idea of price ranges and check out where is a good place to buy. You can also ‘chat’ with the many foreigners who have already been through this experience both on our ‘Forum’ and on others. PeculiaritiesForeign individuals cannot own land in Bulgaria and despite the country’s mooted EU membership in 2007, will not be able to do so until 2014. A legal loophole currently allows foreigners to set up a Bulgarian company (see Doing Business in Bulgaria), which can then buy the land. This little bit of bureaucracy means that you need to use a local lawyer to set up the company, do the deal for you and you will have to retain their services on a permanent basis to maintain the company for you. You will also need to use an accountancy company to submit annual tax returns, since the land is considered an investment. The good news is that although you have to pay the initial capital (5,000 levs or 75% thereof) into a bank account, you can subsequently withdraw it once the registration process is over. If you are buying an apartment and there is no land included in the deal then you can buy it outright as an individual. The legal fees are usually quoted as a total for the court fees and the lawyer’s fee for handling you. They can range from 400 – 1000 euro. ResidenceAnother thing that may be an issue for you is getting permission to stay in Bulgaria. Cases are decided individually at present but citizens of EU countries have the right to stay in Bulgaria for 3 months out of every 6, while those of Great Britain and Ireland can only stay for one month out of six. This is a tit-for-tat regulation and will anyway fall by the wayside when Bulgaria joins the EU on January 1st 2007. In the meantime here is some advice: if you are retiring to your property in Bulgaria you will probably get residence as long as you can provide the documents to prove you are retired, that you receive an income outside the country, etc; if you are a freelancer of any kind you will probably not get residence because although the law allows for it in practice permits are not issued to freelancers. In many cases, however, depending on the value of your investment (in property) you may be granted residence so you should choose a lawyer with a proven track record. MortgagesInterest rates are still high here – around 10%, though some banks advertise lower rates. If you are eligible for a mortgage in your own country then you would be advised to do it there. Rates here will eventually drop but the IMF has been pressuring the Bulgarian National Bank to put the brakes on lending in Bulgaria so banks will be cautious about lowering rates. Prices Recent estimates show that real estate prices in Bulgaria are continuing to grow, having increased by 24.8 per cent in the period January 2004 to January 2005. The average apartment price across the country rose to 540 leva/m2 in 2004, up from 366 leva a year earlier. Apartments across Bulgaria sold at an average of 633 leva/m2 in the fourth quarter, up 11.3 per cent from the previous three-month period. In the last quarter of 2004, Sofia boasted the highest house prices, or 1094 leva/m2 on average. Next come Varna and Bourgas (both on the Black Sea), with 1083 and 962 leva/m2, respectively. Here are some typical prices in EURO as of February 2005: Country houses per house with land Ribaritsa – 20,000 up to 150,000 Old house/mountain village/no outstanding features – 3000 – 10,000 Spa resort – 20,000 upwards Ski resort – 80,000 upwards, little on offer Near ski resort – 30,000 upwards Seaside resort – 30,000 upwards Veliko Turnovo area – 8,000 upwards Apartments per square metre in EURO Sofia Downtown 390-1660 Lozenets District 500-1000 Iztok District 600-1000 Lyulin High Rise Housing Estate 310-500 Plovdiv Downtown 320-480 Burgas Downtown 400-850 Varna Downtown 650-1000 Greek Quarter 700-1200 Resorts Sunny Beach 650-1500 Sveti Vlas 600-1500 Ravda 600-800 Sozopol 500-1000 Primorsko 500-1000 Bansko 500-1250 Building Plots per square metre in EURO Black Sea (with building permission) Golden Sands 150-180 Evxinograd 55-60 Sinemorets village 40-70 Sozopol 80-150 Mountains Pamporovo 15-35 Bansko 100-120 Arbanassi (Veliko Turnovo) 20 Sofia (outlying villages) Bistritsa 15-60 Dragalevtsi 30-100 Simeonovo 20-80 Bankya 15-80 Boyana 35-100 Where to Buy Sofia The country’s capital, Sofia has around 1.2 million inhabitants but that number is constantly growing as the unemployed from the countryside move here looking for work. Most of that population lives in the ugly concrete tower blocks that make up Sofia’s outlying districts. New construction is mostly taking place to the south and east of the city centre, in the direction of Vitosha Mountain. Whole new housing districts have sprung up here but, though they may only be 5 or 6 storey, they still have their problems: control over building quality has been and continues to be patchy and as for architectural standards you can see anything and everything here. There are a lot of properties currently on the market as construction work is going on at a great pace. There are a lot of new houses in the suburbs as well as brand new apartment buildings. Even so, there are areas that hide more potential than others and areas where demand is fairly stable. As a general rule of thumb foreigners prefer the following areas, from the centre to the South and East of the city: APARTMENTS centre; Lozenets; Iztok; Izgrev; Ivan Vazov; Borovo; Buxton. HOUSES in the villages on the outskirts of the city (beyond the ring road) which have developed immensely in the past ten years and now: Simeonovo (15km); Dragalevtsi (15km); Boyana (12km); Bistritsa (20km); Gorna Banya; Knyazhevo; Bankya (20km); Pancherevo (20km). There is a belt of NEW CONSTRCTION of houses and small apartment buildings inside the ring road which used to be just waste land but which has recently been turned into housing estates: Pavlovo; Manastirksi Livadi; Krustova Vada; American College/Malinova Dolina Areas to the industrialized North and North-East are mostly large housing complexes but beyond the ring road to the West and North prices are gradually rising in the small villages. Other Big Cities Top scorers in 2004 were Varna and Bourgas, where the prices surged by more than 50 per cent, due to the Black Sea coast location of the two cities. What was observed in 2004 was only a continuation of a trend, during which over the last two years, the prices of housing in big cities has gone up by 20 to 100 per cent, and of flats in housing and resort areas by 100 to 200 per cent. Seaside 345 km of coastline, mostly sandy beaches. Everywhere from Bourgas down has undergone major development over the past couple of years and there is now a wide offering of apartment complexes on the sea shore. Developments vary from apartment blocks and hotels to modern luxury complexes with swimming pools, solariums, restaurants and a host of other facilities. Some property experts worry about the lack of clear regulations to ensure development does not affect the environment and ruin the quality of the scenery. Apartment prices from 500 to 1500 Euro/m2 Other developments are several golf courses to the north of Varna (Kavarna and Balchik), but there is still little construction going on north of Kavarna where the coast is mostly rocky, the landscape totally flat and the season several weeks shorter. Mountains Bulgaria is almost ? mountain so there’s a lot to choose from! The obvious hit has been Bansko, an existing town which has recently expanded its ski facilities to the size of a small European resort and is now fervently building to provide beds for the needed number of visitors. Prices here for apartments range from 500-1200 euro/m2. There is little construction in the other two large resorts – Pamporovo and Borovets, though plans are afoot for a ‘Super Borovets’ report, which would engulf the neighbouring villages and town of Samokov. Other resorts with development potential are Panichishte, Ribaritsa, Kom Peak in the North West of the country. Expats seem to be particularly fond of the area around Veliko Turnovo and the Sredna Gora mountains, with its location 21/2 hours either way to Sofia or to the Black Sea and the lovely old village houses, which can be renovated. Prices here are low too. Agricultural Land The biggest question that remains is what is going to happen to the agricultural land. Farmland sells cheap mostly because it is split into small plots making it difficult to buy a large area and because it is impossible to sell such land to foreigners. Owners of agricultural land are beginning to understand that the fragmentation is pushing the price down and more than 85 per cent of them now want consolidation of farm plots. The results of the concluded first stage of the land consolidation project show that most of the owners of agricultural plots not only want re-allotment, but would like to speed up the process. It is up to the state to undertake the necessary measures for ensuring a legislative framework for re-allocation of agricultural land because the recent situation with many small lots drive the price of land down, and seriously restricts farmers' opportunities to buy or rent plots of sufficient size for efficient agricultural production. Land plots in Bulgaria are becoming one of the most attractive investment goals for foreigners despite complaints that the small sizes of most properties are an obstacle to their successful sale. Step by Step Guide Buying an apartment for an office and/or dwelling purposes in Bulgaria should NOT be different than buying of an apartment elsewhere in Europe. However, things are not as easy and as straightforward as one might think. In practical terms the deal should go within the following parameters: 1. First of all, the buyer should sign a preliminary contract for the purchase of the estate and pay to the owner a sum of 10% of the total purchase price as a down payment. Usually those contracts are signed in order for the owners to prepare themselves with the necessary documents for the signing of the Title Deed before a Notary Public (one should think that if a person wishes to sell, he would have to be ready with all papers. Well, not if you are buying in Bulgaria). 2. After certain period of time (usually one month) the buyer pays the remaining 90% of the purchase price and obtains a Title Deed for the ownership over the estate. All potential buyers should be aware that all dealings with real estates in Bulgaria MUST be done before a NOTARY PUBLIC. In many cases apartments also come with some proportional ownership (co-ownership) over the land on which the building is erected, which has its own complications. The expenses on the deal are: 2% State tax (something similar to a stamp duty, to be calculated on the purchase price), Notary fee (which is calculated in accordance with the price stated in the Title Deed, but usually for one-two-bedroom apartment would be approx. 650 BGL or 325 euro), fee for inscription in the Land Registry (0,1% of the value) and legal fees. An example: if the property costs 50 000 euro all these fees (except legal fees) would come up to nearly 1300 euro, for a deal where the property costs 100 000 euro they are around 2400 euro and for a deal where the property costs 200 000 euro they would be around 4500 euro. The usual practice was (when the deal was between two Bulgarians at least) that these expenses are be covered 50/50 by the parties. Nowadays, it is a subject of an agreement between the vendor and the buyer. Things to be aware of: It is QUITE LIKELY that the owner will NOT want to declare the real price of the property on the Deed of Transfer. This is done for the owner to AVOID paying CAPITAL GAINS TAX (which would be approx. 30% of the real purchase price). You might end up in a situation where the owner proposes that either you pay the market value BUT get an official document (Title Deed) stating far lower price or you do not have a deal. Usually, we recommend that this should be EXPLICITLY agreed in writing before the signing of any document, but if your situation comes to such a dead-end, you should know that having a Title Deed with lower price does not invalidate your deal. However, such situation has its financial consequences, such as not having official documents for the money spent and higher taxes if you decide to sell the property afterwards on its real value. Please, consult with your broker/lawyer every aspect of the deal for to avoid any misrepresentation and misunderstanding at a later stage. General warning: When the search for good root to title is carried out in the Land Register (especially applicable for SOFIA’ Land Register), there are 3 to 5 BLANK DAYS, immediately BEFORE the search, for which your attorney would not be able to give you any data – i.e. there is a possibility that the owner of the estate might have put a lien on it, etc. This does not happen on an everyday basis, BUT buyers should be aware of it, as there may be unscrupulous owners who take advantage of this opportunity. Therefore, we would recommend that the deal be guaranteed by an escrow account set up either by the Notary or by a Bank.
Sectors
PrivatisationThe process of privatisation in Bulgaria has made significant progress in recent years, after many fits and starts, and privatisation in remaining sectors, while not completed, appears well on track. Big DealsFlawing this picture, however, is the prolonged saga of failed attempts to sell Bulgartabac, the state tobacco giant that occupies an overwhelmingly large share of the market. Major successes in privatisation in recent years include the 2003 sale of DSK (the State Savings Bank), and the 2004 sale of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC), the latter achieved only after a complicated series of court challenges. The BTC deal was the biggest in Bulgarian privatisation history with a total financial result of 1.1 billion euro, then Privatisation Agency executive director Ilia Vassilev said at the signing of the sale contract in February 2004. More recently, seven electricity distribution utilities were sold, as was the case of DSK and BTC, to foreign investors. StatisticsAccording to the most recent Privatisation Agency statistics, about 87 per cent of the assets slated for privatisation are in private hands. PA records show that the largest number of privatised enterprises were from the construction sector (33 per cent), the energy sector (17.5 per cent), trade (15.4 per cent), agriculture (13.3 per cent) and industry (11.2 per cent). In 2004, proceeds from privatisation added up to 2.2 billion leva. The PA noted, for the sake of comparison, that agreed payments for the entire 1999 to 2003 period were two billion leva. According to the PA’s report to Parliament, the agency signed 1376 privatisation deals in 2004, five times more than the planned 264 sales. 2005 ForecastCurrent PA executive director Atanas Bangachev, in his report to Parliament finalised in February, said that the agency expected privatisation revenue of 450 million leva for 2005. This sum is expected to come from the sales of the hydroelectric power plants in Bobov Dol, Rousse and Varna, Bobov Dol mines, sea and river shipping companies, and Boyana Film Studios. He did not include Bulgartabac in his estimates. The Bulgartabac SagaThe Government has pledged itself to complete privatisation in the industrial sector and among utilities by the end of 2006, but still the question of Bulgartabac, which frequently has been at the core of national political controversy, remains. Bulgartabac includes a total of 12 processing factories and nine cigarette factories, and has five cigarette factories in Russia and one each in Ukraine, Romania and the former Yugoslavia. There has been a long succession of failed strategies, procedures, and attempts to sell Bulgartabac. The most recent debacle, in February 2005, came close to causing the fall of the Government. When this crisis was over, Bulgaria emerged with a new Economy Minister, a new Agriculture Minister, and a public debate on a proposal by Finance Minister Milen Velchev that the sale of Bulgartabac be left to the Government due to be elected in parliamentary elections scheduled for June 2005. However, Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil, in one of his first statements after taking office in February, said that he believed that the current Government should attempt to sell Bulgartabac before the June elections.
Business Climate
Overview Bulgaria is now recognised by the United States and other major international players as having a functioning market economy. But while it is on the road to meeting the criteria for accession to the European Union, Bulgaria’s business environment contains pitfalls for the unwary. Probably as a continuing legacy of communism, many in the bureaucracy are unresponsive to the needs of the private sector, a factor which aggravates another source of criticism, the fact that doing business in Bulgaria is subject to a potentially very frustrating range of regulations. Although Company law has been further aligned with the requirements for EU membership, the EU commission has said that there is a need for the enforcement of legislation on the protection of intellectual and industrial property rights. Navigating the business environment in Bulgaria is best done through a combination of local business connections who have access to the country’s informal networks, and the help of law, accounting, and human resources professionals to keep one on the correct side of the law. Foreigners and Business The European Commission, in its latest report in November 2003 on the progress being made by European Union candidate countries, noted that Bulgaria had made further progress in creating a non-discriminatory regime of national treatment for foreigners performing economic activities in Bulgaria. In late 2003, Parliament approved changes to the Foreign Investment Act. These changes include treating domestic and foreign investors on an equal footing. The changes are also geared to reducing the amount of time spent on administrative issues. Investors with dual citizenship can decide which status to use, that of a local or foreign investor. Foreigners are allowed to take part in all types of companies, with no restrictions. However, constitutional restrictions on foreigners owning land remain in place, though these will fall in 2014 at the latest. In any case, in real life any foreigner who wants to “own” land does so through setting up a local company. The amended act is meant to encourage investments in products meant for export, in agricultural production and in IT, as well as investments that can be implemented within three years or open new jobs. Investment Bulgaria Agency, according to the new law, must issue certificates to investors, categorising the investment as first, second, or third class. The degree of assistance by the state will depend on the class of the investment. Macroeconomic Climate The Bulgarian economy, in recent years, has achieved a high degree of macroeconomic stability, thanks to a good policy mix achieved through the currency board arrangement (put in place in 1998 to stabilise the currency, the mechanism ties the performance of the lev to that of the euro), a tight fiscal stance, and wage moderation. Should the Government continue on this course, sustained growth is possible. However, there are problems. Labour law does not allow much flexibility in the labour market. No notes on the business environment in Bulgaria can be made without reference to the shadow economy. Investigations by the state in 2003 found significantly large sums of income that had been concealed by taxation, failure to pay social security contributions, and obstructions by employers to labour inspections. After the fall of communism and amid the economic traumas of the late 1990s, and to this day, groups believed to be linked to organised crime have carved for themselves a place in certain sectors of the economy. Various observers, including the EC, have noted that the tax administration remains inadequate to its task. Steps are, however, being taken to improve this. At the same time, economic development in Bulgaria has shown positive trends in various areas, including tourism, the capital market, and the banking system. The EC also noted that the Bulgaria had made good progress in adopting new legislation on capital movements and payments. As regards the banking system, which took a very cautious approach after the economic meltdown of 1996-97, the degree of lending in the market, including of small loans, appears to be rapidly on the rise; to the extent of causing concern in some circles that unless caution is exercised, Bulgarians could find themselves in debt traps. Bulgaria also has on its side a relatively well-educated and computer-literate workforce, and, for the time being at least, labour that is more affordable than in Western countries. Infrastructure is also steadily being improved, mainly thanks to foreign – in particular, European Union, funding. Investors often cite the judicial system as a matter of concern. Court actions can take an inordinate length of time and there are continuing suspicions of irregularities in the system. For all the shortcomings, many believe that Bulgaria is a country, which has a lot of potential and with determined effort could overcome obstacles to an improved business environment. Among expatriates, many find Bulgaria a pleasant place to live and work.
