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From:
[email protected] (Dragomir R. Radev)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bulgaria,soc.answers,news.answers
Subject: soc.culture.bulgaria FAQ (monthly posting) (part 1/10)
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Summary: This posting contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Bulgaria
and their answers.
Please read this posting before posting to soc.culture.bulgaria
The FAQ includes 11 parts numbered from 0 (table of contents) to 10.
Please send all updates/corrections to Dragomir R. Radev
(
[email protected]).
Keywords: bulgaria culture travel monthly answers contact eastern europe
Frequency: monthly
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu soc.culture.bulgaria:151266 soc.answers:15503 news.answers:209915
Last-Modified: July 17, 2000
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.11
URL:
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi
Archive-Name: bulgaria-faq/part1
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 0: INTRODUCTION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-1 About this FAQ
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 17-Jul-1920
This list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Bulgaria is a
collaborative effort at creating a useful electronic reference document
about Bulgaria.
* Note (July 17, 2000): The FAQ is being rewritten at this moment. Many
* articles may disappear from the future releases while others are
* being updated and/or added. If you want to volunteer to help with
* the next release, send mail to the maintainer.
The FAQ is related to the newsgroup soc.culture.bulgaria (see below). Many
of the materials contained herein are derived from postings in
soc.culture.bulgaria
Please read this FAQ list before posting to soc.culture.bulgaria.
The names in parentheses after each question are the contributor's, which is
sometimes a different person than the author of the quoted text.
The FAQ is a collection of materials, rather than a complete reference. Some
of the information may be out of date, so please be careful and take
everything with a grain of salt. Unless an article contains explicit
information about when it was last updated, it is older than February 1,
1994.
The maintainer of this list is Dragomir R. Radev (
[email protected]).
Unless explicitly mentioned, I do not assume any responsibility for
incorrect information. I cannot and have not tested all materials for
accuracy.
Any comments, contributions, and corrections are more than welcome. The
maintainer reserves all rights to edit or reject submissions. Send
submissions to
[email protected]
This FAQ can be reposted anywhere under the following restrictions:
- Use the most recent version of the FAQ as possible. The most recent
version is always available from the Usenet newsgroup soc.answers
- Keep all appropriate credits: the name of the contributor(s) and my
name. Keep this list of restrictions as well.
- Any modifications (other than presentation-related) should be clearly
marked as yours.
- You should include a pointer to the original version of the FAQ - either
one of the Usenet newsgroups soc.culture.bulgaria or soc.answers, or the
WWW site listed below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-2 FAQ availability
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 17-Jul-1920
Currently, the FAQ is available via mail server, anonymous FTP, Usenet and
WWW.
Usenet: The FAQ is posted approximately once monthly on
soc.culture.bulgaria
WWW: This FAQ is available on the World-Wide Web from
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi (HTML form)
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/bulgaria/faq (text form)
FTP: This FAQ (as well as all other approved FAQ) is available by anonymous
ftp from rtfm.mit.edu in either of the following directories:
/pub/usenet-by-group/soc.culture.bulgaria OR
/pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/soc/culture/bulgaria
Mail: This FAQ is also available by mail server. You have to send mail
to one of the following:
(1)
[email protected] (in Europe) the text of the mail should
include the following lines:
open
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part0
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part1
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part2
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part3
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part4
