ABOUT BULGARIA | business

Bulgaria - a country profile

Identified some years ago by the New York Times as a sleeping beauty about to rouse herself, Bulgaria is now very much awake to her potential. With a steadily developing economy and membership of the eurozone on the horizon, rising income levels to look forward to over the next decade and a host of EU structural development programmes in place, the Bulgarian success story is evolving daily. Blend all of that with a rich and mysterious cultural heritage, a wealth and diversity of nature that simply takes the breath away and a rural tranquility hard to find anywhere else in Europe and you have a sense of what makes Bulgaria such an extremely attractive Balkan Beauty.

Bulgaria in the EU ...

Bulgaria has been a full member of the EU since January 2007 which means that, if you come here from another EU country, you automatically have the same EU-wide rights of citizenship that you will be used to. In practical terms this means that, subject to local legislation, you can live here for as long as you wish, you can own property, you can open bank accounts, you can work, your children can be educated at local schools, you can set up a business, you can access state and private medical services - and you can vote and stand as a candidate in all local, municipal and EU elections.

A Bulgarian Lifestyle ...

For many people, one of the biggest attractions of Bulgaria is that it offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the better things of life: the beach in summer, skiing in the winter, golf, walking in the mountains, horse-riding, fishing, football; painting, photography, bird-watching; opera, theatre, music; clubs, concerts, cinema - it's all here. On the other hand, you could spend your days pottering around the garden and your evenings outside watching the sun go down over a glass of home-made wine, just like your neighbours. And It's not just the view through rose-tinted glasses that reveals the sheep and goats roaming freely around the unfenced fields and the tranquility enjoyed by people living comfortably side-by-side with nature. Self sufficiency is a respected standard - but, if you prefer, you can also buy everything you need for a completely modern lifestyle from any of the big supermarkets or shopping malls that are now open for business across the country.

The Capital of Bulgaria is ...

Sofia - home to around 1.4 million people and noted, amongst other European cities, for hosting a large orthodox church, a synagogue and a mosque, all on the same square. This reflects the genuine and deep respect that Bulgarians have for their history of various cultural influences. The motto of Sofia is Ever Growing, Never Old and never has this been more true than during the past decade or so when the Sofians have witnessed a construction and infrastructure boom that has created a unique, but strangely juxtaposed, architectural vista of magnificent historic and revivalist buildings, utilitarian, socialist-era apartment blocks and modern, glass-and-chrome condominiums, penthouses, retail malls and business complexes, all set against the stunning scenic backdrop of Vitosha mountain.

Religious Beliefs ...

Most ethnic Bulgarians belong to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, though there are small numbers of Muslims, Protestants, and Roman Catholics. Other religions include Judaism, Armenian Orthodox Christianity, and a variety of Protestant churches and sects. Orthodox Christianity is enshrined in the constitution as the traditional religion in Bulgaria, and the church has a legacy of ties to nationalist groups, although state regulation of religious affairs has diminished since the fall of socialism. Most orthodox Bulgarians are observant and there is a significant level of interest in religious participation and practices which, today, have become largely markers of social and cultural identity.

Baba Marta - Grandmother March ...

The first of March is a particular Bulgarian celebration whose origins are shrouded in folklore but it is essentially the local variation of the rites of spring. The Baba Marta of folklore is a mean old woman whose mood needs to be appeased in order to ensure good weather for the coming growing season. The custom is to don a woven red and white item, called a Martinitsa, on this day to cheer up Grandmother March and when the first sign of spring arrives with the sighting of a stork, then the garment is removed and hung from the branches of a fruit tree to ensure an abundant harvest. Martinitzi are always white and red, in many different shapes and sizes and often decorated with beads, colourful threads and coins and are joyfully shared with friends and family to celebrate Baba Marta's day.

Geography and Nature ...

Bulgaria is situated in Eastern Europe and bounded to the north by the River Danube and Romania, to the east by the Black Sea, to the south by Turkey and Greece and to the west by Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Balkan Mountains cross the country reaching to the edge of the Black Sea and its golden beaches. The land is heavily cultivated, covered with forests and crossed by rivers. With endless, sandy beaches along the Black Sea, wild mountain ranges and lush green hills, fertile plains, magnificent gorges, rivers and natural springs, Bulgaria's natural landscape is full of surprises and rightly famous for its rolling green hills and woodlands, dreamy scented rose fields, richly coloured orchards and sundrenched vineyards.

Tourism ...