Balchik
The ancient town of Balchik has a history spanning over 2,600 years. During that period it was known as the ancient Greek colony of Krouni, the Greek and subsequently Byzantine fortress of Dionyssopolis, mediaeval Bulgarian town Karvouna and the Ottoman and subsequently again Bulgarian town of Balchik. The town was named after the Boyar Balik who owned it and ruled over it. In the 1913-1940 periods Balchik was under Romanian rule. The 2,600 year old Balchik (formerly known as the city of Dionysos - Dionysopolis) is a small but very romantic Bulgarian seaside town. It is located partly on the sea shore and partly on the Dobroudzha and the Frangen plateau. The height varies from sea level to the level of the plateau and reaches up to 250 meters, hence its standing in tiers. Today Balchik is a small but very romantic Bulgarian seaside town. With its white rocks, and houses standing in tiers, the pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is a preferred place for rest and tourism by the people of art and culture, scientists and foreign visitors. With its narrow streets and picturesque landscape, the town is a living symbol of a peaceful world. The view of the town from the sea impressed the great Ovid, who exclaimed: "O white stone town, I salute thee for thy inimitable beauty!". The beach strip reaches up to 30 kilometers in length. There is a big harbour used for medium-sized passenger and trade vessels. which is an important premise for the development of the region in the sphere of tourism and recreation. This area is extremely rich in mineral springs and underground waters, which are the main sources for the modern water-supply system with a capacity of 1000 liters per second. One of the most interesting places in the vicinity of the town is the Palace "Quiet Nest" - a modest building constructed upon three terraces, combining elements of the Moor style, Mediterranean architecture and the typical Bulgarian house. The extravagant minaret renders a touch of oriental opulence to the building. The architectural complex was built by Italian architects Amerigo and Agustino within the period 1920-1936. It was the summer residence of the Romanian queen at the time of the Romanian occupation of South Dobroudzha. The place is famous mainly for its exotic botanical garden - the biggest and most diverse in the Balkans. Flowers and trees from the Mediterranean islands, the Pacific Ocean, the Black Sea, South Asia, and America delight the visitor. The garden is a "residence" of about 3,000 spieces (over 250 of which are cactuses), set up between waterfalls, streams and ornamental canals. Hotels in Balchik Bulgaria News
Thracian Treasures
Panagyurishte TreasureWhile digging for clay for brick-making near the town of Panagyurishte in Sredna Gora mountain of central Bulgaria, a team of workmen came upon what was obviously an important treasure. When finally unearthed, it was found to consist of a phial and eight rhytons, one shaped like an amphora and the others like heads of women or animals. Dated to the turn of the fourth and third century BC, the find was sensational, not only for its weight in gold - over 6 kg, but also for the originality of its forms. Rogozen TreasureThe Rogozen treasure, called the find of the century, was also discovered by chance. In this case the finder was a tractor driver, who in the autumn of 1985 was digging a trench in his garden when he discovered a collection of sixty-five silver receptacles. On January 6, 1986, in a second trench near the first one, a hundred more receptacles were found by the archaeologists of the local museum. The treasure consists of hundred and eight phials, fifty-four jugs and three goblets. All the objects are silver and some with a golden gilt. Their total weight is twenty kilograms. The ornamentation, embossed in relief, is different in every case. This variety of motifs and decorative elements makes the Rogozen Treasure an invaluable source of information for the fifth and fourth centuries, BC.Several of these pieces seem to had been imported, but most were made in Thracia. Vulchitrun TreasureThe treasure was discovered by accident on 18 December 1924 by two brothers who were deep-ploughing their field four kilometers from the village of Vulchitran, Pleven district. The ploughmen stumbled across 13 gold objects at a depth of about 40-cm. It consists of 13 vessels - a large, deep vessel with two handles, one big and three small cups with one handle each, two big and five smaller discs. All items are made of solid gold, the total weight is 12.425 kg. The vessels were used in cult ceremonies. This treasure is the most remarkable example of the art of the Later Bronze Age in Thracia (XIII-XII c. BC). Varna Chalcolithic NecropolisThe Varna Chalcolithic Necropolis which experts qualify as "the world's oldest gold" and a trace of "Europe's most ancient civilization" was a sensational discovery. It is situated about 500m to the north of Lake Varna and about 4 km to the west of the downtown. In 294 graves were discovered more than 3000 golden objects dating back 6000 years. In Hall 6 of Varna Museum of History is exhibited the whole inventory from some of the most significant graves. On both sides of the entrance are represented the graves with masks of human faces shaped out on spot and appliqu?d with gold plates. The rich variety of funeral utensils going along with the dead is best illustrated by two of the symbolic graves / No 4 and No 36/. In grave No 4 have been found two unique vessels where the typical for the time decoration of strongly stylized geometrical symbols is fulfilled in golden paint. Borovo TreasureAt the end of December 1974 another treasure, dated from the first half of the fourth century BC, came to light at Borovo. It consists of luxurious five-vessel drinking set. Three of them are rhytons ending in the protomes of a horse, a bull, and a sphinx. The fourth is a large two-handled bowl in the center of which a deer attacked by a griffin is depicted in relief. The fifth is a richly ornamented silver jugglet, with two bands in relief depicting scenes connected with the cult of Dionysus. On the upper frieze the god is tearing animals to pieces, and chasing satyrs or being chased by them. We can see Dionysus with Ariadne, standing out in a poetic dream. On the lower part the god marries Ariadne, who unbinds her belt The treasure bears an inscription in Greek letters with the name of the Thracian King Kotys I who reigned the Odryssaean Kingdom from 383 to 359 BC and that of the craftsman Etbeos. Loukovit TreasureThe treasure of Loukovit must have been buried in the period of the Macedonian rule in Thrace, perhaps during the reign of Alexander the Great, when he was crossing the lands of the Tribally. It was dated to the second half of the fourth century BC. The treasure consists of three small pitchers, nine phials and a large number of silver appliqu?s, decorated with animal motifs and figures of horsemen. On two of them a lion with gilded mane attacks a stag whose legs are folded under the body. The artifacts are the work of different craftsmen which shows that it was brought together gradually and also proves the rich artistic life in the northern Thracian lands in the fourth century BC. Vratsa Treasure from Mogilanska Mound The treasure of Vratsa from the Mogilanska mound comprised three tombs which were yielded , during 1965-66 excavations in the heart of the city. Two were plundered back in antiquity, and the third contained a funeral of a man and a woman, one of the richest to be discovered in Thrace. There are several striking artifacts among the multitude of gold and silver objects intended to serve the deceased in the next life. A silver cone-shaped pitcher suggests that the dead were initiated into the Dionysian cult, since the cone was a symbol of Dionysus. The gold laurel wreath and earrings show remarkable sophistication and craftsmanship. The gold pitcher is interesting with its handle fashioned like a Herculean knot which is right over the plume-ornamented bodies of the two chariots drawn by four horses each. Since the chariot is always a symbol of the sun god, many scholars believe that the chariot driver is Apollo - the principle god of the Tribally. Here a unique knee-piece with a female head figure was found. Knee-pieces were part of ancient warriors' protective armor and were intended to protect legs. A perfectly symmetrical, framed by an intricate coiffure and crowned with a gilded ivy wreath human face covers the kneecap. There are bird-shaped earrings, with two serpents outlining the face in the background. In the lower part, their bodies blend into those of roaring lions, whose heads lock right under the chin. Another two serpents on the knee-piece have promotes that blend into griffin lions. Letnitsa TreasureLetnitsa treasure dates back to 400 - 350 BC. It was found in a bronze vessel and like many treasures was an accidental discovery. It consists of a bit, a headstall and small pierced silver plaques, part of harness. Each appliqu?s has a ring on its back, through which the strap fastening is passed. What is new about this treasure are the twenty-four square or rectangular scenes of mythology or of everyday life. For the first time in these appliqu?s a human figure is used for a horse trappings adornment. According to the depicted subject the appliqu?s may be divided into two groups: appliqu?s representing a fight between animals and others with mythological scenes. The Kosmatka Tomb, Kazanlak In the summer of 2004 a team of Bulgarian archeologists unearthed a large, intact Thracian mausoleum dating back from the fifth century BC near the central Bulgarian town of Shipka. "This is probably the richest tomb of a Thracian king ever discovered in Bulgaria. Its style and its making are entirely new to us as experts," said Georgy Kitov, the head of the team. "This unique find will broaden our knowledge of the masterful goldsmith skills of the Thracians", he told AFP. According to Kitov, the mausoleum "features an incredible architecture and is laden with golden, silver, bronze and earthenware objects." The tomb probably dates back from the times of the dynasty founded by Seutus III and includes a 13-meter (40-foot) corridor leading to three rooms, one of them a huge granite block hollowed out to form a death chamber, its floor strewn with more than 70 gold, silver, bronze and clay objects. Inside one of the rooms the team found a golden crown of oak leaves and acorns, the first such object found in a Thracian temple. Also found were a complete bronze body armor adorned with goddesses, a sword with a gold-studded pommel, crafted ceramics and three big wine amphoras. The tomb is equipped with a marble door on the second chamber decorated with a female head and the God Apollo. The big Arsenalka Tomb, Kazanlak The Kazanluk Tomb in south Bulgaria is famous for its beautiful wall paintings of the early 3rd century BC, one of the most unique masterpieces of Early Hellenistic pictorial art. Despite the small surface containing the decorative friezes, the unknown artist has created an exceptional work of art. This tomb was built during the reign of king Seuthes III, either for him personally or for close relatives among the nobility. Sveshtari TombIt is situated 2,5 km south-west of Sveshtari (a village 42 km north-east of Razgrad). Uncovered during excavations of a sepulchral mound. Dating back, in approximation, to the first half of the 3rd century BC. The central camera of the vault is rich in decoration - it is designed as a facade of a temple with the image of a horseman, being bestowed with a golden wreath by a goddess, and a religious procession; on three of the walls - a high relief with 10 stone statues of clad women figures. The funeral rites, the building technique, the architectural design and the decoration, distinguished for Hellenistic models, provide evidence that a Thracian ruler has been buried there. Helvetia Tomb, ShipkaOn July 29, 1996 a Thracian tomb of the 4th century BC was uncovered near the town of Shipka, in the south foothills of the Balkan Range. Large regular stones were used to build the tomb, situated five meters underground. The metal part of a Roman soldier's shoe found at the site indicates that the tomb may have been plundered as early as in Roman times. The Shipka Tombs are seven in total on an area of Central Bulgaria considered to have been the Valley of the Thracian Kings. Starossel TombTeams of Bulgarian archeologists have made phenomenal discoveries in the summer of year 2000. One of the major discoveries was the grave of what is believed to be a Thracian ruler. The site, at the village of Starossel near Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria, has been dated from the forth or fifth century BC. The two-chamber grave is approached by monumental stairs and a corridor. It is surrounded by a wall made out of some 4 000 stone blocks and was hidden under a 20-meter high mound of earth. Within, archeologists found a magnificent trove of relics, including a large gold funerary wreath, other gold jewelry, bronze shields, helmets and swords, and two sets of silver decorations for horses. The grave and its surroundings are also thought to have been an important religious site for Thracians. Golden Mask of a Thracian kingArcheologists have discovered a 2,400-year-old golden mask that was likely made for a Thracian monarch's funeral. The mask depicts a full face with moustache and beard. The rare artifact is made of 600 grams of solid gold and "is without paragon in archeology," according to Georgi Kitov and his team that unearthed the find in the summer of 2004 near the village of Shipka, in the so-called Valley of Thracian Kings. The mask may belong to King Seutus III, the Thracian king who ruled in the fifth century BC. Besides the mask, archeologists also found a golden ring showing a rower, and many bronze and silver vessels. No remains have been found but archeologists continue to excavate the tomb.
Thracian Tomb Tatul
The Thracian Tomb near Tatul - Burial Place of the Legendary OrpheusMade before Romans came to the Balkans The ancient Thracians tomb mausoleum and sanctuary were made before Romans came to the Balkans. The tomb was completely hollowed out into a rock with a ritual stairway leading to it. Niches, solar circles and buildings are hollowed out. There is a wonderful view to the green hills of the Rhodopes from here. The tomb is near to the most western houses of the village of Tatul. It is a monolithic rock, processed by human hand into a big pretty roughly made pyramid. It is about 4.5 m high and 6 m wide at its base. At the top the pyramid ends up with a ground slightly elevated in the middle. An irregular 1.87 m long grave is hollowed out here in such a way that its sides do not form angles or edges. There was a lid to cover the grave, but it is now missing. Stairs leading to a second grave The grave can be reached through a stairway with irregular form imposed by the natural rock, hollowed out on the western side side of the pyramid. It ends up at the ground where the grave is. There are five stairs in the stairway. A niche was hollowed out below it in the pyramid. There is a second stairway here composed of four stairs leading to a second grave, which is even more remarkable. It is hollowed out into a semicircle niche on pyramid’s western side and is 2.23 m long, 72 cm high in the middle and 72 cm hollowed out into the rock. The niche has a grave instead of a floor. The way mythical Orpheus was buried There is a whole complex of other images and constructions in the vicinity of the tomb: a ritual stairway on the tomb’s lower part. Solar circles are hollowed out there, as well as ritual benches, where dead people’s closest relatives lined up in silent respect; more niches in the rock, build-up constructions, and pythoses hollowed out into the rock, construction in complex’s lower part. There are different cult signs engraved by ancient Thracians all along the road between the village and the tomb, which have still not studied thoroughly and profoundly. The entire appearance of the complex and the structure shows that it is an open mausoleum, where a buried Thracian leader is not hidden under the earth, but is exposed to the sun and the air. Ancient authors say that this was the way the mythical Orpheus was buried. The ritual stairway leading there shows that ritual worships were made here annually. Constructions and buildings in the complex show that there were priests permanently here serving this cult object, which had existed for a pretty long time. The complex is situated in a wonderful small valley up between small hills – one’s sight can reach far over them. Probably the situation of the mausoleum was understood in the following way: the dead leader had to continue enjoying his “realm”. Orpheus Grave Mystery UnveiledBulgarian Professor Nikolay Ovcharov unveiled the mystery An archaeological expedition led by prominent Bulgarian Professor Nikolay Ovcharov unveiled the mystery of the excellently preserved Thracian temple in the region of Tatul village. The hypothesis has been put forward that the site had been a sanctuary, an Orpheus shrine. Or maybe even a real or symbolic burial place of the legendary Thracian king and priest. This is yet to be established. The ancients believed the spot was specially apportioned to worship Orpheus. Finds have revealed a grandiose shrine that must have functioned at least 2000 years without any break in pagan timers. There has been no other sanctuary, ascertained to have functioned continually from the late Bonze age down to the adoption of Christianity. We have uncovered at Tatul a peerless shrine. I personally have no doubts that this had been a shrine to Orpheus, stated professor Ovcharov. The grave site of OrpheusThe Bulgarian history Professor Ivan Venedikov presupposed 75 years ago that somewhere in the vicinity of the Tatul tomb was the grave site of Thrace-born Orpheus. An overall complex of other images and constructions is situated in vicinity of the tomb, including a ritual stairway on the tomb's lower part. 35-Century-Old Gold UnearthedLocation In June 2005, 35-Century-Old Gold Unearthed in Bulgaria near the village of Tatul. A ritual gold plastic was discovered by Bulgarian archaeologists. The team, headed by Nikolay Ovcharov discovered the semi-sphere gold artifact during excavation near the village of Tatul. The 23-carat gold dates back to 15-14th century BC, archeologists revealed. The unique founding could be a part of a ritual leather mask or a fragment of a chest decoration. The archeologists launched Tatul expedition a week ago. According to scientific theories this is the place where the mythical musician Orpheus was buried. The village of Tatul is in the Rhodope Mountains, where the mythical singer Orpheus was born. It is situated 15 km northeast from the town of Momchilgrad. NewsTopica Links
Geology
Mineral Collecting Trips in Bulgaria Bulgaria is a small country, but there are a wide variety of mineral deposits. Our travel agency organizes specialized geological tours for groups, individual tourists and even personal trips. We offer to see different by origin mineral deposit combine this whit the possibility to visit architectural monuments and enjoy the Bulgarian hospitality variety of pegmatite, including quartz /smoky quartz morion, amethyst/, feldspar, garnet /almandine, spessartine/ beryl, muscovite, tourmaline etc.; deposit of zeolites and wonderful feldspat crystals in volcanic matrix; metamorphic deposit of almandine and the best on the Balkan Peninsula staurolites; quartz veins with kianite; calcium /with vesuviane and calcium garnets/, magnesium /whit spinel/ and manganese /with rodonite and johansenitte/ scarns; a lot deposit of agate, moos agate and jasper; iron mine "Kremikovtzi" with more than 80 different minerals; The unique emerald found in flush in East Europe located in Rila mountain. For the exact itinerary,
Wild life
Wild nature in Bulgaria Bulgaria is a country with a great variety of bird species. In literature there are about 416 bird species described that you can meet in our country. About 120 species of them are flying over during the summer and autumn migration. Two main migration routes cross the country: Via Aristotelis (by the riverside of Iskar and Struma) and Via Pontica (at the Black Sea coast). The second route is one of the main migration bird routes in Europe. During the summer period all kinds of European vultures can be seen: Griffon vulture, Black vulture, Egyptian vulture and the rare Lammergeier. In the Eastern Rhodopa Mountain you can also see Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muratia), Orphean warbler (Sylvia hortensis), Black-headed bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) and many others. The flocks of many thousands of White Storks ( Ciconia ciconia) take turns with the no less numerous flocks of White pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Honey Buzzards (Pernis apivorus), Short-toed Eagles (Circaetus gallicus) and the Lesser Spotted Eagles (Aquila pomarina). Black Storks (Ciconia nigra), Pallid Harriers (Circus macrourus) and Spotted Eagles (Aquila clanga) also take advantage of the high warm air currents along the Bulgarian coast in order to make easier their long trip southwards to their winter quarters. Now and then you can see species that, on the principle, are not typical of our country. For example, Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) (dark and pale phase), Bonelli's (Hieraaetus fasciatus) and Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis). Birding - Observation possible: White and Black Storks Red-rumped Swallow Lesser Grey Shrike Stone Curlew Golden, Imperial, Booted and Short-toed Eagles Long-legged Buzzard Black, Egyptian and Griffon Vultures Roller European Bee-eater Rock Nuthatch Rock and Blue Rock Thrushes Woodchat Shrike Somber Tit, Barred Subalpine Sardinian Orphean Warblers Cirl Black-headed Ortolan Buntings Mammals Region of Devin/ Rhodopes Observation of: Bear Wild goat Wood-grouse capercailzie ( cock of the wood) Bets period from 15 April – 15.May Observation of Bear Wild goat Deer Best period from15. September - 15.November Optional animals (mammals): observation is possible, but not 100% sure – wolf, fox, wild boar
Ethnography
Country with preserved customs and traditions, colorful and authentic festivals. Bulgaria combines pagan rituals, coming from the ancient times with Christian religious celebrations. Even nowadays you can see unaltered craftsmanship, livelihood for a lot of Bulgarians during the 18th and 19th century. From the past are coming to us the skills of inheritors of weavers, potters, cutlers…Producers of the famous Bulgarian yogurt and white cheese, rose and lavender oil will reveal their dexterity in front of you. Repercussion of the life is the folklore tradition with its songs and dances, riddles, proverbs and fairytales showing the original Bulgarian spirit. Authentic Bulgarian festivals are well preserved till nowadays: Kuker Dancing (men dress up with masks are dancing to pursue the evil spirits at the end of the winter), Nestinari (bare feet dancing over embers), Triphon Zarezan (cutting the vines) and many others. Muzeum V-villages - museum, preserved the spirit of the past times - Kovatchevitza, Bozhenci, Shiroka Luka, Melnik and etc., handicraftsmen working today, keeping the tradition of the ancestors, home made "banica" and "rakia", hospitality of the Bulgarian house - all this these you can see here and to return to the atmosphere of the ancient times. We offer you a different programs, all providing unique possibilities to touch so different and real experiences… Kukeri - marks the beginning of the spring calendar. Everybody made himself his own mask competing to show greater personal skill and craftsmanship. The koukeri's masks and garments are colorful, covered with beads, ribbons, and woolen tassels. The ritual has the characteristics of a theatrical performance, of a carnival. Lazaruwane - this is an old custom typical of all regions. It is of Slav origin and its symbolic meaning is associated with fertility, as well as with love and marriage. Trifon Zarezan - celebrated in the first half of February. On this day, observed throughout the country, the vines are pruned and sprinkled with wine. Koleduwane - koledari (waits) would go from house to house singing carols and wishing health and prosperity to the family. They wereare given fruits, little rolls of bread and other food specially prepared to the occasion. This custom is characterized by with an extremely colorful rituality involving songs, blessings, and dances.
Shuttle Bus Services in Sofia
Shuttle Buses - numbers + routes 1 Mladost-2 Residential district, St. Kliment Ohridski Blvd, d-r G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, NDK, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Liulin-5 Residential district 2 Druzhba-2 Residential district, Prof. Tzvetan Lazarov Blvd, Universiada Blvd, Cap. Dimityr Spisarevski Blvd, Christofor Kolumb Blvd, Asen Jordanov Blvd, Sitniakovo Blvd, pametnika Levski (Vassil Levski monument), TZUM, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Central Railway Station, Lomsko Shousse Blvd, Obelia-1 Residential district 3 Mladost-4 Residential district (Police Academy), Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, TZUM, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Slivnitza Blvd, Liulin-2 Residential district 4 Zapaden park Residential district, Al.Stambolijski Blvd, TZUM, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Mladost-3 Residential district 5 Centralna gara (Central Railway station), Stochna gara, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Sv. Kliment Ohridski Blvd, Akad. Boris Stefanov St, Studentski grad Residential district (Zimen dvorec - Winter palace) 6 Liulin-4 Residential district, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, TZUM, Dondukov Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Sv. Kliment Ohridski Blvd, Andrey Liapchev Blvd, Shop Nova Denica, Jordan Milev St, Mladost-4 Residential district 7 Obelia-2 Residential district, Lomsko Shousse Blvd, Central Railway station, Hristo Botev Blvd, Praga Blvd, Cherni vryh Blvd, Sv. Naum Blvd, Nikola Gabrovski St, Studentski grad Residential district 8 Vrybnica-2 Residential district, Rozhen Blvd, Central Railway Station, Rakovski St, Cherni Vryh Blvd, Sv.Naum Blvd, Nikola Gabrovski St, Studentski grad Residential district (Zimen dvorec - Winter palace) 9 Nadezhda-3 Residential district, Lomsko Shousse Blvd, Central Railway station, TZUM, pametnika Levski, Rektorata, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Druzhba-2 Residential district 10 Centralna gara(Central Railway station), Kozloduj St, Kamenodelska St, Bitpazar (flea market) 11 Lyvov Most, Slivnica Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Kozloduj St, Kamenodelska St, Pyrva Bylgarska armiia St, Mara Bundeva St, Lazar Mihajlov Blvd, Benkovski St, 12 Vrana EAD, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Dimityr Peshev St, Prof. Tzvetan Lazarov Blvd, Kap. D. Spisarevski Blvd, A. Jordanov Blvd, Shipchenski Prohod Blvd, Iv. Dimitrov St, Kuklata, Slatinska St, Boian Magesnik St, Train station Poduene, Madrid Blvd, Ianko Sakyzov Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Slivnica Blvd, Hristo Botev Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Lomsko Shousse Blvd, Beli Dunav St, Liutiche St, Vrybnica-1 Residential district 13 Malo Buchino Residential district, Traian Tanev St, Suhodol, Suhodolska St, Stambolijski Blvd, Vyzrazhdane Sq 14 Kooperativen pazar Liulin, Pirotski Blvd, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Ruski pametnik, NDK, Pametnika Levski (Vassil Levski monument) 15 Ovcha Kupel Residential district, Ovcha kupel-2 Residential district, Ovcha kupel-1 Residential district, Obikolna St, Nikola Mushanov Blvd, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Ruski pametnik, NDK, gara Poduene, Geo Milev St, Slatina Residential district (Slatinska St) 16 Liulin-5 Residential district, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Ruski pametnik, NDK, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Prof. Tzvetan Lazarov Blvd, Dimityr Peshev St, Druzhba-2 Residential district 17 Levski-G Residential district, St. Dospevski St, Letostruj St, Todorini kukli St, Al. Ekzarh St, Botevgradsko Shousse Blvd, Madrid Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Patriarh Evtimij Blvd, Gen. Totleben Blvd, Akad. Ivan Geshov Blvd, Vyzkresenie Blvd, Carevo selo St, Suhodolska St, Ivan Kozarev St, Krasna Poliana Residential district 18 Kytina Area, Novi Iskyr Residential district, Temenuga St, Iskyrsko defile St, Tyrgovska St, Vechernica St, Kurilo Residential district, Slavovci Residential district, Okolovrysten pyt, Trebich Area, Ilienci Area, Iliensko Shousse St, Rozhen Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Slivnica Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Madrid Blvd, Botevgradsko Shousse Blvd, Todorini kukli St, Letostruj St, avtogara Iztok (bus station East), Botevgradsko Shousse Blvd, Hr. Kolumb Blvd, Tirana St, Iliia Beshkov St, trolejno depo Iskyr, Druzhba-1 Residential district 19 Suhodol Residential district, Ovcha kupel-2 Residential district, Obikolna St, Zhitnica St, Krasno selo Residential district, Goce Delchev Blvd, Bulgaria Blvd, Petko Iu. Todorov Blvd, Arsenalski Blvd, Cherni vryh Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Shipchenski prohod Blvd, zhk Druzhba-1, Kap. Dimityr Spisarevski St, Iliia Beshkov St, Iskyrsko Shousse St, Gara Iskar 20 Studentski grad Residential district (Zimen dvorec - Winter palace), Akad. B. Stefanov St, Jordan Josifov St, Akad. Mladenov St, Kuklata, Iv. Dimitrov St, Slatinska St, Boian Magesnik St, pyten vyzel Poduene, Madrid Blvd, Ianko Sakyzov Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Stochna gara Sq, Slivnica Blvd, G. S. Rakovski Blvd, Kozlodu St , Kamenodelska St, Pyrva Bylgarska armiia St, Roiak St, Pet mogili St, Zhak Diuklo St, Chepinsko Shousse, s. Negovan village, Chepinci village, Lokorsko 21 Boiana Residential district, NIM Boiana, Bratia Bykston Blvd, Gen. Stefan Toshev St, Bulgaria Blvd, Praga Blvd, NDK, pametnika Levski, gara Poduene, Shipchenski prohod Blvd, Slatina Residential district (bl. 33A) 22 Vladaia Area, Tzar Boris Blvd 3, Akad. Ivan Evstatiev Geshov Blvd, Georgi Sofijski St, Praga Blvd, Hristo Botev Blvd, Klokotnica St, Bratia Miladinovi St, Struga St, Banishora Residential district 23 Liulin-1 Residential district, Liulin Residential district 2,3,4,5,6,7, Pirotski Blvd, Todor Aleksandrov Blvd, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd, Orlov most, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Televizionna kula, KAT, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Dianabad Residential district, UNSS, Studentski grad Residential district (Zimen dvorec – Winter palace ) 24 Ovcha Kupel Residential district, Obikolna St, Ovcha kupel Blvd, Todor Kableshkov St, Gen. Toshev St, Dojran St, Kiustendil St, Otechestvo St, Gr. Nachevich St, Akad. Iv. Geshov Blvd, Sv. Georgi Sofijski Blvd, Praga Blvd, Skobelev Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Kl. Ohridski Blvd, Traian Stanoev St, Al. Malinov Blvd, Ahmatova St, Kr. Rakovski St, Resen St, Mladost-3 Residential district 25 Dragalevci Area, Cherni vryh Blvd, Rakovski Blvd, TZUM, Slivnica Blvd, Dobrinova skala Blvd, Tyrnovo St, Prof. Aleksandyr Stanishev St, Slivnica Blvd, Metro-2 (Liulin Residential district) 26 Gotze Delchev (bl.246), P. Iu. Todorov Blvd, Praga Blvd, NDK, Hristo Botev Blvd, Central Raway station, Rozhen Blvd, Svoboda Residential Area 27 Ovcha Kupel Residential district, Narodno horo St, NBU, Montevideo St, Obikolna St, Zhitnica St, Krasno selo, Tzar Boris 3 Blvd, Akad. Ivan Evstatiev Geshov Blvd, Praga Blvd, NDK, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tsarigradsko Shousse Blvd, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, UNSS, Studentski grad Residential district (Zimen dvorec – Winter Palace) 28 Levski-G Residential district, Stanislav Dospevski St, Letostruj St, avtogara Iztok (bus station East), Vladimir Vazov Blvd, Kniaz Al. Dondukov Blvd, TZUM, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Hristo Botev Blvd, Ruski pametnik, Tzar Boris Blvd 3, Kniazhevo 29 Ovcha Kupel Residential district, Narodno Horo St, NBU, Montevideo St, Obikolna St, Nikola Mushanov Blvd, Aleksadnyr Stambolijski Blvd, Ruski pametnik, NDK, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Dyrvenica, Mladost-2 Residential district 30 Airport, Hristofor Kolumb Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, G. S. Rakovski Blvd, Dondukov Blvd, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Pirotski Blvd, V Blvd, Dzhavaharval Neru Blvd, Rajko Daskalov Blvd, Filipovci 31 Bankia Area, Filipovsko Shousse Blvd, Zahari Stoianov Blvd, V Blvd, Simeon Dimitrov-Shaban St, Gen. Vladimir Dimchev St, Adam Mickevich St, Beli Dunav St, Gen. Nikola Zhendov St, zhk Svoboda, Hristo Svilianov St, Iliensko Shousse St, Rozhen Blvd, Himsnab AD 32 Liulin-5 Residential district, Dobrinova skala Blvd, Zahari Stoianov Blvd, Dzhavaharval Neru Blvd, V Blvd, Pirotski Blvd, Vardar Blvd, Nikola Mushanov Blvd, Zhitnica St, Goce Delchev Blvd, Petko Iu. Todorov Blvd, Arsenalski Blvd, Sveti Naum Blvd, Stoian Mihajlovski St, Nikola Gabrovski St, Studentski grad Residential district 33 Gorna Bania Residential district, Nikola Petkov Blvd, Tzar Boris ІІІ Blvd, Ruski pametnik, NDK, pametnika Levski, Madrid Blvd, Aleksandyr Ekzarh St, Todorini kukli St, Ostrovo St, Hadzhi Dimityr Residential district 34 Miroviane, Trebich , Ilienci , Rozhen Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Kniaz Dondukov Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, pametnika Levski, Ianko Sakyzov Blvd, Madrid Blvd, Cherkovna St, Vladimir Vazov Blvd, kv. Vrazhdebna, Boris Iliev St, Botevgradsko Shousse Blvd, Kremikovsko Shousse Blvd, razklona Chelopechene, razklona Botunec, MK Kremikovci, Kremikovci Residential district, Seslavci 35 Liulin-1Residential district, Dobrinova skala Blvd, Pirotski Blvd, Stambolijski Blvd, Skobelev Blvd, NDK, Gen. Gurko St, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Hristofor Kolumb Blvd, Iskyrsko Shousse, Krystio Pastuhov Blvd, Kap. Dimityr Spisarevski St, Dimityr Peshev St, Prosveta St, Busmanci, Kazichene, Krivina, Malka Vrazhdebna 36 Gorubliane, Samokovsko Shousse St, Gorubliane Residential district, Mladost-3 Residential district, Andrej Liapchev Blvd, Kliment Ohridski Blvd, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Orlov most, Rakovski Blvd, Dondukov Blvd, Al. Stambolijski Blvd, Hr. Botev Blvd, Central Raway station, Rozhen Blvd, Beli Dunav St, Adam Mickevich St, Vryh Mancho St, Moderno predgradie Residential district 37 Bistritza Area, Pancharevo, Kokaliane, Samokovsko Shousse St, Gorubliane Residential district, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Shipchenski prohod Blvd, Sitniakovo Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Gurko St, Vasil Levski Stadium 38 Liulin-10 Residential district (12-ta p-ka), Tyrnovo St, Filipovsko Shousse St, Pancho Vladigerov Blvd, Zahari Stoianov Blvd, Dobrinova skala Blvd, Filipovsko Shousse St, Okolovrysten Pat, Bojcho Bojchev St, Nikola Petkov Blvd, Liubliana St, Ovcha kupel Blvd, Tzar Boris ІІІ Blvd, Gen. Totleben Blvd, Ruski pametnik, Gen. Skobelev Blvd, Praga Blvd, Sv. Georgi Sofiiski St, Naiden Gerov St, Sofijski Geroj St, hotel Slaviya 39 Liulin-5 Residential district, Raiko Daskalov Blvd, Dzhavaharlal Neru Blvd, Indira Gandi St, Dobrinova skala Blvd, Adam Mickevich St, Han Kubrat St, Lomsko Shousse Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Stochna gara, Vladajska reka St, Rezbarska St, Vidini kuli St, Ostrovo St, Todorini kukli St, Letostruj St, Pop Grujo St, Levski-G Residential district 40 Boiana Area(Kinocentyra), Kumata St, Sevastokrator Kaloian St, Daskal Stoian Popandreev St, Bulgaria Blvd, Vitosha Blvd, Pencho Slavejkov Blvd, Praga Blvd, Hristo Botev Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Podp. Kalitin St, K. Nikolov St, Shtrosmajer St, Krum Stoianov St, station Zaharna Fabrika 41 Stochna gara, Vasil Levski Blvd, P. Evtimij Blvd, Fr. Nansen Blvd - NDK, Cherni vryh Blvd, Paprat St, Z. Zograf St, Simeonovska St, Simeonovsko Shousse Blvd, Simeonovo Residential district, Bistritza 42 Lozen village, Syedinenie St, Okolovrysten pyt, Patriarh German St, German village, dvorec Vrania, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Evlogi Georgiev Blvd, Oborishte St, Vasil Levski Blvd, Stochna gara Sq, Slivnica Blvd, Hristo Botev Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Central Raway Station (Tzentralna gara) 42а Sportnata palata, Orlov most, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Gorubliane Residential district, Ravno Pole 43 Buhovo, Yana, Gorni Bogrov village , Botunec village, Chelopechene village, Botevgradsko Shousse Blvd, Madrid Blvd, Ianko Sakyzov Blvd, pametnika Levski 44 Gniliane village, Kurilo, Chavdarci St, Tyrgovska St, Vechernica St, Iskyrsko defile St, kv. Kumarica, Hadzhi Dimityr St, Letec St, kv. Slavovci, Lipite St, kv. Ilienci, Rozhen, Mariia Luiza Blvd, Opylchenska St, Skobelev Blvd, Ruski pametnik, Gen. Totleben Blvd, NISI Pirogov, Pencho Slavejkov Blvd, St. Georgi Sofijski St, Akad. Back to top 45 Voluiak, Zhiten, Mramor, Okolovrysten pyt, Lomsko Shousse Blvd, Rozhen Blvd, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Slivnica Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, Sv. Kliment Ohridski Blvd, 8-mi dekemvri St, Akad. St. Mladenov St, Profesor At. Ishirkov St, Akad. B. Stefanov St, Studentski grad Residential district 46 Vojniagovci, Okolovrysten pyt, Svetovrachane, Kubratovo, Benkovski St, Lazar Mihajlov Blvd, Mara Buneva St, Zhelezopytna St, Hristo Stanishev St, Kamenodelska St, Kozloduj St, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Slivnica Blvd, Stochna gara 47 Zaharna fabrika, Kukush St, Shtrosmajer St, Gabrovo St, Slivnica Blvd, Opylchenska St, Todor Aleksandrov Blvd, Dondukov Blvd, Vasil Levski Blvd, Tzarigradsko Shousse Blvd, Evlogi Georgiev Blvd, Dragan Tzankov Blvd, Dobri Vojnikov St, Lozenec Residential district (Hristo Smirnenski Blvd) 48 Central Raway Station, Kniaginia Mariia Luiza Blvd, Slivnica Blvd, Gen. Danail Nikolaev Blvd, Prof. M. Bichev St, Evlogi Georgiev Blvd, Madrid Blvd, Cherkovna St, Geo Milev St, Prof. Tzvetan Lazarov Blvd, Iskyrsko Shousse St, Krystio Pastuhov Blvd, Kap. D. Spisarevski St, Prof. Tzvetan Lazarov St, Druzhba-2 Residential district
Bulgarian Participation At International Travel & Tourism Fairs In 2005
І. National Stands Exhibition Period Area (sq m) FITUR – Madrid, Spain 26-30.01.2005 72 ITB – Berlin, Germany 11-15.03.2005 400 МIТТ – Moscow, Russia 23-26.03.2005 405 UITT - Kiev, Ukraine 30.03.-.04.2005 104 WTM – London, UK 14-17.11.2005 208 Bulgarian Participation At International Travel & Tourism Fairs In 2005 ІІ. Information Stands Exhibition Period Area (sq m) VАKANTIE - Utreht, Netherlands 11-16.01.2005 40 MATKA - Helsinki, Finland 20-23.01.2005 24 SLOVAKIATOUR - Bratislava, Slovakia 20-23.01.2005 48 FERIEN - Vienna, Austria 20-23.01.2005 24 CMT - Stuttgart, Germany 15-23.01.2005 24 BTL–Lisboan, Portugal 19-23.01.2005 27 FESPO–Zurich, Switzerland 27-30.01.2005 15 Holiday World Experience–Dublin , Ireland 27-30.01.2005 12 FERIE–Copenhagen, Denmark 28-30.01.2005 18 Dresdener Reisemarkt, Dresden, Germany 28-30.01.2005 24 IMTM–Tel Aviv, Israel 07-09.02.2005 24 VACANCES-Brussels, Belgium 03-07.02.2005 32 Reisen Hamburg–Hamburg, Germany 09-11.02.2005 24 Holiday World–Prague, Czech Republic 17-20.02.2005 40 Destinations – London, UK* 03-06.02.2005 20 BIT - Milan, Italy 12-15.02.2005 24 C-B-R - Munich, Germany 19-23.02.2005 24 EMITT - Istanbul, Turkey 24-27.02.2005 60 SMTV- Paris, France 17-20.03.2005 32 TRAVEL/UTAZAS - Budapest, Hungary 17-20.03.2005 40 TUR - Gothenburg, Sweden 17-20.03.2005 24 Турсиб-Спортсиб – 2005- Novosibirsk, Russia * 13-15.04.2005 24 IFTS - Belgrade, Serbia and Monte Negro 13-16.04.2005 72 Отдых без границ - Sankt Peterburg, Russia 15-18.04.2005 20 Leisure-2005 - Minsk, Belarus 14-17.04.2005 30 IMEX - Frankfurt, Germany 19-21.04.2005 20 BITTM – Beijing, China* 20-23.04.2005 32 Arabian Travel Market – Dubai, UAE 03-06.05.2005 24 MITF – Moscow, Russia 12-15.05.2005 20 SITC – Barcelona, Spain 26-29.05.2005 24 Otdih - Leisure - Moscow, Russia 21-24.09.2005 40 Top Resa - Doville, France 22-24.09.2005 32 JATA World Travel Fair – Tokyo, Japan 21-24.09.2005 27 TT Tour + Travel - Warsaw, Poland 22-24.09.2005 40 Tour Salon – Poznan, Poland 19-22.10.2005 60 UKRAINE - Kiev, Ukraine October 2005 27 TNT Expo – Bucharest, Rumania October 2005 30 TTW - Montreux, Switzerland 26-27.10.2005 24 PHILOXENIA - Thessaloniki, Greece November 2005 60 ASTA World Congress - Montreal, Canada 06-11.11.2005 18 Touristik & Caravaning - Leipzig, Germany November 2005 24 Moscow International Ski & Board - Moscow, Russia November 2005 30 Tourbusiness – Minsk, Belarus November 2005 30 Reisemarkt Koln International - K?ln, Germany November 2005 24 * Participation for the first time in 2005
Bulgarian ski resorts
Convenient ski runs and facilities for skiing tourism and winter sports are on offer in the Rila, Pirin and Rhodope mountains, in Vitosha, and in the Balkan Range. The ski-season duration is up to 190 days. Ski runs’ total length exceeds 80 km with level differences of up to 1500 m. New ski tourism centres In response to modern demand - new ski tourism centres are being established: Smolyan, Chepelare, Dobrinishte, Malyovitsa, Semkovo, etc. Bulgaria ski resorts offer: Four top-class ski resorts in four fascinating Bulgarian mountain ranges; Plenty of virgin snow and sun from Christmas to Easter; Great for starters and expert skiers alike; Optimum pleasure on the well-maintained runs and deep-snow slopes; Modern hotels, romantic holiday villages and cosy restaurants; Special packages for skiers of all levels at reasonable prices; Lively after-ski atmosphere to suit all tastes; Sightseeing options - fascinating old cities and monasteries; Come and enjoy the best ski bargains in Europe.