Bulgaria is a year-round destination, enjoying four distinct seasons: a blooming spring, a typically Mediterranean summer, a long and pleasant autumn and a mild winter with lots of opportunity for skiing. Although Bulgaria lies in the very southeast corner of Europe the climate is never extreme in summer. There are more than 1,700 hours of sunshine, rainfall is low and the beaches are clean with eight EU blue flags. The Black Sea resorts have some of the largest beaches in Europe and offer sunbathing from May until October, while in winter heavy falls of snow are virtually guaranteed in the mountain ski resorts, which are amongst the best and most popular in Europe. Bulgaria's mountains and lakes offer clean air, endless outdoor pursuits and some fantastic landscapes. Bulgaria is an intriguing experience for everyone: for those who love the warm southern sea or snow-covered slopes, for those who want to visit cultural and historic monuments, for young people fond of entertainment, for families with children, for the aged and people seeking relaxing spa treatments, for those who dream of carefree holidays ... Bulgaria is open to the world

Getting there ...

Many international airlines operate regular flights to Bulgaria all year round. From the UK, British Airways, Air Bulgaria, Austrian Airways, Easyjet, WizzAir, Sky Europe, Alitalia and Lufthansa fly direct to Sofia. During the summer months, a number of major tour operators including Thomson, Airtours and First Choice offer charter holiday flights to Bulgaria and now that Bulgaria is a member of the EU, more and more air travel options are opening up. A number of European carriers fly direct to Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea and Ryanair have recently announced plans to fly into Plovdiv. The flight time to Bulgaria is just over 3 hours from the UK.

A brief History ...

The history of Bulgaria dates back more than 6000 years and the Bulgarian state has existed for 13 centuries on the Balkan Peninsula, which has long been a meeting place and a melting-pot for tribes and nations. After the conversion of Bulgaria to Christianity in 865 AD the country joined the Christian civilization. The invention of the Cyrillic script in the latter half of the ninth century, during an age when previously only Latin and Greek had been used to write, gave a powerful impetus to the country's cultural development. The War of Liberation (the Russian-Turkish War) regained Bulgaria's freedom in 1878. In 1879 the Constituent Assembly adopted the first constitution of Bulgaria, which was one of the most democratic constitutions of the day. The first decades of the 20th century were years of economic success and prosperity. Bulgarian goods and Bulgarian currency, called the 'Golden Lev', acquired a high value on the European markets. Trade relations with Austria, Germany, France and Great Britain strengthened. The peaceful end of Todor Zhivkov's regime in 1989 falls into the pattern of changes in Eastern Europe. Bulgaria took the road of a new democratic development, towards a free market economy

Nationality and Identity ...

The names "Bulgar", and "Bulgarian" derive from a Turkish verb meaning "to mix." Ethnic Bulgarians trace their ancestry to the merging of Bulgars (or Proto-Bulgarians), a central Asian Turkic people, and Slavs, a central European people, beginning in the seventh Century in what is now northeastern Bulgaria. Besides ethnic Bulgarians, there are several ethnic minorities, the most numerous being Turks and Gypsies, with smaller numbers of Armenians, Jews, and others. The dominant national culture is that of the ethnic Bulgarians, and there is little sense of shared national culture among the three main ethnic groups. Turks usually do not self-identify as Bulgarians, whereas Gypsies often do. Both groups are generally considered outsiders by ethnic Bulgarians, in contrast to the more assimilated minorities such as Jews and Armenians. Nevertheless, since all citizens participate in the national economy and polity, a shared national bureaucratic-political culture does exist, both shaped by and shaping the cultural practices of the constituent ethnic groups. The roots of Bulgarian culture spread much deeper than even most Bulgarians might imagine. The country has always been an important cross-roads connecting Europe with Asia, and Northern Europe with the Mediterranean. It was home at one time or another to the Thracians, the Greeks and the Romans, and their cultural heritage has continued to live long after them, as has the cultural grandeur of Byzantium and the exotic charm of Muslim art. The wealth of this heritage makes cultural traditions of present-day Bulgaria a unique phenomenon in a land where East meets West and keeps its traditions very much alive in many forms of music, dance, theatre, crafts and customs

Food and Drink ...