HOW TO BUY PROPERTY IN BULGARIA
There are no obstacles for foreigners to get title for buildings, as well as limited real rights (right of use, right of constructions). Up to now there is just one restriction: it’s forbidden by the law for foreigners to become owners of the land under the buildings they had bought. They are not allowed to buy agricultural lands as well. This is true for physical persons. All restrictions become irrelevant if foreigners set up a company (Ltd.) in the meaning of the Commercial Law with headquarter in the country. At the beginning at 2005 Bulgaria has to sign a contract for joining the European Union that is going to operate on 2007. That’s why our legislature makes some amendments in the Constitution according to which a title for land would be given to foreigners. It is considered that in Bulgaria a real free market for land will be established for foreigners seven years after we become part of EU. And then the foreigners will be permitted to buy land for housing or administrative buildings. 1. First Steps You have decided to buy property in Bulgaria. Carefully follow the picture information in our website Real-Estate.1001Line.com. To get a better idea of what you desire, contact us at the e-mail or through our office phone. You will be answered immediately, it will be the beginning of our future dialog. After you have chosen one or two properties we negotiate the condition to your trip to Bulgaria and the inspections of the properties. Immediately after your arrival, viewing of the properties you had chosen is taking place. 2. Setting up a company with a headquarter in Bulgaria. 3. A Preliminary Contract is drawn between you as a Buyer and the owner of the property as a Seller. Through our mediation and in the presence of a lawyer you are explained about the clauses of the contract and its signing. Obligatory, in the Preliminary Contract is included: the personal data of the Buyer and the Seller – from the ID card, passport the sale price of the property; the price can not be changed after signing the conract the term for performing the formalities related to the sale; other clauses that arrange the obligations and responsibilities of the two parties and that are valid until signing the new holding deed for the property at the notary; At signing the preliminary contract an earnest of approximately 10% of the sale price is paid to the Seller. This should be written in the preliminary contract. The commission of the Agency – estate agent, is paid at this moment as well. It is 3% of the sale price of the property. The Preliminary Contract is advisable to be concluded in case of the outgoing documentation for the property by one reason or another is not ready in advance and technological time for its preparation is needed, during which the Buyer rights has to be protected. The Preliminary Contract remains valid untill the performing of the formalities relating to the sell at the notary takes place. If everything concerning the administrative-legal aspects of the outgoing documentation is in order, performing of the formalities relating to the sell at the notary could take place immediately and without Preliminary Contract. 4. Notary You become legal owner of the real estate after the performing of the formalities relating to the sale at the notary and its entering in the State Rpoperty Register. The interpretation at the notary is made by sworn translator (licensed by the Ministry of the Foreigh Affairs). After few days you are given an ownership document – the holding deed. The responsibility for the whole organization of the deal till that moment is ours. Taxes and fees paying in Bulgaria1. Setting up a company According to the Commercial Law foreigner citizens can form Limited Liabilities Company (LTD) by its two variants -EOOD - where the founder is one or OOD, where the founder is more then one person. These could be only foreigners or foreigners and Bulgarian citizens. The person/persons will be liable for the company's obligations to the value of his/hers share in the company's registered capital. The shareholders conduct preliminary discussion on the commercial activities they intend to engage in. Based on their agreement, Articles of Incorporation are prepared and sighed by all shareholders. A dedicated bank account is opened to collect all share capital. The minimum share capital required is 5000 BGN (2500€). Shareholders at the time of the registration must have paid at least 1/3 of their respective shares. It is required that at least 70 % (3500) of the capital is raised at time of registration. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us: Real-Estate.1001Line.com. The company exists from the moment it is added to the Commercial Register of the district of where the company will be based. The entry is made upon issue of a district court decision for the incorporation. The following documents must be available at the time of the submission of registration application to the district court. Articles of incorporation Memorandum for appointment of Director/Directors Proof that at least 70 percent of the registered capital has been paid Publication of the company entry in the Commercial Register does not complete the company formation, it announces to the general public the act of formation. The process of forming a company can take anywhere between a few days to 2 weeks. Finally your new company (OOD or EOOD) will need to register immediately with the National Tax Register. Once the entire authorized /share/ capital has been paid up these funds can be accessed and withdrawn The costs are : For all fees and honorary of the lawyer who is leading the procedure – approximately 2000 BGN (1000 €) Authorized capital that is to be deposit with bank account -5000 BGN (2500 €), which can be withdrawn later. 2. Costs For Buying Property (a) State Fees entering fee - 0.1 % from the value of the property local fee - 2% from the value of the property notary tax – it is calculated under a determined scale and is paid as percent from the value of the property For example if the value is 20000 BGN, the total value of the due state fees is 588 BGN (b) Lawyer's honorarium – between 100- 200 BGN depends on the deal (c) Commission for the agency– estate agent - 3% from the market price of the property, when the Agency headquarters are in the big cities and the Black Sea. 3. Local Taxes and Rates (after buying a property) An owner of a building or a plot is obliged to pay an annual real property tax and waste-collecting fees. These are different in value and depend on the size of populated area and its situation in the country, the neighborhood, the sq. footage and the floor, the year and the type of the construction, extras in the interiors etc. For example : for a solid house, 100 sq.m area in the Super Center Zone in Plovdiv the annual real property tax is around 50 BGN and the waste collection fee is 60 BGN. For a flat in a quarter in Plovdiv with 40 sq. m floorage they are 25 in total. In a small town (like Sopot town) for a house, 65 sq. m the property tax plus waste-collection fee is 18 BGN . For a house with yard in a village the total payment would be 5-6 BGN per year. LinksHOW TO BUY PROPERTY IN BULGARIA FAQ
Bulgaria Ski
ADVICE WHEN COMING TO SKI IN BULGARIAMOUNTAIN RESCUE Please, just in case, write down and take with you the phone numbers of the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Service. If you have problems in the mountain they will help you: Tel: +359 (0)2 963 2000 Mobile: +359 (0)48 1843 Mobile: +359 (0)88 621 286 BULGARIAN TAXI DRIVERS If you need to take a taxi in Bulgaria, please note that the Bulgarian taxi drivers will charge you (as a foreigner) few time more than they normally charge the Bulgarians. The reason for that is because you are a foreigner and they believe you do not know what the taxi fares in Bulgaria are. Our advice is not to hire a taxi from the street if possible, or if you have some Bulgarian friend ask him to talk to the driver himself. TAKE YOUR MOBILE PHONE IN BULGARIA You can use your mobile phone in Bulgaria only if it is a GSM 900 MHz standard. Currently there are 2 GSM operators. The more popular, with bigger coverage is called Mobiltel. Most of the skiing areas are signal covered, so you can use your phone. Unfortunately 1800 MHz standard is not available yet. British users of Vodafone or BTCellnet can use their mobile phones in Bulgaria. Before coming to Bulgaria, please call your mobile operator and ask them about the price they will charge you for using your phone in Bulgaria, as the charge is few times higher than making calls in your country. BRING STERLING, US DOLLARS OR EURO CASH Due to the high commission rates charged for the use of Credit Cards and Travellers Cheques, it is advisable to bring larger amounts of Sterling, US Dollars or EURO in cash. Of course the popular credit cards (Visa, Master Card) are accepted in the biggest shops and all banks in Bulgaria, but you will be charged 5-6 % commission when you want to pay by credit card or if you want to use it for cash in the cash machines. In 1997 the Bulgarian currency LEV was equalised to 1 DEM, and this rate never changes. Since 2002, LEV is equalised to EURO currency and the rate of exchange is 1 EURO = 1.96 LEV, this rate never changes. When looking for good rate to exchange your EURO into levs, it is advisable to look for a place where for 1 EURO they will give around 1.95 LEVS. Also, be very careful when exchanging currency - quite often on the sign in front of the exchange offices is written some rate, but inside they will use lower rate. To prevent from losses, we advice you always ask the person exchanging money "how much levs will I get for 100 EURO (DOLLARS, STERLING, etc.)". Having this figure you can easily calculate if they are really giving as much as written on the window... Important! Never leave any kind of valuables or cash in your hotel room. Please use the safety deposit boxes available in the reception desks of the hotels. Insurance for UK skiers and snowboarders coming to Bulgaria It is very important to have reliable insurance when coming to ski or board in Bulgarian mountain resorts. Please, make sure you arrange such insurance to cover medical or other expenses, if any. BulgariaSki works in association with ski-insurance.co.uk, the UK specialists in providing the best in snow sports insurance for Bulgaria, with best policies at the best prices. The ski/snowboard insurance policies for Bulgaria cover: - Mountain rescue and air-ambulance. - Medical bills. - Personal liability. - Covers off-piste. - Ski and snowboard equipment. - Ski hire and piste closure. - Loss of ski pass. - Avalanche delay. - Personal baggage and money. - Equipment - hired and owned. - Legal expenses and advice. MOUNTAIN SAFETYSome important things you should consider when skiing and snowboarding in Bulgaria. If you are about to practice some sports activity in Bulgarian mountains, please have in mind the following: -the Mountain Rescue Service (telephone numbers: +359 48 1843; +359 88 621286; +359 2 9632000) does not have the actual possibility to use helicopters and other highly technical devices in rescue operations. Sometimes (when there are roads or not very steep slopes on the road to the accident) they may use snowmobiles. RECCO system is not supported by them! Most of the avalanche beacons of the rescue service work on 2275Hz. They will use 457kHz beacons in search of avalanche victims only if it is known that the victim has such a beacon (which means that it is useful to warn the local rescue service that you use such beacons before traveling and discuss the situation with them). For location of victims the most used method is by probing and if it is possible to take dog to the place of the accident - with dogs. -there are NO Avalanche Hazard Reports -the mountain climate in Bulgaria is very specific. It is formed under the strong influence of moist Mediterranean masses (coming with warm and extremely strong S and SW winds) and cold Atlantic masses (coming with W and NW strong winds). So it is common to have a few warm days (even with rain showers) followed by heavy snowfalls and drop of temperatures. After such situations fresh powder often lies on very hard crust. Predominating winds in winter are W and NW. They often form thick slabs. According to our experience most dangerous are E and S slopes (hard slabs on icy crust after strong winds). Very dangerous are the upper and steepest parts of gullies, where often there are cornicles and slabs. At the beginning of spring, at the time of the first strong warming-up (usually about the middle of April) on many slopes fall wet avalanches. Typical sign of the increased snow instability is lack of any support from the snow (sinking very deep when traveling)). After this period high in the mountains is formed firm and hard spring snow, which is very good for skiing. -The services of the Mountain Rescue Service in Bulgaria are paid from the beginning of 2001. Prices vary from 100 Ђ EURO (short transport of person with broken leg..) to more than 500 Ђ EURO (avalanche rescue operations) Having in mind all the mentioned above we would like to advise you the following: 1. Ski, snowboard or travel in Bulgarian mountains with a local person with very good knowledge of local conditions. 2. Always carry rescue equipment, make avalanche tests, ski safely and be ready to perform a rescue operation by yourself. 3. Make sure you have an insurance that covers all rescue expenses abroad. 4. Always negotiate prices before traveling drivers of vans and taxis are notorious for trying to cheat their clients. 5. We recommend contacting a local company and discussing trip plans before arrival in Bulgaria. You may get some useful tips. 6. And at last - skiing in Bulgaria can be great. Not very much skiers and snowboarders ride outside the ski runs, so powder is not spoiled quickly. Usually you are The First on The Slope. Below are some important rules that you have to consider: 1. Respect the others on the piste. Behave in such manner to avoid any possible damage to other skiers. 2. Control your speed while skiing. Try to keep control at all time. Try to move according to your personal skills and abilities, and according to the weather and terrain conditions. 3. Choose a trajectory. When skiing downhill choose your own trajectory on the slope to avoid any collision with the person in front of you. 4. When overtaking other skiers: It is allowed to overtake other skiers/boarders from any direction provided that the movements of the skier being overtaken are not hampered in any way. 5. Duties of the skier below or crossing the trail: When entering/crossing a trail or starting downhill, yield to other skiers. 6. Stops along the trail: You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above. If you fall clear the trail as soon as possible. 7. When walking up a trail: Keep the edge of the slope. In case of bad visibility keep off the trail. The same applies to the skier walking down the trail. 8. Respect of signs: Every skier must pay attention and respect all signs along the slope. 9. In case of collision: All skiers who witness a collision, must promptly notify the ski patrol by reporting the accident at the nearest lift terminal. 10. Obligation to notify one's identity: Every skier involved in a collision or witness of a collision must in any case stop and remain at the scene of the accident providing name and current address to ski patrol before leaving. HOW TO SKITIPS FOR BEGINNERS Find your balance: Stand in your boots so that the pressure from the tongue of the boot feels equally distributed from shin to calf. Most of your weight should be felt between the heel and the arch of the foot. Discover how to "walk" by alternatively sliding one ski ahead of the other. Straight run: Next, go just a few feet up a gentle slope. Your shoulders and hands should face down the hill, while your skis are sideways. With small steps, point your skis downhill, while putting your weight on your poles. Now stand on parallel skis, with knees bent and leaning slightly forward while putting some weight on your poles. Then just lift your poles off the snow and go! Gliding wedge: It's now time to learn to control your speed. The usual way is called a "gliding wedge". This is a V-shaped position that is formed by sliding both skis tails apart an equal distance while keeping your ski tips together. This position creates resistance as you go downhill and slows you down. A common exercise is to gradually make the wedge wider at you ski straight down the hill until you come to a stop. Wedge turn to a stop: You need to realise that a turn can occur without any actual turning forces being applied to your body. That means no twisting or leaning the body in the direction you want to turn. Instead, white gliding straight down the hill in a wedge, simply apply slightly more pressure to your left ski. The pressure should be very subtle so that the left ski seems to magically steer you gradually to the right until you come to a stop. It is absolutely critical that you apply this pressure on the left ski while keeping your body still. Linking wedge turns: Once you have learned how to control your speed by turning across the hill, the next step is to link successive turns. Instead of continuing a turn until you stop, a new turn is initiated before you lose all the momentum from the current turn. This simply involves a subtle transference of pressure to the other ski, thereby causing it to instead become the "turning ski". When turning you will need to shift your weight to the inside edge of the previous outer ski and turn your body to face downhill again for a moment, before continuing across the slope. So shift your weight onto your right leg when turning left, and onto your left leg when turning right. TRANSPORT TO THE MOUNTAIN RESORTSProfi Tours provide cost effective transfers by van, car or bus to/from the airport of Sofia, the borders of Bulgaria, or any other place to the ski resorts of Borovets, Pamporovo, Bansko, Vitosha, Chepelare, etc. English is spoken, credit cards are accepted and for larger groups 8-seater brand new Ford Transits with extra luggage space are available. We are very flexible and we can provide unique trips to any place you like. Our dirver will meet you and help you with the luggage. Ski/snowboard racks are available. Here are some examples of fares or make your enquiry using the form below: Sofia-Borovets, distance 70 km: By car (1-3 persons): 35 € EUR By van (4-8 persons): 12 € EUR per person By small bus (9-15 persons): 120 € EUR By bus (16-27 persons): 150 € EUR Sofia-Pamporovo, distance 240 km: By car (1-2 persons): 80 € EUR By van (3-8 persons): 160 € EUR By minibus (9-11 persons): 170 € EUR By bus (12-17 persons): 200 € EUR For flights to Bulgaria: please ask info@bulgariaski.com Sofia-Bansko, distance 160 km: By car (1-3 persons): 70 € EUR By van (4-8 persons): 105 € EUR By small bus (9-15 persons): 140 € EUR By bus (16-27 persons): 170 € EUR Borovets-Rila Monastery-Borovets: by car 60 € EUR; passenger van 80 € EUR Sofia Airport-Centre: 10 € EUR per car Sofia Airport-Plovdiv: 40 € EUR per car Shopping or sightseeing trip in Sofia: 15 € EUR per person Ski Bulgaria
History of Bulgaria
The history of Bulgaria began in the 7th century AD with the arrival of the Bulgars in the Balkans. The Bulgars originate from central Asia but their origin is not entirely clear. The established theory is that the Bulgars are related to the Huns, and more distantly the Turks. However, this position is increasingly being challenged by a theory claiming Aryan-Pamirian origin for the Bulgars. Clues for this can be found in the advanced calendar and system of government of the early Bulgars. The Bulgars were governed by hereditary khans. There were several artistocratic families whose members, bearing military titles, formed a governing class. Bulgars were monotheistic, worshipping the Sun and a life-force. The migration of Bulgars to the European continent started as early as the 2nd century AD when branches of Bulgars settled on the plains between the Caspian and the Black Sea. Between 351 and 389 AD, some of these crossed the Caucasus and settled in Armenia. They were eventually assimilated by the Armenians. Swept by the Hunnish wave at the beginning of the 4th century AD, other numerous Bulgarian tribes broke loose from their settlements in central Asia to migrate to the fertile lands along the lower valleys of the Donets and the Don rivers and the Azov seashore. Some of these remained for centuries in their new settlements, whereas others moved on with the Huns towards Central Europe, settling in Pannonia. In the 6th and 7th century, the Bulgars formed an independent state, often called Great Bulgaria, between the lower course of the Danube to the west, the Black and the Azov Seas to the south, the Kuban river to the east, and the Donets river to the north. The capital of the state was Phanagoria, on the Azov. The pressure from peoples further east (such as the Khazars) led to the dissolution of Great Bulgaria in the second half of the 7th century. One Bulgar tribe migrated to the confluence of the Volga and Kama Rivers in what is now the Russian Federation (see Volga Bulgaria). They converted to Islam in the beginning in the 8th century and maintained an independent state until the 13th century. Smaller Bulgar tribes seceded in Pannonia and in Italy, northwest of Naples, while other Bulgars sought refuge with the Lombards. Another group of Bulgars remained in the land north of the Black and the Azov Seas. They were, however, soon subdued by the Khazars. These Bulgars converted to Judaism in the 9th century, along with the Khazars, and were eventually assimilated. Yet another Bulgar tribe, led by Khan Asparuh, moved westward, occupying today’s southern Bessarabia. After a successful war with Byzantium in 680 AD, Asparuh’s khanate conquered Moesia and Dobrudja and was recognised as an independent state under the subsequent treaty signed with the Byzantine Empire in 681 AD. The same year is usually regarded as the year of the establishment of present-day Bulgaria.
The First Bulgarian Empire
During the time of the late Roman Empire, the lands of medieval Bulgaria had been organised in several provinces - Scythia (Scythia Minor), Moesia (Upper and Lower), Thrace, Macedonia (First and Second), Dacia (Coastal and Inner, both situated south of Danube), Dardania, Rhodope and Hemimont, and had a mixed population of Thracians, Greeks and Dacians, most of whom spoke either Greek or a Latin-derived language known as Romance. It had been overrun by the Slavs after the final decades of 6th century. In 681, the Bulgars founded a khanate on the Danube after defeating an army of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Constantine IV in a battle south of the Danube's delta. Following their defeat, an agreement was made between the Bulgar ruler Asparukh and the Byzantine Emperor, giving the Bulgars the territory between the Carpathians and the Balkans range and yearly tribute from the Byzantine. Under the warrior Khan Krum (802-814), also known as Crummus and Keanus Magnus, Bulgaria expanded northwest and southwards, occupying the lands between middle Danube and Moldova, the whole territory of present-day Romania, Sofia in 809 and Adrianople (modern Edirne) in 813, and threatening Constantinople itself. According to some late sources khan Krum implemented law reform intending to reduce the poverty and to strengthen the social ties in his vastly enlarged state. During the reign of Khan Omurtag (814-831), the northwestern boundaries with the Frankish Empire were firmly settled along the middle Danube and magnificent palace, pagan temples, ruler’s residence, fortress, citadel, water-main and bath were built in Bulgarian capital Pliska, mainly of stone and brick. Under Boris I the Bulgarians became Christians, and the Ecumenical Patriarch agreed to allow an autonomous Bulgarian Archbishop at Pliska. The Bulgars were greatly outnumbered by the Slav population among whom they had settled. Between the 7th and the 10th centuries, the Bulgars were gradually absorbed by the Slavs, adopting a South Slav language and converting to Christianity (of the Byzantine rite) under Boris I in 864. By 1000, the mixture of Bulgars, Slavs and, according to some researchers, elements of the old Thracian population had melted together to form a new people, the Bulgarians. They were classified as a Southern Slavic people related to the Serbs, rather than as a Turanian one. With the adoption of christianity the title khan changed to kniaz (Slavonic for prince). Later on Simeon I (the son of Boris) adopted the title Czar of Bulgaria, and ruler of the Bulgarian Empire (called by some historians the West Bulgarian Empire to distinguish it from the lands of the Turanian Bulgars who still lived in the Volga valley). Missionaries from Constantinople, Cyril and Methodius, devised the Glagolitic alphabet, which was adopted in the Bulgarian Empire around 886. The alphabet and the Old Bulgarian language gave rise to a rich literary and cultural activity centered around the Preslav and Ohrid Literary Schools, established by order of Boris I in 886. In the beginning of 10th century AD, a new alphabet - the Cyrillic alphabet - was developed on the basis of Greek and Glagolitic cursive at the Preslav Literary School. According to an alternative theory, the alphabet was devised at the Ohrid Literary School by Saint Climent of Ohrid, a Bulgarian scholar and disciple of Cyril and Methodius. A pious monk and hermit St Ivan of Rila (Ivan Rilski, 876-946), became the patron saint of Bulgaria. After 893 Preslav became truly new and in many aspects authentic Bulgarian capital. By the late 9th and the begining of the 10th century Bulgaria extended to Epirus and Thessally in the south, Bosnia in the west and controlled the whole of present-day Romania and eastern Hungary to the north. A Serbian state came into existence as a dependency of the Bulgarian Empire. Under Czar Simeon I (Simeon the Great), who was educated in Constantinople, Bulgaria became again a serious threat to the Byzantine Empire. Simeon hoped to take Constantinople and make himself Emperor of both Bulgars and Greeks, and fought a series of wars with the Byzantines through his long reign (893-927). The war boundary towards the end of his rule reached Peloponnese in the south. Simeon proclaimed himself "Tsar (Caesar) of the Bulgarians and the Greeks," a title which was recognised by the Pope, but not of course by the Byzantine Emperor. After Simeon's death, however, Bulgarian power declined. Under Peter I and Boris II the country was divided by the egalitarian religious heresy of the Bogomils, and distracted by wars with the Hungarians to the north and the breakaway state of Serbia to the west. In 972 Emperor John Tsimisces was able to make eastern Bulgaria a Byzantine protectorate. The Bulgarians maintained an independent state for a time in the western part of the country, but in 1014 Emperor Basil II defeated the armies of Czar Samuil at the Balasita and massacred thousands, acquiring the title "Bulgar-slayer" (Voulgaroktonos). He ordered 14,000 Bulgarian prisoners blinded and sent back to their country. At the sight of his returning armies Samuil suffered a heart attack and died. By 1018 the country had been mostly subjugated by the Byzantines.
The Second Bulgarian Empire
The Byzantines ruled Bulgaria from 1018 to 1186, subordinating the independent Bulgarian Orthodox Church to the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople but otherwise interfering little in Bulgarian local affairs. There were rebellions against Byzantine rule in 1040-41, the 1070s and the 1080s, but these failed. By the late 12th century the Byzantines were in decline after a series of wars with the Hungarians and the Serbs. In 1185 Peter and Asen, leading nobles of supposed and contested Bulgarian, Cuman, Vlach or mixed origin, led a revolt against Byzantine rule and Peter declared himself Tsar Peter II (also known as Theodore Peter). The following year the Byzantines were forced to recognise Bulgaria's independence. Peter styled himself "Tsar of the Bulgars, Greeks and Vlachs". Resurrected Bulgaria occupied the territory between the Black sea, the Danube and Stara Planina, including a part of eastern Macedonia and the valley of the Morava. It also exercised control over Wallachia and Moldova. Tsar Kaloyan (1197-1207) entered a union with the Papacy, thereby securing the recognition of his title of "Rex" although he desired to be recognized as "Emperor" or "Tsar". He waged wars on the Byzantine Empire and (after 1204) on the Knights of the Fourth Crusade, conquering large parts of Thrace, the Rhodopes, as well as the whole of Macedonia. The power of the Hungarians and to some extent the Serbs prevented significant expansion to the west and northwest. Under Ivan Asen II (1218-1241), Bulgaria once again became a regional power, occupying Belgrade and Albania. In an inscription from Turnovo in 1230 he entitled himself "In Christ the Lord faithful Tsar and autocrat of the Bulgarians, son of the old Asen". The Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarchate was restored in 1235 with approval of all eastern Patriarchates, thus putting an end to the union with the Papacy. Ivan Asen II had a reputation as a wise and humane ruler, and opened relations with the Catholic west, especially Venice and Genoa, to reduce the influence of the Byzantines over his country. But under Ivan II's successors, Bulgaria once again declined. The Mongols raided the Balkans in the early 13th century, devastating Bulgaria in 1242, and Bulgaria was forced to pay tribute to the Khans of the Golden Horde. After 1246 the Empire Nicaea annexed Macedonia, Rhodope mountains and part of Thrace. The Hungarian kingdom occupied the province of Belgrade. By the reign of Michael II Asen 1246-1256, Bulgaria was reduced to a small state on the south bank of the lower Danube. The crisis drove to peasant war, raised by the swineherd Ivailo, who managed to sit on the Bulgarian throne from 1277 to 1280. The withdrawal of the Mongols from Europe in the early 14th century stabilised the situation in the Balkans and Bulgaria reassumed something like its modern borders. But Bulgaria was threatened by the rising powers of Hungary to the north and Serbia to the west. In 1330 the Bulgarians under Michael III were heavily defeated by the Serbs at Velbuzhd, and large parts of Bulgaria came under Serbian domination. Under Ivan IV (Ivan Alexander) 1331-1372 Serbian control was ended, but Bulgaria was left divided into rival states; of the two largest, one was based at Veliko Turnovo and the other at Vidin, ruled by Ivan's two sons. In the 13th and 14th centuries Bulgaria became a thriving cultural centre. The flowering of the Turnovo school of art was related to the construction of palaces and churches, to literary activity in the royal court and the monasteries, and to the development of handicrafts. Remarkable achievements of this school have been preserved down to this day: the murals of the Boyars' houses in Trapezitsa and the Forty Holy Martyrs church in Veliko Tarnovo, the Boyana Church (1259) and the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo. Book illuminations also developed, examples include the Manasses Chronicle, the Tetraevangelia of Ivan Alexander and the Tomich Psalter. Weakened Bulgaria was thus no match for a new threat to the south, the Ottoman Turks, who crossed into Europe in 1354. In 1362 they captured Philippopolis (Plovdiv), and in 1382 they took Sofia. The Ottomans then turned their attentions to the Serbs, whom they routed at Kosovo Polje in 1389. In 1393 the Ottomans occupied Turnovo after a three-month siege. In 1396 the Despotate of Vidin was also occupied, bringing the Second Bulgarian Empire and Bulgarian independence to an end.
Bulgaria under Ottoman rule
The Ottomans reorganised the Bulgarian territories as the Beyerlik of Rumili, ruled by a Beylerbey at Sofia. This territory, which included Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia, was divided into several sanjaks, each ruled by a Sanjakbey accountable to the Beylerbey. Significant part of the conquered land was parcelled out to the Sultan's followers, who held it as feudal fiefs (timars and ziamets) directly from him. That category of land could not be sold or inherited, but reverted to the Sultan when the fiefholder died. So long as this system applied, the Bulgarian peasants were in some ways better off than they had been under the rule of the boyars. The rest of the lands were organized as private possessions of the Sultan or Ottoman nobility, called "mulks", and also as economic base for religious foundations, called "vakufs". The Ottomans did not require the all Christians to become Muslims, although many did so. Nevertheless there were cases of individual or mass forced islamization. Provided they paid their taxes and gave no trouble, Bulgarians were left to themselves. Non-Muslims did not serve in the Sultan's army, so the burden of conscription was lifted from the peasants. The exception to this was the "tribute of children," whereby every Christian community was required to give one son in five to be raised as a Muslim and enrolled in the corps of Janissaries (yenicheri or "new force"), an elite unit of the Ottoman army, and also some small groups of the population with specific statute, usually used for auxiliary or rear services. The Bulgarians gave some regularly paid taxes as a tithe ("jushur"), a capitation tax ("dzhizie"), a land tax ("ispench"), a levy on commerce and so on and also various group of irregularly collected taxes, products and corvees ("avariz"). The Sultan regarded the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church as the leader of the Christian peoples of his empire. The independent Bulgarian Patriachate was suppressed, and the Greek Patriarch given control of the Bulgarian Church. The autonomous Ochrid Archbishopric was abolished in 1767. This remained a source of discontent throughout the Ottoman period. Significant number of Turks settled in Bulgaria, particularly in the south-east around Kurdzhali, in the north-east around Shumen and in the south-west along the Vardar valley. Since few outside the church were literate, the dominance of the Greek clergy led to the decline of Bulgarian elite culture. There was not a single pure Bulgarian-language modern school in the country until 1835. Nevertheless, while the Ottomans were ascendant, there was certain overt opposition to their rule. First revolt began over 1408 when two Bulgarian nobles, Konstantin and Frujin, liberated some regions for several years. Then there were rebellions in 1598 and 1686 around the old capital Turnovo followed by the Chiprovtsi uprising in 1688 and insurrection in Macedonia led by Karposh in 1689, both provoked by the Austrians as part of their long war with the Ottomans. In 1739 the Peace of Belgrade between Austrian Empire and the Ottoman Empire ended Austrian interest in the Balkans for a century. But by the 18th century the rising power of Russia was making itself felt in the area. The Russians, as fellow Orthodox Slavs, could appeal to the Bulgarians in a way that the Austrians could not. The Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji of 1774 gave Russia the right to interfere in Ottoman affairs to protect the Sultan's Christian subjects. Ironically, this led the Ottomans to see the Bulgarians as potential enemies and made their situation worse.
The struggle for independence
Bulgarian national feeling began to revive in the early 19th century under the influence of western ideas such as liberalism and nationalism, which trickled into the country after the French revolution, mostly via Greece. The Greek revolt against the Ottomans which began in 1821 (see History of Ottoman Greece), also influenced the small Bulgarian educated class. But Greek influence was limited by the general Bulgarian resentment of Greek control of the Bulgarian Church, and it was the struggle to revive an independent Bulgarian Patriarchate which first roused Bulgarian nationalist sentiment. When some Bulgarians threatened to abandon the Orthodox Church altogether and form a Bulgarian Uniate church loyal to Rome, the Russians intervened with the Sultan. In 1870 the Bulgarian Patriarchate was revived, and the Patriarch became the natural leader of the emerging nation. The Greek Patriarch reacted by excommunicating the Bulgarians, which reinforced their independence. Another source of the Bulgarian national revival was the Romantic nationalist vision of a people sharing oral traditions and practices. These ideas were stimulated by the work of Johann Gottfried Herder in particular, and were reinforced by Russian Slavophiles and the model Serbian nationalism under the stimulus of scholar-publicists such as Vuk Karadzic. In Bulgaria, the scholar and newspaper editor Lyuben Karavelov played an important role in collecting and publishing oral traditions, and comparing them with the traditions of other Slavic peoples. In April 1876 the Bulgarians revolted in the so-called April uprising. The uprising was organised by the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee and was inspired by the insurrection in Bosnia and Herzegovina the previous year. The revolt was largely confined to the region of Plovdiv, though certain districts in northern Bulgaria, in Macedonia and in the area of Sliven also took part in it. The uprising was crushed with cruelty by the Ottomans who brought irregular Ottoman troops (bashi-bazouks) from outside the area. Altogether some 30,000 people were massacred, the majority of them in the insurgents towns of Batak, Perushtitza and Bratzigovo in the area of Plovdiv. The massacres aroused a broad public reaction led by liberal Europeans such as William Gladstone, who launched a campaign against the "Bulgarian Horrors". The campaign was supported by a number of European intellectuals and public figures, such as Charles Darwin, Oscar Wilde, Victor Hugo and Giuseppe Garibaldi. The strongest reaction, however, came from Russia. The enormous public outcry which the April Uprising had caused in Europe gave the Russians a long-waited chance to realise their long-term objectives with regard to the Ottoman Empire. The Russian efforts, which were concentrated on ironing out the differences and contradictions between the Great Powers, eventually led to the Conference of Constantinople held in December 1876 in the Ottoman capital. The conference was attended by delegates from Russia, Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy and was supposed to bring a peaceful and lasting settlement of the Bulgarian Question. Russia insisted to the last minute on the inclusion of all Bulgarian-inhabited lands in Macedonia, Moesia, Thrace and Dobrudja in the future Bulgarian state, whereas Britain, afraid that a greater Bulgaria would be a threat to British interests on the Balkans, favoured a smaller Bulgarian principality north of the Balkan Mountains. The delegates eventually gave their consent to a compromise variant, which excluded southern Macedonia and Thrace, and denied Bulgaria access to the Aegean sea, but otherwise incorporated all other regions in the Ottoman Empire inhabited by Bulgarians (illustration, left). At the last minute, however, the Ottomans rejected the plan with the secret support of Britain. Having its reputation at stake, Russia had no other choice but to declare war on the Ottomans in April 1877. The Romanian army and a small contingent of Bulgarian exiles also fought alongside the advancing Russians. The Russians and Romanians were able to inflict a decisive defeat on the Ottomans at Pleven, and, by January 1878 they had occupied much of Bulgaria. They were thus able to dictate terms to the Sultan, and in the Treaty of San Stefano they proposed creating a large Bulgarian state, embracing much of Thrace and Macedonia as well as modern Bulgaria. The Sultan was in no position to resist, but the other powers were not willing to allow the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire or the creation of a large Russian client state in the Balkans. As a result, the Treaty of Berlin (1878), under the supervision of Otto von Bismarck of Germany and Benjamin Disraeli of Britain, revised the earlier treaty, and scaled back the proposed Bulgarian state. A Principality of Bulgaria was created, between the Danube and the Stara Planina range, with its seat at the old Bulgarian capital of Veliko Turnovo, and including Sofia. This state was to be under nominal Ottoman sovereignty but was to be ruled by a prince elected by a congress of Bulgarian notables and approved by the Powers. They insisted that the Prince could not be a Russian, but in a compromise Prince Alexander of Battenberg, a nephew of Tsar Alexander II, was chosen. Between the Stara Planina and the line of the Rhodope Range, which runs about 50km north of the modern border between Bulgaria and Greece, the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia was created. With its capital at Plovdiv, it was to be under Ottoman sovereignty but governed by a Christian governor appointed by the Sultan with the approval of the Powers. This hybrid territory was governed by Alexander Bogoridi for most of its brief existence.
Independent Bulgaria
The Bulgarians wrote themselves an advanced democratic constitution, and power soon passed to the Liberal Party led by Stefan Stambolov. Prince Alexander had conservative leanings, and at first opposed Stambulov's policies, but by 1885 he had become sufficiently sympathetic to his new country to change his mind, and supported the Liberals. He also supported the Unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia, which was brought about by a coup in Plovdiv in September 1885. The Powers protested but none of them cared enough about Bulgarian affairs to intervene. Shortly after, Serbia declared war on Bulgaria in the hope of grabbing territory while the Bulgarians were distracted. The Bulgarians defeated them at Slivnitsa. These events made Alexander very popular in Bulgaria, but Russia was increasingly dissatisfied at his liberal tendencies. In August 1886 they fomented a coup, in the course of which Alexander was forced to abdicate and was exiled to Russia. Stambolov, however, acted quickly and the participants in the coup were forced to flee the country. Stambolov tried to reinstate Alexander, but strong Russian opposition forced the prince to abdicate again. In July 1887 the Bulgarians elected Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as their new Prince. Ferdinand was the "Austrian candidate" and the Russians refused to recognise him. Ferdinand initially worked with Stambolov, but by 1894 their relationship worsened. Stambolov resigned and was assassinated in July 1895. Ferdinand then decided to restore relations with Russia, which meant returning to a conservative policy. One consequence of Ottoman rule was the mixture of peoples in the Balkans. Not only was there a large Turkish minority in Bulgaria (plus a smaller Greek one along the Black Sea coast), there were many Bulgarians still living under Ottoman rule in Macedonia and Thrace. To complicate matters, there were also large Greek populations in both these areas, and a smaller Serbian population in Macedonia. Thus began a five-sided struggle for control of these areas which lasted until World War I. In 1903 there was an insurrection in Ottoman Macedonia and war seemed likely. In 1908 Bulgaria's rivalry with Greece and Serbia over Macedonia led Ferdinand to declare Bulgaria a fully independent kingdom, with himself as Tsar.
The Balkan Wars
In 1911 the Nationalist Prime Minister, Ivan Geshov, set about forming an alliance with Greece and Serbia, and the three allies agreed to put aside their rivalries to plan a joint attack on the Ottomans. In February 1912 a secret treaty was signed between Bulgaria and Serbia, and in May 1912 a similar treaty was signed with Greece. Montenegro was also brought into the pact. The treaties provided for the partition of Macedonia and Thrace between the allies, although the lines of partition were left dangerously vague. After the Ottomans refused to implement reforms in the disputed areas, the First Balkan War broke out in October 1912. (See Balkan Wars for details.) The allies were swiftly successful, and the Ottomans sued for peace in December. Negotiations broke down, and fighting resumed in February 1913. A second armistice followed in March, with the Ottomans losing all their European possessions west of the Midia-Enos line, not far from Constantinople. Bulgaria gained possession of most of Thrace, including Adrianople and the Aegean port of Dedeagach (today Alexandroupoli). Bulgaria also gained a slice of Macedonia, north and east of Thessaloniki (which went to Greece), but only some small areas along her western borders. Bulgaria sustained the heaviest casualties of any of the allies, and felt entitled to the largest share of the spoils. The Serbs in particular did not see things this way, and refused to vacate any of the territory they had seized in northern Macedonia (that is, the territory roughly corresponding to the modern Republic of Macedonia). In June 1913 Serbia and Greece formed a new alliance, against Bulgaria. The Serbian Prime Minister, Nikola Pasic, told Greece she could have Thrace if Greece helped Serbia evict Bulgaria from Macedonia, and the Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos agreed. Bulgaria attacked Serbian and Greek forces on June 29. But the war soon turned against Bulgaria. She lost her share of Macedonia to Serbia and western Thrace to Greece, while the revived Ottomans retook Adrianople. Romania also intervened against Bulgaria, and was awarded the southern-Dobruja region (also known as Cadrilater).
War and social conflict
In the aftermath of the Balkan Wars Bulgarian opinion turned against Russia and the western powers, whom the Bulgarians felt had done nothing to help them. The government of Vasil Radoslavov aligned Bulgaria with Germany and Austria-Hungary, even though this meant also becoming an ally of the Ottomans, Bulgaria's tradional enemy. But Bulgaria now had no claims against the Ottomans, whereas Serbia, Greece and Romania (allies of Britain and France) were all occupying lands which Bulgaria claimed. Bulgaria, recuperating from the Balkan Wars, sat out the first year of World War I, but when Germany promised to restore the boundaries of the Treaty of San Stefano, Bulgaria, which had the largest army in the Balkans, declared war on Serbia in October 1915. Britain, France and Italy then declared war on Bulgaria. Although Bulgaria, in alliance with Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottomans, won military victories against Serbia and Romania, occupying much of Macedonia (taking Skopje in October), advancing into Greek Macedonia, and taking Dobruja from the Romanians in September 1916, the war soon became unpopular with the majority of Bulgarian people, who suffered great economic hardship and also disliked fighting their fellow Orthodox Christians in alliance with the Muslim Ottomans. The Agrarian Party leader, Aleksandur Stamboliyski, was imprisoned for his opposition to the war. The Russian Revolution of February 1917 had a great effect in Bulgaria, speading antiwar and anti-monarchist sentiment among the troops and in the cities. In June Radoslavov's government resigned. Mutinies broke out in the army, Stamboliyski was released and a republic was proclaimed. In September 1918 the Serbs, British, French and Greeks broke through on the Macedonian front and Tsar Ferdinand was forced to sue for peace. Stamboliyski favoured democratic reforms, not a revolution. In order to head off the revolutionaries, he persuaded Ferdinand to abdicate in favour of his son Boris III. The revolutionaries were suppressed and the army disbanded. Under the Treaty of Neuilly (November 1919), Bulgaria lost its Aegean coastline to Greece and nearly all of its Macedonian territory to the new state of Yugoslavia, and had to give Dobruja back to the Romanians (see also Dobruja, Western Outlands, Western Thrace). Elections in March 1920 gave the Agrarians a large majority, and Stamboliyski formed Bulgaria's first genuinely democratic government. Stamboliski faced huge social problems in what was still a poor country inhabited mostly by peasant smallholders. Bulgaria was saddled with huge war reparations to Yugoslavia and Romania, and had to deal with a flood of refugees as Bulgarians were expelled from Yugoslav Macedonia. Nevertheless Stamboliyski was able to carry through many social reforms, although opposition from the Tsar, the landlords and the officers of the much-reduced but still influential army was powerful. Another bitter enemy was the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (VMRO), which favoured a war to regain Macedonia for Bulgaria. Faced with this array of enemies, Stamboliyski allied himself with the Bulgarian Communist Party and opened relations with the Soviet Union. In March 1923 Stamboliyski signed an agreement with Yugoslavia recognising the new border and agreeing to suppress VMRO. This triggered a nationalist reaction, and on June 9 there was a coup in which Stamboliykski was assassinated. A right wing government under Aleksandur Tsankov took power, backed by the Tsar, the army and the VMRO, who waged a White terror against the Agrarians and the Communists. The Communist leader Georgi Dimitrov fled to the Soviet Union. There was savage repression in 1925 following an attempt on the Tsar's life and a bomb attack on Sofia Cathedral. But in 1926 the Tsar persuaded Tsankov to resign and a more moderate government under Andrey Lyapchev took office. An amnesty was proclaimed, although the Communists remained banned. The Agrarians reorganised and won elections in 1931 under the leadership of Nikola Mushanov. Just when political stability had been restored, the full effects of the Great Depression hit Bulgaria, and social tensions rose again. In May 1934 there was another coup, the Agrarians were again suppressed, and an authoritarian regime headed by Kimon Georgiev established with the backing of Tsar Boris. In April 1935 Boris took power himself, ruling through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov (1935-40) and Bogdan Filov (1940-43). The Tsar's regime banned all opposition parties and took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Although the signing of the Balkan Pact of 1938 restored good relations with Yugoslavia and Greece, the territorial issue continued to simmer.