The everyday diet is based largely on local, in-season products. Bread, an important staple, is often purchased rather than home baked. Dairy products are widely consumed, particularly yogurt and white-brined goat's cheese. Home-cooked lunches and dinners often include soups, salads, stews, grilled meats, or stuffed vegetables, while meals away from home may consist of foods such as bread, cheese, sausage, and vegetables. Banitsa is a popular pastry filled with cheese and eggs, pumpkin, rice, spinach, or leeks. For snacks and breakfast, it is accompanied by a grain-based drink, boza , or yogurt-based airan . Popular alcoholic beverages include rakiya , a potent fruit-based brandy, and wine. Many people can fruits and vegetables and make sauerkraut for winter when fresh produce is unavailable or unaffordable. Regional culinary variation reflects local environmental conditions, for example, fish along the sea, vegetables in the plains, and dairy products in mountain areas. Some observant Muslims avoid eating pork. Typical restaurant offerings are menus based around salads, soups, chicken, pork, beef and lamb meals, local specialities, pizzas and vegetarian options. Coffee bars, pubs, and sweet shops are popular meeting places for a drink, coffee, or snack.Celebrations such as Easter, together with some national holidays and name-days often include a communal boiled meat dish prepared for ceremonial occasions. Another popular celebration dish is spit-roasted sheep or goat. The Christmas Eve table includes numerous, mainly meatless dishes, including stuffed cabbage leaves, beans, lentils, boiled wheat, dried fruit, and nuts. For Christmas and New Year celebrations, fortunes in the form of coins, cornel cherry twigs, or slips of paper are inserted in banitsa or bread. Special holiday breads include braided kozunak , which is sometimes decorated with dyed eggs

Customs and Etiquette ...

In Bulgaria, gestures for indicating 'yes' and 'no' are essentially opposite from those common in most of the rest of Europe. A sideways shaking of the head indicates Yes and a short upward and downward movement (nod) of the head indicates No. Bulgarians generally pride themselves on their hospitality and neighbourliness. An uninvited visitor will first be greeted with a handshake or verbal greeting at the outermost doorway or gateway and will be invited further into the private domestic space depending on the nature of the visit. At mealtimes a guest will be offered food and drink and; at other times, a drink of either coffee or homemade rakiya. It is impolite not to accept this hospitality. The obligation to accept a host's offer also extends to situations outside the home, such as being invited for a meal or a drink in a restaurant or other establishment. When visiting someone's home, it is customary to bring flowers or sweets for the hostess. On the street or in other public places, strangers will usually avoid making eye contact. In public transportation, it is expected that younger people will give up a seat to an older woman or to a parent with a young child. Failure to do so will be considered rude by other passengers.

Some local traditions and folklore ...

You are probably aware of the well-known 'yes', 'no' nodding routine, but it is always worth noting that Bulgaria is one of just a handful of countries in the world where people shake their head sideways when they mean 'yes' and shake it up and down when they mean 'no'. That might not seem too hard to learn but what adds confusion is all the Bulgarians who try to be helpful by shaking their head the Western way and, unless you're local, it becomes hard to communicate this way, so it's often better - and easier - to learn that 'da' in Bulgarian means 'yes' and 'ne' means 'no' - here are some more equally useful tips ...

If you are having drinks with Bulgarian friends and the last drop of alcohol lands in your glass, that means you have to buy the first round of drinks next time.

You should not put your bag on the floor In a restaurant, cafe or shop because it's considered bad luck and will cause people to stare

In most Bulgarian homes you should take your shoes off when entering the house unless your hosts tell you to keep them on.

When giving flowers as a present, make sure they are an odd number. Even numbers of flowers are taken to funerals only.

People in villages are usually related to each other, even in some remote way such as: cousins of a cousin or a nephew of somebody’s aunt or uncle. Even when they are not, you will often hear them calling each other cousin.

If somebody has a baby, don't be in a hurry to go and visit them because visitors are not encouraged until after the baby is 40 days old. Also, you may hear Bulgarians telling babies that they are ugly but don't be offended or upset by this - it's a tradition supposed to keep the evil eye off them so they grow healthy and happy.

Bulgarians are tactile people and will often shake you by the hand, hug you or put their arm around your shoulders. They will happily give you small gifts, food, drinks and, whether you want it or not, free advice. They will not expect you to refuse and to do so may be considered impolite.

And finally ...

Perhaps the most important point to note is that life in Bulgaria is not the same as life in the UK and that there is little value in drawing comparisons with any of the thousand and one things that everyone in Britain is used to and takes for granted. Things happen differently in Bulgaria. Broken pavements and potholes in the roads have to be accepted, customer service is still in its infancy and to cope with the paper trail for everyday activities such as renewing your home and contents insurance or registering a change of car ownership, it’s best to write off the whole day. While Bulgarians are (quite rightly) noted for being open and friendly people, you will not be given any special treatment here just because you are a foreigner, so don’t expect all documents to be available in English or to be exempt from complying with local administrative issues and bye-laws.

Many people living in Bulgaria today say that they are reminded of Britain in the fifties, when children were safe, life was straightforward and neighbours helped neighbours. While this may something of a rose-tinted view, it is true to say that just about every expat would acknowledge that they have benefited greatly from a neighbours’ assistance. It’s also true that there is none of the pervasive nanny-state interference that a lot of expats actually want to leave behind - and this is one of the things that adds to Bulgaria’s appeal.