World War II and after
Under Filov's government Bulgaria drifted into World War II, faced by an Invasion and bribed by the return of southern Dobruja from Romania, on the orders of Hitler (see Vienna Award), in September 1940. In March 1941 Bulgaria formally signed the Tripartite Pact, becoming a German ally, and German troops entered the country in preparation for the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia. When Yugoslavia and Greece were defeated, Bulgaria was allowed to occupy all of Greek Thrace and most of Macedonia. Bulgaria declared war on Britain and the United States, but resisted German pressure to declare war on the Soviet Union, fearful of pro-Russian sentiment in the country. In August 1943 Tsar Boris died suddenly after returning from Germany(possibly assassinated, although this has never been proved) and was succeeded by his six-year old son Simeon II. Power was held by a council of regents headed by the young Tsar's uncle, Prince Kirill. The new Prime Minister, Dobri Bozhilov, was in most respects a German puppet. Resistance to the Germans and the Bulgarian regime was widespread by 1943, co-ordinated mainly by the Communists. Together with the Agrarians, now led by Nikola Petkov, the Social Democrats and even with many army officers they founded the Fatherland Front. Partisans operated in the mountainous west and south. By 1944 it was obvious that Germany was losing the war and the regime began to look for a way out. Bozhilov resigned in May, and his successor Ivan Bagrianov tried to arrange negotiations with the western Allies. But it was the Soviet army which was rapidly advancing towards Bulgaria. In August Bulgaria unilaterally announced its withdrawal from the war and asked the German troops to leave: Bulgarian troops were hastily withdrawn from Greece and Yugoslavia. In September the Soviets crossed the northern border. The government, desperate to avoid a Soviet occupation, declared war on Germany, but the Soviets could not be put off, and on September 8 they declared war on Bulgaria - which thus found itself for a few days at war with both Germany and the Soviet Union. On September 16, the Soviet army entered Sofia. The Fatherland Front took office in Sofia, setting up a broad coalition under the former ruler Kimon Georgiev and including the Social Democrats and the Agrarians. Under the terms of the peace settlement, Bulgaria was allowed to keep southern Dobruja, but formally renounced all claims to Greek and Yugoslav territory. To prevent further disputes 150,000 Bulgarians were expelled from Greek Thrace. The Communists deliberately took a minor role in the new government at first, but the Soviet representatives were the real power in the country. A Communist-controlled People's Militia was set up, which harassed and intimidated non-Communist parties. In February 1945 the new realities of power in Bulgaria were shown when Prince Kirill and hundreds of other officials of the old regime were arrested on charges of war crimes. By June Kirill and the other regents, 22 former ministers and many others had been executed. In September 1946 the monarchy was abolished by plebiscite, and young Tsar Simeon was sent into exile. The Communists now openly took power, with Vasil Kolarov becoming President and Dimitrov becoming Prime Minister. Free elections promised for 1946 were blatantly rigged and were boycotted by the opposition. The Agrarians refused to co-operate with the new regime, and in June 1947 their leader Nikola Petkov was arrested. Despite strong international protests he was executed in September. This marked the final establishment of a Communist regime in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria and the Holocaust
Despite a series of anti-Jewish legislation starting in 1940 (Jews were excluded from public service, banned from certain areas, restricted economically, and not allowed to intermarry), Bulgaria was the only country besides Denmark to successfully resist the deportation of its Jewish population. Plans were made to deport Jews in 1943, and 20,000 were expelled from Sofia, but protests from political and clerical leaders stopped further cooperation, saving all of the 50,000 Jews in the country. Bulgaria did, however, actively deport Jews in areas in conquered. In March 1943, Bulgarian authorities arrested all the Jews in Macedonia and Thrace. In total, Bulgaria deported over 11,000 Jews to German-held territory, most were killed in Treblinka extermination camp.
Communist Bulgaria
Although Dimitrov had been in exile, mostly in the Soviet Union, since 1923, he was far from being a Soviet puppet. He had shown great courage in Nazi Germany during the Reichstag Fire trial of 1933, and had later headed the Comintern during the period of the Popular Front. He was also close to the Yugoslav Communist leader Tito, and believed that Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, as closely related South Slav peoples, should form a federation. This idea was not favoured by Stalin, and there have long been suspicions that Dimitrov's sudden death in July 1949 was not accidental, although this has never been proved. It coincided with Stalin's expulsion of Tito from the Cominform, and was followed by a "Titoist" witchhunt in Bulgaria. This culminated in the show trial and execution of the Deputy Prime Minister, Traicho Kostov. The elderly Kolarov died in 1950, and power then passed to an extreme Stalinist, Vulko Chervenkov. Bulgaria's Stalinist phase lasted less than five years. Agriculture was collectivised and peasant rebellions crushed. Labor camps were set up and at the height of the repression housed about 100,000 people. The Orthodox Patriarch was confined to a monastery and the Church placed under state control. In 1950 diplomatic relations with the U.S. were broken off. The Turkish minority was persecuted, and border disputes with Greece and Yugoslavia revived. The country lived in a state of fear and isolation. But Chervenkov's support base even in the Communist Party was too narrow for him to survive long once his patron, Stalin, was gone. Stalin died in March 1953, and in March 1954 Chervenkov was deposed as Party Secretary with the approval of the new leadership in Moscow and replaced by Todor Zhivkov. Chervenkov stayed on as Prime Minister until April 1956, when he was finally dismissed and replaced by Anton Yugov. Zhivkov ran Bulgaria for the next thirty years, completely loyal to the Soviets but pursuing a more moderate policy at home. Relations were restored with Yugoslavia and Greece, the labour camps were closed, the trials and executions of Kostov and other "Titoites" (though not of Petkov and other non-Communist victims of the 1947 purges) were officially regretted. Some limited freedom of expression was restored and persecution of the Church was ended. The upheavals in Poland and Hungary in 1956 were not emulated in Bulgaria, but the Party placed firm limits to intellectual and literary freedom to prevent any such outbreaks. Economic conditions improved and Bulgaria became generally regarded as the most loyal of the Soviet Union's eastern European satellites. Yugov retired in 1962, and Zhivkov then became Prime Minister as well as Party Secretary. In 1971, however, he promoted himself to President and made Stanko Todorov Prime Minister. Zhivkov survived the Soviet leadership's transition from Khrushchev to Brezhnev in 1964, and in 1968 again demonstrated his loyalty to the Soviet Union by taking part in the invasion of Czechoslovakia. Although Zhivkov was never a despot in the Stalin mold, by 1981, when he turned 70, his regime was growing increasingly corrupt, autocratic and erratic. This was shown most notably in a bizarre campaign of persecution against the ethnic Turkish minority (10 percent of the population), who were ordered to adopt Bulgarian names: many fled to Turkey, and the issue strained Bulgaria's economic relations with the west.
Democratic Bulgaria
By the time the impact of Mikhail Gorbachev's reform program in the Soviet Union was felt in Bulgaria in the late 1980s, the Communists, like their leader, had grown too feeble to resist the demand for change for long. In November 1989 demonstrations on ecological issues were staged in Sofia, and these soon broadened into a general campaign for political reform. The Communists reacted by deposing the decrepit Zhivkov and replacing him with Petur Mladenov, but this gained them only a short respite. In February 1990 the Party voluntarily gave up its claim on power and in June 1990 the first free elections since 1931 were held, won by the moderate wing of the Communist Party, renamed the Bulgarian Socialist Party. In July 1991 a new Constitution was adopted, in which there was a weak elected President and a Prime Minister accountable to the legislature. Like the other post-Communist regimes in eastern Europe, Bulgaria found the transition to capitalism more painful than expected. The anti-Communist Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) took office and between 1992 and 1994 carried through the privatisation of land and industry through the issue of shares in government enterprises to all citizens, but these were accompanied by massive unemployment as uncompetitive industries failed and the backward state of Bulgaria's industry and infrastructure were revealed. The Socialists portrayed themselves as the defender of the poor against the excesses of the free market. The reaction against economic reform allowed Zhan Videnov of the BSP to take office in 1995. But by 1996 the BSP government was also in difficulties, and in the presidential elections of that year the UDF's Petur Stoyanov was elected. In 1997 the BSP government collapsed and the UDF came to power. Unemployment, however, remained high and the electorate became increasingly dissatisfied with both parties. This impasse provided an opportunity for the former Tsar Simeon II, who had left Bulgaria as a nine-year-old boy in 1946. He returned in 1996 as a wealthy 59-year-old businessman under the name Simeon Sakskoburggotski (a Bulgarian spelling of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). Sakskoburggotski formed a new party, the National Movement Simeon II, and swept both the major parties away in the elections of June 2001. As Prime Minister he has followed a strongly pro-western course, with Bulgaria joining NATO in 2004 and on track to join the European Union in 2007. Economic conditions have improved somewhat, although unemployment and emigration remain high. Sakskoburggotski says he has no interest in restoring the monarchy, but is thought likely to run for President in 2006, when the term of the BSP incumbent, Georgi Purvanov, expires.
State Structure
Constitution The acting Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria was adopted in July 1991. It was built on the basic principles of the contemporary constitutionalism. The Constitution provides a multi- party parliamentary system and free elections, in which all the citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria take part with the right to vote. After the elections, the largest parliamentary group constructs the government. So that the government is approved (The Council of Ministers), as well as for adoption of regular legal acts, general parliament majority is required. Amendments in the Constitution are to be adopted through three quarters of parliament majority. The President The President is the Head of State and is elected with direct elections once in every five years, for not more that two mandates. The Vice President is elected at the same time, with the same voting paper, and under the same conditions and procedure, as of the President. The President is the supreme commander of the military forces of the Republic of Bulgaria. He assigns and discharges the supreme command staff of the military forces and promotes the supreme officers into higher ranks on proposals by the Council of Ministers. The President is the Chairperson of the Consultative Council for national security. The Parliament Bulgaria is a Parliamentary Republic and the basic power in the country is the legislative one. The Parliament (The National Assembly) exercises the legislative power, as well as the right to parliamentary control. The mandate of the National Assembly is a 4 - year one. The National Assembly consists of 240 MPs. They are elected directly by the voters for a 4 year term, on the basis of the proportional system. So that the parties and the pre-election coalitions enter the National Assembly, they must collect above 4% of the total number of votes at the elections. The MPs of the National Assembly represent not only their election regions, but the whole nation as well. The MPs work in compliance with the Constitution and the legislation, following their conscience and convictions. The National Assembly elects temporary and permanent commissions, where MPs participate. It adopts laws, decisions, declarations and statements. Every member of the National Assembly or the Council of Ministers has the right to introduce a draft of a law. The draft law on the state budget is developed and introduced by the Council of Ministers. The Government The government (The Council of Ministers) is the main body of the executive power, headed by the Prime Minister. The Council of Ministers rules and conducts the internal and foreign policy of the state, secures the public order and the national security, exercises control over the public administration and the military forces. The Prime Minister to be is nominated by the largest parliamentary group, after which the President hands in the mandate to him for forming the government. The proposed Council of Ministers is voted by the National Assembly, which controls directly the activity of the government. Local Executive Authorities The status and powers of the local executive authorities depend on the territory structure of the country. The municipality is the main administrative territorial unit for the local government. The policy of every municipality is determined by the Municipality Council and includes the economic development, the environmental policy, the educational, the cultural, etc. activities. The Municipality Council approves the annual budgets and development plans of the corresponding municipality. Every municipality is ruled by a Mayor. The Mayor is in charge of the whole executive activity of the municipality, of keeping the public order, and organizes the distribution of the municipality budget. The region is the bigger administrative territorial unit. Through it the governmental local policy is conducted in a decentralized and more effective way. A regional governor, assigned by the Council of Ministers, rules each region. The Judiciary The judicial power in Bulgaria is independent. It is built up on the basis of a procedure of three instances. The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), and the Supreme Cassation Court (SCC) exercise control over the implementation of the law by the courts of lower instances, and take decisions on the legality of the executive power’s acts. The Constitutional Court determines if the laws and the international agreements are in compliance with the Constitution. A Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has been established, which organizes the activity of the judiciary.
Bulgaria History
The territory of the present-day Bulgaria has been inhabited since the New Stone Age and the New Copper Age and continues to reveal exceptional archeological findings. Most archaeological discoveries have been made near Kazanluk, Karlovo, Nova Zagora, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Sofia, Teteven, Troyan, Kurdjali and in the Rhodope Mountains. The world-famous culture of the Tracians developed on the territory of today’s Bulgaria during pre-historic and ancient times. The oldest gold treasure in the world - the Vulchitrun gold treasure (13-12 century BC), is of Thracian origin.The Thracian heritage influenced significantly the Bulgarian culture and is part of the foundations of the European civilization. The first Thracian state unions emerged in the 11th century BC and flourished in the 7th-6th centuries BC. In the 1st century BC their lands were conquered by Rome, and after the 5-th century AD they were incorporated in the Byzantine Empire. The Thracians were later assimilated by the Slavs who settled in the Balkan Peninsula in the 6-th century AD. The most famous people born in ancient Trhace were Orpheus – the greatest singer of all time - and Spartacus – a gladiator and leader of the biggest slave uprising in Antiquity. According to the archeological and historical data, on the territory of the present-day Bulgaria the Thracians planted their vines and produced the honey-sweet black wine, described in Homer’s Illiad. In the 8th - 6th century B.C. the seafaring Greecs settled on the present day Bulgarian Black Sea cost and built fortified port cities such as Odessos (Varna), Mesambria (Nessebur), Apolonia (Sozopol). The Ancient Bulgarians The original homeland of the ancient Bulgarians (or Proto-Bulgarians) was in Middle Asia, in the mountainous region of Pamir and Hindu Coush and may be described as emerging in Antiquity (1-st century BC) when they formed their first state union (Balhara or Baktria). The Ancient Bulgarians constituted an ethnic community of Indo-European origin, the Indo-Iranian element being increasingly considered to be a determinant one. As a highly developed civilization they had culturally influenced the territories of Central Asia for a continued period of time. They have left to the World a rich cultural heritage in the field of philosophic understanding of the World as well as in the State administration, social structure, military art, writing, linguistic culture, construction, astronomy and matematics. Eloquent exemple of this is their calendar based on the sun cycles, which is perfect from astronomical and mathematical point of view. UNESCO has recognised it as one of the most accurate ancient calendars known so far. The European appearance of the ancient Bulgarians dates to 165 AD according to the oldest chronicles of the Bulgarian Kingdom (Khanate). The powerfull State Union of the ancient Bulgarians known as Great Old Bulgaria (632 AD) with khan Kubrat at its head existed on the territories between the Caspian Sea and the northern part of the Black Sea until the middle of the VII-th century AD when it expanded and separated into two Khanates – Volga Bulgaria and Danube Bulgaria. As a sign of honor, the Roman emperor Hyracleus conferred to khan Kubrat, who was Christian, the title of “Patrician”. The Danube Bulgaria In the second half of the 7-th century, a considerable part of Proto-Bulgarians settled in the delta of the Danube and became neighbors of the Byzantine empire. Leading a strong army the Emperor Constantin IV Pogonatus confronted the Bulgarians but his legions were defeated. The Bulgarian Khan Asparuh entered the lands of of present-day Northeastern Bulgaria. In alliance with the local Slav tribes they formed a Bulgarian state, which was formally recognised by Byzantium in 681 AD. Khan Asparuh stood at the head of that state and Pliska was made its capital. The new state established close links with the Bulgarian Khanate of Kuber on its western borders, since its foundation in 685 AD in the than region of Keramissia. Under the rule of Khan Tervel (700-718 AD), Bulgaria expanded its territory and turned into a major political force and one of the biggest European empires. Under Khan Kroum (803-814 AD) Bulgaria bordered with the Frankish empire of Carl the Great to the west, and to the East the Bulgarian troops reached the walls of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The victory of Khan Kroum over the Bizantine army in the mountainious pass Veregava (811 AD) further affirmed Bulgaria as a regional power. In 864 AD, during the rule of Prince Boris I Michail (852-889 AD), the Bulgarians adopted Christianity as their official religion. This act further consolidated the Bulgarian State and strengthened its position in Europe. Bulgarians became part of Christian Europe. The Christianization was an important prerequisite for the formation of the Bulgarian nationality. The Golden Age Modern historiography admits that the language of the Ancient Bulgarians was from the Indo-Fergan linguistic group. At the formation of the Danube Bulgaria, the Bulgarians, who gave their name to the new state, were relatively lower in number compared to the Slavs. In the next 100-150 years this led to the gradual establishment of Slavonic (also of Indo-European origin) as a predominant language. Therefore, the modern Bulgarian language belongs to the group of Slavonic languages. In the second half of the 9-th century the most impressive fact in the cultural history of Bulgaria and the other Slavonic countries was the creation and dissemination of a script and literature of the spoken Slav language. Two monk brothers of Bulgarian origin - Cyril (Constantine the Philosopher) and Methodius - created in Ohrid and disseminated among the Slavs, together with their disciples, the first Slavonic alphabet - Glagolic. For their contribution in spreading the Christianity, Cyril and Methodius were declared Saint Patrons of civilized Europe by the pope John Paul – II. Some of the disciples came to Bulgaria, where they were warmly welcomed and offered good conditions for work. Between 886 and 893 AD one of them – St. Clement of Ochrid created an ameliorated version – the Cyrillic alphabet. Prince Boris I Michail assigned the disciples with the mission to continue with the translation of the Holy Scripture from Greec and to educate thousands of priests to preach in Bulgarian language in local churches. These activities were concentrated mainly in the region of Pliska and in the region of Kutmichevitsa (Devol and Ochrid). From Bulgaria the Cyrillic script spread to other Slavic lands as well - present-day Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Republic of Macedonia and others. The creation of the new alphabet provoked a severe reaction both from the German clergy and from Rome, which deemed that the Holy Scripture could be preached only in “the three holy languages” – Jewish, Greek and Latin. Cyril and Methidius successfully advocated before Rome the right of the Slavs to have a script and to perform religious services in their own mother tongue. Finally, Rome recognized the new language. Soon afterwards Bulgarian became the language of church, literature and official administration, and laid the foundation for the rich Medieval Bulgarian culture. The conversion to Christianity and the creation of the Slavonic alphabet and literature accelerated the process of consolidation of the Bulgarian nation on vast geographical regions of the Balkan Peninsula – Moesia, Dobroudja, Thrace, the Rhodope Mountain and Macedonia. The cities of Ochrid and Pliska, and subsequently the new capital city Veliki Preslav, became centres of Bulgarian culture, integral part of the Slav culture as a whole. During the reign of King Simeon I the Great (893-927 AD) the Bulgarian State reached the peak of its political grandeur and power. It marked the "Golden Age of Bulgarian Culture". The country achieved significant territorial enlargement, its borders reached the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. In the summer of 917 near the river Aheloy (North-Eastern Bulgaria) the Bizantine army was crushed during a spectacular military operation led by King Simeon I the Great. He proclaimed himself as a Roman Emperor. Hence, in the first half of 10th century Europe was deivided among the Christian Empires of the Bulgarians, Franks and Byzantines. During the reign of Simeon's successors, Bulgaria was weakened by internal struggles. The Bizantine Empire took advantage of this weakness and in 871 AD invaded the Eastern part of Bulgaria, including the capital of Veliki Preslav. For this reason, the Bulgarian king Samuil (987 - 1014), son of the governor of of the Macedonian provinces of Bulgaria, mouved the capital to Ohrid (on the banks of the lake Ochrid). In 1018, after prolonged wars, Bulgaria was conquered by the Byzantine Empire. From the very first years under Byzantine rule, the Bulgarians started fighting for their freedom. In 1186, the uprising led by two noble brothers - Assen and Peter, overthrew the domination of the Byzantine Empire. The Second Bulgarian Kingdom was founded, and Turnovo became the new capital. After 1186, Bulgaria was initially ruled by Assen, and after that by Peter. The Second Bulgarian Kingdom The previous might of Bulgaria was restored during the reign of their youngest brother, Kaloyan (1197-1207), and during the reign of King Ivan Assen II (1218 -1241) the Second Bulgarian Kingdom reached its greatest upsurge: the territory of the country spread to the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea, the economy and culture florished. This period was called “The Second Golden Age”. It coincided with important developments in the region – in 1204 during the 4-th crusade the Bizantine Empire were conquered and the Latin Empire emerged. The territorial aspirations of the Emperor Balduin I led to an open confrontation with Bulgaria. In April 1205 near Odrin the knights were defeated by the army of king Kaloyan and the emperor was captured and eventually executed. After the invasion of Constantinople by the crusaders, Bulgaria’s capital Turnovo became the center of the Eastern Orthodox Christian culture and attracted eminent artists, clerics and other spiritual leaders. During the reign of Ivan Alexander (1331 - 1371) Bulgaria reached a new peak, which lasted until the end of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1186-1396). The schools of literature and the arts in Turnovo developed the traditions in Bulgarian culture, which is evidenced by the frescoes in the famous Boyana Church near Sofia, the churches in Turnovo, in the Zemen Monastery, the churches hewn into the rocks near Ivanovo, the miniatures in the Gospel that belonged to King Ivan Alexander, kept at the British Museum in London, and Manassiy's Chronicle. In 1235, the Head of the Bulgarian Church was given the title of Patriarch. The Bulgarian art and culture from that period were akin to the pre-Renaissance in Western Europe. A special attention in this regard should be payed to the Boyana church - an antique of exceptional historical and artistic significance. It is located at the foot of the Vitosha Mountain near Sofia. The oldest part of the church dates back to the early 11th century. The most interesting part of the monument is the murals done in 1259. The frescoes are realisric and rich in tone, the artist skillfully combines the requirements of iconografical canones with real life. 89 scenes are depicted, containing 240 individualised human images - a real art gallery of 13th century. The portrait of the founder of the church patron Kaloyan and his wife Desislava and of Prince Konstantin and his wife Irina are the supreme peak of the skill of the artist. The frescoes of the Boyana church have been compared to the best Renaissance models, though actually preceding them with a century and a half. Due to its magnificence the Boyana church was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. The strife among the Boyars (Nobility) resulted in the division of Bulgaria into two kingdoms: the kingdoms of Vidin and Turnovo. This weakened the country and it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1396. The Ottoman domination When Bulgaria fell under the domination of the Ottoman Turks the Bulgarian political, religious and cultural elite was destroyed. Official and religious documents and many Orthodox Christian sanctuaries were demolished or turned into Muslim shrines.The policies of forced islamisation and discrimination of local populations pursued by the Ottoman Empire made its domination the most dreadful time of Bulgaria’s history. During nearly five centuries of Ottoman domination the Bulgarian people never ceased to fight for their freedom and defended its etnicity, religion, language and traditions. The Bulgaria’s sacrifice and constant insurrections barred the further Ottoman expansion westward. An expression of the Bulgarian spirit for liberty and aspiration to independence were over 400 mutinies and uprisings. Later the appearance of the clandestine fighters, the “haydouts”, who protected the Orthdox Christian population, made the emergence of a well-organised national liberation movement possible. The eminent Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov - the father of the modern Bulgarian literature - described the struggle for national liberation in its famous novel “Under the Yoke”. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church played a major role in preserving cultural heritage and ethnic identity of the Bulgarian people and promoted the ideas of Bulgarian Revival and national liberation. The Bulgarian Renaissance period began in the middle of the 18-th century. The struggle for an independent autocephalous church, for open religious practices and for publishing books and periodicals in Bulgarian language characterized this initial demand for statehood (after the Ottoman invasion of the Balkans the Greec Patriarchy was recognized by the Turks as the only representative of the Christian population. Bulgarian priests were substituted by Greec ones, who preached in Greec). In 1762 a monk form the Chiliandary monastery (one of the Bulgarian monasteries at Mt. Athos), Father Paissiy Hilendarski, wrote a manuscript “A Slavic- Bulgarian History” designed to increase the awareness of the Bulgarians of their glorious past and of their potential to develop as a free nation in an independent state of their own. The ideas of national liberation led to the establishing of an autonomous Bulgarian national Church in 1870 and to the flourishing of education and culture. Many schools were created and sponsored by the Bulgarian Orthodox church. Some of the key figures during the Bulgarian National Revival were Zachary Zograph, Nikolay Pavlovich, Stanislav Dospevski, brothers Miladinov who compiled and published the antology “Bulgarian national songs” (1861) and many others. The Ecclesiastical and National Liberation Mouvements forced the Ottoman Empire to grant the Bulgarians the status of a self-determined nation. In the first half of 19th century the national liberation movement on the Balkans (Serbia and Greece gained independance) forced the Ottoman Empire to make some concessions. In 1839 and in 1856 the Sultan issued decrees proclaiming equal status for all its subjects, but to a large extent the declared rights and freedoms remained on paper only. The struggle for national liberation The start of the organised revolutionary movement for liberation from Ottoman domination is associated with the work of Georgi Sava Rakovski (1821-1867) - writer and journalist, founder and ideologist of the national liberation movement. In 1869 in Bucharest, Romania, the expatriate Bulgarian community created a Central revolutionary committee, wich was to organize an uprising in Bulgaria. The main figures in the national liberation movement were Vassil Levski (1837-1873) - strategist and ideologist of the movement and national hero; Lyuben Karavelov (1834-1879) - writer and journalist, leader and ideologist of the movement; Hristo Botev (1848-1876) - poet and journalist, revolutionary, democrat, national hero, Petko Kaloyanov (Kapitan Petko Voyvoda) and many other Bulgarians. The revolutionary activity of Vassil Levski made him a national hero, called by the people “Apostle of Freedom”. Characteristic features of the Bulgarian National Liberation Mouvement were the fact that it was conceived as a part of the struggle of all the oppressed Balkan peoples against the Ottoman Empire (many Bulgarians participated in the uprisings in Serbia - 1804, in Greece - 1821, in Crete - 1866), and the belief that Russia is the staunchest ally of the Christian population in this struggle. In 1876 the April Uprising broke out - the most significant attempt at liberation from Ottoman domination and a crucial point in the emerging national liberation movement. The uprising was brutally crushed and drowned in blood, but eventually it drew the attention of Russia, Western Europe and the United States and gave rise to the “Bulgarian issue”. Two Americans – the diplomat Eugene Schuyler and the journalist Januarius MacGahan were the first to report to the World in mid 1876 of the despicable atrocities, committed against the Bulgarian civilians. More than 30 000 of them were massacred, thousands of towns, villages and Christian shrines were looted and destroyed. In Batak alone 3000 women, men and children – practically the whole population - were slaughtered. The uprising further deepened the political crisis in the Ottoman Empire (called the “Ill man” of Europe) and generated large public support in Europe, especially in Russia, for the liberation of the Balkan Christian populations. An international commission was created to inquire into the exactions against the Bulgarian population. Russia and Great Britain initiated the convening of the Istambul Diplomatic Conference 1876-77 aimed at resolving the issue of the Bulgarian and other suffering Balkan peoples under the Ottoman Empire. The conference established specific geographical borders of the regions with a predominant ethnic Bulgarian population, based on the territory of the Bulgarian Ecsarchie under the Empire’s official legal act (ferman) of 1870. The failure of this diplomatic effort precipitated the outburst of the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878). After heavy and epic battles at the Shipka pass, at Pleven, Stara Zagora and other cities, in wich Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Roumanian and Finland soldiers fought together, the Turkish army was defeated. The Bulgarian volunteers under Russian commandement (more than 10,000) with their bravery and self-sacrifice contributed a lot to the final victory and after the war constituted the core of the Bulgarian Army. On 3 March 1878 at San Stefano near Istanbul was signed the peace treaty recognizing the defeat of the Turkish army. The treaty put an end to the Ottoman Empire’s domination in the Balkans. It re-established the Bulgarian state along its ethnic boundaries, close to those defined by the 1876 Istambul Diplomatic Conference thus creating the prerequisites for the independent development of the Bulgarian nation-state. For that reason the 3 March was proclaimed a National Holiday of Bulgaria. Under the treaty provisions, Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro were granted full independence. Only several months later, however, the San Stefano Peace Treaty, which was a preliminary one, was revised by the then Great Powers - Germany, Great Britain, France, Austria-Hungary and Russia. This took place at the Berlin Congress. The artificial division of the newly liberated territories decided upon by the Congress served temporary political interests.The revision created the “knot” of complications which made the Balkans the “powder-keg” of Europe and resulted in subsequent rivelry, disputes and eventually wars in the region. Exactly here lie the roots of the process which in later times became internationally known as “Balkanization”. Therefore, the notorious “Balkanization” was not produced by the specific mentality or characteristics of the Balkan peoples, it was rather a result of the Great Powers’ arbitrary acts. According to the resolutions of the Berlin Congress, the newly liberated Bulgarian territories were divided into three: the Principality of Bulgaria was proclaimed (the lands between the Danube river and Stara planina mountain) - with Prince Alexander Battemberg at its head, Eastern Rumelia (Southern Bulgaria)- with a Christian Governor appointed by the Sultan, while Thrace and Macedonia were reverted to the Ottoman Empire. The decisions of the Berlin Congress provoked discontent and frustration among the Bulgarians, who expressed their protests and started to mobilize their efforts for the re-unification of the homeland. Only a few months after the Berlin Congress, in October 1878 the Bulgarian population in the region of Kresna and Razlog (South-Eastern Bulgaria) rised against the Empire.The Bulgarian people openly challenged the unjust decisions of the Berlin congress and in September 1885 the re-unification of Principality of Bulgaria with Eastern Roumelia was announced. This patriotic act unanimously supported by the Bulgarian people was so convincing and unequivocal that the Great Powers had to accept it. The re-unification of Bulgaria provoked Serbia to wage a war against Bulgaria. After a short military campaign the young Bulgarian army defeated the experienced army of Serbia. Meanwhile, the situation of the population in Macedonia and Thrace under the Ottoman Empire worsened significantly. Applying the principle “divide and conquer”, it encouraged nationalist incitement and rivalry among the different ethnic groups favoring those, aimed at weakening the positions of the predominant Bulgarian population. In 1893 – 1895 the Internal Revolutiary Organisation of Macedonia and Odrin (Edirne) region was created and started to spread its influence rapidly. The proclaimed goal was the liberation from the Ottoman Empire. The Elinden-Preobrazhenie uprising erupted in August 1903 in which over 20 000 individuals participated. Once again people’s resistance was brutally put down by the Turks. Trying to escape from the repression, tens of thousands of Bulgarians from Macedonia immigrated to Bulgaria (nearly half of the 70 000 refugees), United States and other countries. The modern Bulgarian State This period commenced with one significant act – the convening of the Great National Assembly in February 1879 in medieval Bulgarian capital Veliko Tarnovo which proclaimed Bulgaria Constitutional Monarchy and adopted a liberal Constitution. After 1878, the first cultural and educational institutions in the Principality began to emerge. The St. St. Cyril and Methodius National Library was built in 1878, the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia opened its doors in 1888, the Accademy of Arts - in 1895 and the “Ivan Vazov” National Theatre - in 1904. The first film was shown in Rousse in 1897. The late 19th and the early 20th century were characterised by remarkable achievements in all fine arts. This period was marked by the works of the Bulgarian poets and writers Ivan Vazov, Aleko Konstantinov, Dimcho Debelyanov, Pencho Slaveykov - the only Bulgarian nominated for Nobel Prize, Peyo Yavorov and many others. The artists Anton Mitov, Ivan Angelov, Ivan Mrkvicka, Yaroslav Veshin, B. Schatz and others created some of the most remarkable works of art during that time. The late 19th century also marked the beginning of Bulgarian professional musical culture. The first Bulgarian composers were Emanouil Manolov, Dimiter Christov and Georgi Atanassov-Maestro. Ferdinand Saxe Coburg Gotha, Bulgarian Prince since 1887, proclaimed Bulgaria's independence from Turkey in 1908 and became King of Bulgaria. In alliance with Serbia, Greece and Montenegro Bulgaria took part in the Balkan War (1912) against the Ottoman Empire for the liberation of Thrace and Macedonia in which Turkey was vanquished. In May 1913 the London Peace Treaty formalized the liberation of the lands westward of the line Midia-Enos from Ottoman domination. The victorious march of the allied armies was admired in Europe and in United States, especially the taking over by the Bulgarian army of Odrin (March 1913) considered to be an unseizable military stronghold of the Ottoman Empire. The president of the United States sent a letter of congratulations to the Bulgarian Government on the occasion of this victory. Discords among the allies as to the allocation of the newly liberated territories escalated into an armed conflict between them. Shortly after the signing of the London Peace Treaty Serbia and Greece violated their previous arrangements with Bulgaria and concluded a military agreement against it. On its side, Bulgaria overestimated its chances to win a war against Serbia, Montenegro and Greece and opted for the military solution. The so called “Inter-Allies War” begun. Roumania and Turkey took advantage of the difficult situation of the Bulgarian army and occupied vast territories in Northern and Southern part of the country respectively. The Bucharest and the Istanbul peace treaties imposed harsh conditions on Bulgaria. Under the Bucharest peace treaty provisions Serbia, Montenegro and Greece acquired large territories of the former Ottoman Empire, inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians.The three countries partitioned among themselves Macedonia, Southern Dobrudja was ceded to Roumania. Eastern Thrace was returned to Turkey. Charles Vopica, the American representative to the Bucharest peace conference, objected the unnecessary dictate on Bulgaria and refused to sign the Peace Treaty. In 1913 the International Foundation for Peace, financed by the American philanthropist Andrew Carnegi, sponsored the International Commission to Inquire into the Causes and Conduct of Balkan Wars (1912 - 1913) – the famous Carnegie Commission. The Commission, which included well-known politicians, diplomats, journalist and researchers from United Kingdom, France, Russia, United States determined on site the behavior of the belligerants. In the spring of 1914 the 420-pages report of the Commission was published in New York. It contained plenty of fotographic materials, facsimiles of original documents, statistics and eyewitness testimonies. The report described the practices of ethnic cleansing, assimilation and brutal repression of the Bulgarian population on the territory of Macedonia and Thrace. As a result, tens of thousands of reffugees were expelled from their homes and were forced to escape in Bulgaria or to imigrate in other countries.The issue of Bulgarian refugees’ land and property arised. Although aimed at national re-unification, the intervention of Bulgaria in World War I on the side of the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) ended with a national catastrophe. In 1918, King Ferdinand abdicated in favour of his son Boris III. The Neuilly Peace Treaty of 1919 imposed severe provisions on Bulgaria: it lost its outlet on the Aegean Sea, Western Thrace became a part of Greece, Southern Dobroudja was annexed to Romania, and the territories around Strumica, Bosilegrad, Zaribrod and villages around Kula were given to the Serbian-Croatian-Slovenian Kingdom. (Southern Dobroudja was restored to Bulgaria in 1940 by the Bulgarian-Romanian Treaty of Kraiova). In 1919 King Ferdinant abdicated in favor of his son Boris. The Government of the Bulgarian Agrarian Union’s leader Alexander Stamboliiski came to power until June 1923 when it was overthrowned and killed in a right-wing military coup. Stamboliiski passed some reforms and stabilized the national economy and army. Twice – in 1923 and in 1934 - the democratically elected governments were remouved and authoritarian regimes were established. The military and political failiures and the economic crisis after the war triggered the appearance of leftist and communist mouvements. The period until the end of World War II was marked by increasing political and armed opposition led by the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) against the internal and foreign policy of the official regimes. The 1920s and 1930s were characterised with a growing economic stabilization and further development of Bulgarian culture. During that period Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora, Zlatyu Boyadjiev, Dechko Uzunov and many other artists created remarkable works. The State Musical Academy was founded in 1921. The first steps of the art of Bulgarian ballet were made in 1928. Among the most prominent composers of that period were Pancho Vladigerov, Lyubomir Pipkov and Philip Koutev. Under the Old Sky, The Cairn and Graves without Crosses were among the best Bulgarian films in the 1920s and 1930s. The literary works of Elin Pelin, Yordan Yovkov, Geo Milev, Hristo Smirnenski, Elisaveta Bagryana, Assen Raztsvetnikov, Nikola Fournadjiev, Nikola Vaptsarov, and others, are brilliant examples of Bulgarian poetry and prose during that period. In the early 1940s, Bulgaria led a policy in the interest of Germany and the Axis powers. However, during the World War II Bulgarian army remained stationary and no troops were sent to fight to the East front in support of the German army. Bulgaria was rather used as a rest and recuperation base. The large public opposition, involving the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, members of Parliament and other activists was supported by King Boris III who did not allow the deportation of 50,000 Bulgarian Jews to the concentration camps. A large scale partisan movement emerged against the pro-German orientation of the government. In the final stages of WW II (1944 - 1945) however Bulgaria joined the anti-nazi coalition forces and contributed for the liberation of Europe. In August 1943 King Boris III died and the regency of the young King Simeon II took over the governing of the country. On 5 September 1944, the Soviet Army entered Bulgaria and on 9 September the Fatherland Front Government, headed by Kimon Georgiev, came into power. In 1946, after a referendum, Bulgaria was proclaimed a People's Republic. The Queen-Mother, King Simeon ІІ and Princess Maria-Louisa left Bulgaria for Egypt via Turkey (The royal familly was living in exile until the end of 1990’s). According to the pre-arranged agreements between the Great Allied forces by the end of WW II, Bulgaria remained within the zone of strong Soviet dominance.The Bulgarian Communist Party came into power. The political parties outside the communist dominated Fatherland Front were banned, the economic entities, the real estate and the banks were expropriated and then nationalised, the arable land was coercively re-organised into cooperatives. Many dissidents, including members of the BCP, and leaders of the former political parties were executed, imprisoned or displaced during the years of repression under the communist rule. The governing of the state went successively into the hands of communist party leaders like Georgi Dimitrov, Vassil Kolarov, Vulko Chervenkov, Anton Yougov and Todor Zhivkov. One of the most repugnant crimes of the Stalin-type communist dictatorship on the Balkans after World War II was the brutal repression against ethnic Bulgarians in the newly created Tito’s Yugoslavia. Continuing the old policy of ethnic cleansing, in December 1944, 1000 soldiers and 70 officers were executed in Skopie by the Yugoslav army, because of being Bulgarians. Executions and other repressions of those who determined themselves Bulgarians were carried out at that time in many towns and villages in Macedonia, which became a part of Yugoslavia. For instance, near Veles in the fall of 1944, 53 eminent city intellectuals of Bulgarian origin were slaughtered by the Yugoslav military in one night. According to different sources, the number of the casualties of such atrocities reaches 20 000. Other tens of thousands Macedonian citizens of Bulgarian origin were put in prisons or camps for many years. In 1955 Bulgaria became a member of the United Nations. Although under a totalitarian regime, after the WW II, especially in 1960’s and 1970’s, Bulgaria experienced significant economic and social development, compared to the pre-war levels. The most salient features were the industrialization and the related development of the energy sector, the expansion of the infrastructure and social services – medical care and education. Significant achievements were made in the fields of culture and science. Bulgaria became a member of the Warsaw Pact and COMECON. Nevertheless, by the middle of the 1980’s the potential of the state-run socialist economy was exhausted and the economic situation started to deteriorate. This further spured public discontent and strengthened the people’s aspiration to democracy and political change. Bulgaria was an example of peacefull transition from the totalitarian rule to democracy and market economy. Bulgaria – a Democratic State The date 10 November 1989 marked the beginning of the democratic changes in Bulgaria. A new Constitution was adopted (1991), the multy-party political system was restored, economic reform, privatisation and restitution of the land and real estate expropriated after 1947 started. A new political force emerged - the Union of Democratic Forces, which won the parliamentary elections in 1991. In 1990 D-r Zhelyu Zhelev became the first democratically elected President of Bulgaria. Bulgaria joined the World Trade Organization in 1996. In July 1998, Bulgaria became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). The key priorities in Bulgaria's foreign policy became the membership in the European Union and NATO. As a result of the country's considerable progress towards meeting the criteria for EU membership, Bulgaria received on 10 December 1999 the invitation to start the pre-accession negotiations. The negotiations started in Brussels on 15 February 2000. On 1 December 2000, the Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the European Union decided to remove Bulgaria from the negative visa list and to allow its citizens to travel freely in the countries of the EU. On April 6th, 2001 Simeon Saxe Coburg Gotha in a public address declared his return to the political scene. The National Movement Simeon the Second (NMSS) was founded. In June 2001, in a coalition with two other parties, NMSS won the elections for the 39-th National Assembly. The Mouvement acquired 120 seats in the National Assembly and Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was appointed Prime Minister. The key priorities of the Government are stable macroeconomic situation, rapid economic growth and employment. Bulgaria in 2002-2003 served a 2-year term as a non-permanent member on the UN Security Council. Bulgaria has taken part in peace-keeping operations in Kambodge, Bosna and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Iraq. Bulgaria officially became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on March 29, 2004 after depositing its instruments of treaty ratification in Washington, DC. Bulgaria has completed its EU accession negotiations at the end of 2004 and is set to sign the Accession Agreement on 25 April 2005, its full membership in the EU starting on 1 January 2007. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria D-r Solomon Passy was Chairman-In-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for 2004.
International Fair Plovdiv
THE LARGEST FAIR IN THE BALKANSThe beginning of the exhibition industry in the modern Bulgarian history was laid in 1892 when Plovdiv hosted the First Bulgarian Agricultural and Industrial Exposition. International Fair - Plovdiv is the successor of the First Exposition and of its mission as well - to contribute to the prosperity of the Bulgarian people by encouraging the development of the national industry. The exhibition calendar of International Fair - Plovdiv comprises multi-branch fairs and trade exhibitions covering key sectors of Bulgarian economy. International Fair - Plovdiv organizes the most important trade forums countrywide, opening up prospects for the Bulgarian producers to appear on the international market. The trade fair and exhibition events outline the performance of Bulgarian economy, as well as the interest of the international business in our country and region. The Fairground is the largest exhibition site in the Balkan region. It is situated on area of 360,000 sq. m. The exhibition complex consists of 24 multifunctional pavilions best equipped for the arrangement and display of all kinds of exhibits. The exhibition area amounts to 95,000 sq. m., the indoor area is 60,000 sq. m. The modern Congress Centre of the International Fair Plovdiv comprises eight multifunctional halls with 20 to 550 seats. Another 11 halls in various pavilions are also available. International Fair - Plovdiv provides its customers with appropriate conditions for business activities, identical to those offered by the most renowned European fairs. International Fair - Plovdiv is the only fair organizing company in Bulgaria admitted as a member of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI). Seven of its events have fulfilled the high criteria and have been approved by UFI. These are the International Technical Fair, the International Consumer Goods and Technologies Fair, the specialized exhibitions AGRA; VINARIA; MEDICUS, DENTO, GALENIA, PrintCom and Foodtech. International Fair Plovdiv TraditionsThe beginning is rooted in 1892. The first Bulgarian Exposition of Agriculture and Industry is inaugurated in August 1892 in Plovdiv. Its objective - to stimulate the budding Bulgarian industry and agriculture, to provide foreign contacts for the Bulgarian producers internationally, to outline perspectives to the population at large. The First Bulgarian Exposition is given birth by the evolving of Bulgarian economy of those days. It aims to show the new production forms in the country, to bring the Bulgarian producers and merchants closer to Europe and the world. Prepared enthusiastically, by many experts as well, it accounts for impressive scale and participation number, for the Exposition is stretched on a total area over 90 000 sq.m., the overall number of participant-countries is 24 and, during its holding for two months and a half, the pavilions are visited by 162 000 attendees. The Bulgarian exhibitors display their achievements in silk industry, wine-producing, tobacco-growing, textile industry, production of essential oils, furriery, plant-growing. Such technical novelties as electric bulbs, Edison's phonograph, arms of the German KRUPP company, on display at the foreign pavilions, make strong impression on the visitors. The then heart of the Exposition Ground throbed at Tzar Simeonovata Gradina (i.e. the Garden of Tzar Simeon) is today's heart of modern Plovdiv. In 1933 comes the National Exhibition on Economy held in Plovdiv with 424 exhibitors and over 120 000 attendees. It features the First Sample Fair in Plovdiv - one more step in the Bulgarian fair history, the history of International Fair-Plovdiv in particular. The Second Sample Fair is in 1934. Here such celebrations are brought into focus as the 30th anniversary of the Union of Bulgarian Industrialists, the 40th anniversary of Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the 100th anniversary of the First Bulgarian Wool-Weaving Mill owned by Dobri Zheliazkov-Fabrikadzhiata. A Decree of the Council of Ministers of May 16., 1934 acknowledges Plovdiv Fair as permanent and unique one in Bulgaria. This is how it becomes a part of the economic panorama of the country. The subsequent Sample Fair held in Plovdiv in 1936 is promulgated for international one. The estimated number of participant-companies from Bulgaria exceeds 1000, and the participating foreign companies account for 385. Plovdiv fairs are held through the years at different intervals, but the tradition of showing new merchandise and technologies, successfully mediating between business counterparts, stays. International Fair Plovdiv MembershipUFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry UFI was founded on 15 April, 1925, in Milan, Italy, by 20 leading European international trade fairs: Bordeaux, Brussels, Budapest, Cologne, Danzig, Frankfurt/Main, Leipzig, Ljubljana, Lvov, Lyon, Milan, Nizhny Novgorod, Padua, Paris, Prague, Reichenberg, Utrecht, Valencia, Vienna and Zagreb. UFI serves the worldwide exhibition sector including show organisers, venue managers and service providers. It is the only organization entitled to recognize a trade fair/exhibition as an international event. The current UFI President is Mr. Ruud G. van Ingen, and UFI Managing Director is Mr. Vincent G?rard. At present, UFI represents 299 member organizations (106 exhibition organizers, 22 owners/managers of exhibition centres, 113 exhibition organizers & owners/managers of exhibition centres, 39 associations and 19 partners of the exhibition industry) in 164 cities in 72 countries on five continents. Annually, UFI members organize more than 4,000 trade fairs and exhibitions and rent over 50 million square metres of exhibition space. More than 1 million exhibitors participate in these events each year and the attending visitors exceed 150 million. UFI has set up four Regional Chapters: Africa / Middle East (25 members); America (15 members); Asia / Pacific (63 members) and Europe (181 members). The main objectives of the Regional Chapters are to assist the members within the respective region, to discuss specific problems and to promote UFI. In order to allow UFI members to exchange information, experience and know-how, UFI has established several thematic committees. Each committee is headed by a Chairman, and is composed of a limited number of UFI members. The thematic committees are: Marketing Committee, Exhibition Centres Committee, Information & Communication Technologies Committee, Statistics and Transparency of Trade Fairs/Exhibitions Committee, Committee of the Associations. International Fair - Plovdiv was admitted as a full member of UFI on 10 December, 1936, at the 12th UFI Congress in Paris. Nowadays, International Fair – Plovdiv organizes seven UFI-approved events: International Technical Fair – UFI-approved event since 1936; International Consumer Goods and Technologies Fair – UFI-approved event since 1985; AGRA International Agricultural Exhibition – UFI-approved event since 1995; VINARIA International Exhibition of Wine-Growing and Wine-Producting – UFI-approved event since 1997; MEDICUS, DENTO, GALENIA International Exhibition of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceuticals and Balneology – UFI-approved event since 2000; PRINTCOM International Exhibition of Printing Communications – UFI-approved event since 2001; FOODTECH International Exhibition - UFI-approved event since 2003. The Central European Fair Alliance (CEFA) was set up in 1995 by an agreement for cooperation signed by 10 founder-members: Bratislava, Brno, Budapest, Graz, Klagenfurt, Ljubljana, Munich, Prague, Vienna, Zagreb. In 2000 and 2001, Belgrade, Bolzano, Novi Sad and Sarajevo were also admitted to membership, Skopje became a member in 2002. International Fair – Plovdiv joined CEFA in 2003. A present, 16 trade fair organizers and UFI-members, are also members of CEFA. They have created a network for exchange of information, experience and know-how and with the aim to coordinate the strategies and to promote the regional and national trade fair venues. CEFA provides new opportunities for joint marketing and PR activities, for continuous know-how transfer and training, including exchange of staff members. CEFA was officially recognized by UFI at the annual General Assembly of the European Chapter during the 69th UFI-Congress in Munich. Dr. Reinhold Marsoner, the Director of Bolzano Fairs, is elected CEFA President. Klaus Schabatka is the Secretary General. EASE The Exhibition Association of Southeast Europe (EASE) was founded in 2003. The headquarters of EASE are based in Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro. The founders of EASE are the trade fair centres of Novi Sad, Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Jadran, Leskovac, Mostar, Plovdiv, Skopje, Split, Subotica, Timisoara, Tirana, Zenica and Sarajevo. International Fair – Plovdiv has been a member of EASE since 2003. The key priorities of the Association are: to strengthen the relations among the exhibition centers in the region to establish regional integration and cooperation to tap successfully regional and international markets to exchange information on exhibition centers, and to attract visitors to the events organized by the members. The Chairman of EASE is George Cojocaru. Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Andrejevic is the General Manager, and Nebojsa Drakulic is the Secretary General. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) was founded in 1963. The ICCA Head Office is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ICCA has over 600 members (including organizations and companies) from 80 countries and a global network of professionals active in the international meetings industry. ICCA provides its members with the unique opportunity to gain access to comprehensive information on international meetings, business initiatives and communication with potential clients. The ICCA network enhances the cooperation between the members. Chapters, National and Local ICCA Committees have been formed to enable ICCA members in the same geographic region to work together. ICCA has a structure based upon a number of Categories, each representing a professional sector within the meetings industry: Category A Congress Travel & Destination Management Companies Category B Airlines Category C Professional Congress, Convention and/or Exhibition Organisers Category D Tourist and Convention Bureaux Category E Meeting Information & Technical Specialists Category F Meetings Hotels Category G Convention & Exhibition Centres Category H Honorary Members International Fair – Plovdiv is a member of Category G - Convention & Exhibition Centres. ICCA has offices in the Netherlands, Malaysia, U.S.A. and Uruguay. Bulgarian Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) was set up in 2004 with head office in Sofia. Its key objective is to promote Bulgaria internationally as an attractive meetings and convention destination. BCVB is the only organization of its kind in Bulgaria, whose members encourage the development of the congress tourism in the country. BCVB is strongly supported by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Bulgaria and Sofia Municipality. At present, 41 companies have joined BCVB. They are engaged in the tourism industry and are organizers of convention events: Hilton Sofia, Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan, Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotel Zografski, National Palace of Culture, BIBA, International Fair – Plovdiv, M3 Communication Group, Bulgarian Association of Travel Agents, “Bulgaria Air” National Airline, Kongresstechnik Bulgaria, Bulgarreklama, TZUM, Sofia Land, etc. Mr. Yordan Radev, Executive Director of International Fair – Plovdiv, is member of the Board of Directors of BCVB. Bulgarian Association of Fair and Exhibition Organizers (BAFEO) was established in 2003. The main office of BAFEO is in Plovdiv. The development of the exhibition industry in Bulgaria and the implementation of the European criteria for the organization of exhibition events are key objectives of the Association. BAFEO members: Balkan Expo, Dobrich Fair, Expo Group, Expo Team, International Fair – Plovdiv, Partners Expo, Trade and Advertising Centre for Construction, Fairnet Bulgaria. Mr. Yordan Radev, Executive Director of International Fair – Plovdiv, is President of the Bulgarian Association of Fair and Exhibition Organizers. Fair Ground The Fair Ground in Plovdiv is a modern exposition complex stretching for 360,000 sq.m (See the Fair Ground Map (.gif)). The overall exhibition area is 95,000 sq.m., 60,000 sq.m. of which account for indoor area. The International Fair-Plovdiv harbours 24 multifunctional exposition pavilions designed to accommodate all types of exhibits. Pavilions are of various size and configuration, equipped with escalators, heating and air-condition equipment, lifts, a direct rail link, a local television system, audio systems, electricity and water supply, telephone, telex and facsimile communications and company offices providing modern equipping. The International Congress Centre comprises eight state-of-the-art multifunctional halls with 20 to 550 seats, totalling 1,230 seats. Together with the 11 already existing halls, the seated capacity amounts to 2,200. A best-equipped Press Club facilitates companies in their contacts with journalists in presenting new products, technologies, or just a new kind of activity. A comfortable restaurant, a coffee-bar, catering establishments in each exhibition pavilion cater for exhibitors and visitors. A National Oenotheque, the first of its kind to store the best staples of the Bulgarian wine-producers, is set up at the International Fair-Plovdiv. International Fair – Plovdiv is the Bulgarian Exhibition Centre. It is not only a platform for the Bulgarian producers to emerge on the international market, but also an indicator for the economic development of the country. Ranking among the leading European fair organizers, International Fair – Plovdiv provides its customers with state-of-the-art facilities and ensures the best possible conditions for business activities. Annually, 24 exhibition events are organized and held at the Fairground with the participation of 7,000 exhibitors from 58 countries. Fair Statistics A MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR The positive trends marked in the economic development of Bulgaria, the favorable investment climate and the accelerated rates of the accession of our country to the European economic and political environment provided a new impetus for the development of the exhibition events organized by International Fair – Plovdiv, reflected in the quantitative indices. In the year 2004, International Fair - Plovdiv held 40 fair and exhibition events with the participation of 7,378 exhibitors from 63 countries occupying exhibition area of ca. 241,849 sq.m. To date, the number of visitors accounted for 537,029 Foreign participation was 46% of the total company number and 25% of the exhibition areas. In 2004 the biggest participation was registered by companies from Germany /731/, Italy /634/, USA /202/, Czech Republic /178/, Turkey /175/, France /157/. Bulgarian exhibiting companies were 3,969. Compared to the year 2003, the number of the fairs and exhibitions held accounted for 24 events with more than 7,000 exhibitors from 58 countries and occupying ca. 237,000 sq.m., visited by more than 500,000 attendees. The number of the exhibitors in the year 2004 increased by 5%. Events ranked by number of exhibitors: International Technical Fair - 2 859 International Consumer Goods and Technologies Fair - 1284 Agra - 513 Medicus Dento Galenia - 455 Christmas Bazaar - 450 Vinaria - 371 PrintCom - 327 Spring Contracting - 164 Autumn Contracting - 133 Education Fair - 124 Events ranked by occupied exhibition areas /м2/: International Technical Fair - 93 631 International Consumer Goods and Technologies Fair - 46 517 Agra - 15 610 Christmas Bazaar - 15 360 Vinaria - 12 536 Education Fair - 7 885 PrintCom - 5 542 Medicus Dento Galenia - 5 095 Spring Contracting - 4 532 Hemus - 4 520 Events ranked by number of exhibitors compared to 2003: Agra - 19 % Education Fair - 19 % Banks Investments Money - 16 % Vinaria - 15 % PrintCom - 13 % Medicus Dento Galenia - 13 % Flower Autumn - 12 % International Technical Fair - 9 % International Consumer Goods and Technologies Fair - 5 % The following new projects were realized in the year 2004: Roma World – Specialized Exhibition of Roma Handicrafts, Culture and Business Two new highlights within the Spring and Autumn Contracting “Everything a School-Leaver Needs” and “All Your Child Needs” Autumn edition of Salon International Hair & Beauty Exhibition – Specialized Exhibition of Products, Accessories and Equipment for Hairdresser’s and Beauty Salons, in October Jewelry Expo – International Jewelry Exhibition, in June In unison with the global fair trends set up for specializing of exhibition events, the separate branches in the Spring and Autumn Fair were singled out as independent specialized exhibitions held in parallel within the framework of the Autumn Fair – 10 specialized exhibitions within the framework of the Spring Fair – 5 specialized exhibitions For the first time within the Autumn Fair there was realized the “Partner Country” project. Czech Republic presented its economy in a large-scale exposition with the participation of 83 companies. A new “Generic Promotion Poster” category was successfully introduced in the framework of the International Fair Poster Competition. Project of Italian Government “T.T.A.I.C. – Training for assistance technicians and trade intermediaries in Bulgaria” for the region of Lombardy. The project was implemented via the Foreign Trade Centre of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Handicrafts of the region of Lombardy. Partners for its realization: Co-Export – Bulgaria Consortium for Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and International Fair – Plovdiv The best venue for your business events The International Congress Centre is set up to respond to the latest trends in the exhibition industry related to the fact that the multibranch trade fairs and specialized exhibitions are turning more and more into intellectual focal points. Nowadays, the classic exhibition business would flourish only in a comprehensive information environment. The construction of the International Congress Centre is a stage of the investment programme of International Fair – Plovdiv for renovation and modernization of the exhibition facilities and infrastructure. The International Congress Centre comprises nine state-of-the-art multifunctional halls with 20 to 550 seats, totalling 1,230 seats. Together with the already existing halls, the seated capacity amounts to 2,100. Suitable venues are also available for hosting major international and national cultural, sporting events, etc., which can be held in pavilions capable of seating 2,000. The International Congress Centre houses also a press club and a press centre providing all the necessary facilities and modern equipment to facilitate the work of the accredited journalists. International Fair Plovdiv Tourist Information Hotels in Plovdiv Bulgaria Plovdiv Hotels and Hotel ReservtionsHotels NOVOTEL PLOVDIV ***** 2, Zlatyu Boyadzhiev Str. 4000 Plovdiv Phone.: +359 32/934-444 Fax: +359 32/934-346 E-mail: reservation@novotelpdv.bg SANKT PETERBURG Park-hotel**** 97, Bulgaria Blvd. Plovdiv Phone: +359 32/91-03 Fax: +359 32/951-830 E-mail: stpeterburg@balkansys.com HOTEL MARITZA **** 42, Tsar Boris III – Obedinitel Blvd. Plovdiv Phone: +359 32/952-737 Fax: +359 32/952-770 E-mail : victoriagroup@abv.bg HOTEL AVION Plovdiv *** 15, Han Pressijan Str. 4000 Plovdiv Phone/Fax: +359 32 /967 451 Reservation: +359 32/967 451, 967 452 E-mail: info@hotelavion.info http://www.hotelavion.info HOTEL BULGARIA*** 13, Patriarh Evtimii Str. Phone: +359 32/633 599, 633 662 Fax: +359 32/633 403 E-mail: mng@hotelbulgaria.net Park Hotel IMPERIAL *** 1a, Arch . K. Petkov Str. 4017 Plovdiv Bulgaria Phone: +359/32/600 730; 32/731 Fax: +359/32/600 781 E-mail: hotelimperial@abv.bg http://www.hotelimperialbg.com HOTEL ROYAL*** 6, Belgrad Str. Plovdiv Phone: +359 32/960-707 Fax: +359 32/960-704 E-mail: hotel.royal@mail.bg Trimontium Princess**** 2, Kapitan Raicho Str. Plovdiv Phone: +359 32/605-000 Fax: +359 32/605-009 E-mail: reservation@trimontium-princess.com Hotels in Plovdiv BulgariaInternational Fair - PLOVDIV Contacts4003, Plovdiv, BULGARIA 37, Tzar Boris III - Obedinitel Blvd General Information Phone: (+359) 32 903 600 Fax: (+359) 32 902 432 Е-mail: fairinfo@fair.bg Executive Director Phone: (+359) 32 902 242, (+359) 32 902 800 E-mail: secretary@fair.bg Public Relations Phone: (+359) 32 903 109, (+359) 32 901 716 E-mail: p_c@fair.bg Commercial Division Phone: (+359) 32 903 146 E-mail: exhibitions@fair.bg Fairs abroad 032/ 90 22 66 , 90 33 25, 90 26 76, 90 21 38 Fax: 032/ 90 24 32 , 62 05 11 E-mail: fairsabroad@fair.bg Congress Centre Phone: +359 32/902638, 902220, 902660 Fax: +359 32/ 902432 E-mail: congress@fair.bg Advertising Phone: (+359) 32 902 381, (+359) 32 903-677 E-mail: advertising@fair.bg Information System Phone: (+359) 32 902 463, 903 598, 902 239 E-mail: info@fair.bg, is@fair.bg Stand Design & Construction Phone: (+359) 32 903 140 (+359) 32 902-363 E-mail: construction@fair.bg Transportion and Forwarding Services Phone: (+359) 32 903 577, 903 570 E-mail: sped@fair.bg SOFIA Office 10-12, Lavele Str. Phone: (+359) 2 980 2322, 981 7448 Fax: (+359) 2 980 2322 E-mail: sofia@fair.bg
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