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part5
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part6
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part7
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part8
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part9
get /pub/NEWS.ANSWERS/bulgaria-faq/part10
quit
(2)
[email protected] (in North America) the text of the mail
should include the following lines:
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part0
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part1
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part2
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part3
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part4
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part5
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part6
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part7
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part8
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part9
send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq/part10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-3 Partial list of contributors
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 17-Jul-1920
Lyubomir Alexandrov
henryberry_@_aol.com Henry Berry
bell_@_umbc2.umbc.edu John Bell
daniel.belovarsky_@_mbox2.swipnet.se Daniel Belovarsky
Plamen.Bliznakov_@_ASU.edu Plamen Bliznakov
dimitar_@_best.com Dimitar Bojanchev
sboyadj_@_indyvax.iupui.edu Simeon Boyadjiev
lb_@_bgcict.acad.bg Luben Boyanov
Kitty Kagay
jcashel_@_eurasia.org Jim Cashel
Dimitar Chankov
tatiana_@_best.com Tatiana Christy
Karen Colburn
phyjgc_@_clust.hw.ac.uk Graham Crowder
Prashant Dave
Teodora Davidova
george.demirev_@_itcambridge.com George Demirev
Silvana Dimitrov
dintchef_@_ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu Barbara Dintcheff
DONTCHEV_@_KATK.helsinki.fi Yulian Donchev
filipovi_@_SDSU.EDU Bojidar Filipovich
Dimitar Ganchev
Gregory Gouzev
Ken Gray
Alex Haralampiev
Melissa Harris
r.hays_@_auntie.bbcnc.org.uk Rosa Hays
henze_@_hrz.uni-kassel.de Rolf Henze
izvorski_@_mercury.cis.yale.edu Ivaylo Izvorski
Austin Kelly
kenderov_@_xlink.net Stoyan Kenderov
jivko_@_nntp.ijs.com Jivko Kolchev
interpost_@_alteko.pp.fi Alexander Kostadinov
koutlev_@_ix.netcom.com
Zdravena Maldjieva
Vladimir Marangozov
maxval_@_mbox.digsys.bg Ivan Marinov
veni_@_cit.bg Veni Markovski
mac_@_maine.maine.edu Dennis McConnell
Nikolay Mehandjiev
mmintche_@_gpu.srv.ualberta.ca Martin Mintchev
Peter Mitev
Dimitar Nikolov
nnikolov_@_lamar.colostate.edu Ned Nikolov
Kamen Penev
Penyo Penev
Vassil Peytchev
pp861592_@_oak.cats.ohiou.edu Plamen Petkov
Ivan Petrov
vpetrov_@_bgnet.bgsu.edu Valentin Petrov
Roumi Radenska
K.R.Hauge_@_easteur-orient.uio.no Kjetil Ra Hauge
andrey_@_ix.netcom.com Andrey Savov
Plamen Sivov
Rick Speer
Plamen Stanoev
Plamen Stefanov
Ernie Scatton
Karel Stokkermans
talev_@_access.digex.net Iliya Talev
Jan Terziyski
vtodorov_@_astro.ocis.temple.edu Val Todorov
mincho_@_lamar.ColoState.EDU Mincho Tsankov
htsa1_@_CFS02.cc.monash.edu.au Harry Tsamaidis
Vesselin Velikov
Peter Yovchev
Konstantin Zahariev
Rossen Zlatev
n65897_@_ns1.rz.fhtw-berlin.de Holger Zscheyge
BSEN069_@_UNLVM.UNL.EDU Veselin Miladinov
ron_@_doc.cc.utexas.edu ?
CIA World Factbook
US Department of Commerce
US Department of State
Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 1: THE SOC.CULTURE.BULGARIA NEWSGROUP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-1 How was soc.culture.bulgaria created
(by Ivan Petrov), last updated: 31-Dec-1991
The proposal was made on Oct.10 1991 and read as follows:
"I am submitting a request for discussion to create a new newsgroup
SOC.CULTURE.BULGARIA.
Why: The country is being reborn. Politics, economy and culture are
rapidly changing. History is being given a fresh look. Free exchange
of information and ideas is essential. The input of everyone interested
in Bulgarian society and culture is important. Besides: Older waves of
emigration were followed by a new one. There is a need to create links
between Bulgarians around the world and to sustain the connection with
the home country.
CHARTER: To promote exchange of information and ideas on all aspects of
Bulgarian culture and society.
STATUS: Unmoderated
The proposal appeared in news.newgroups on Oct.16, opening a 30 days
discussion period. Vassil and Luben were the most active participants.
Voting took place between Nov. 21 and Dec. 15, 1991 and was processed by
Svilen Tzonev and myself. Here is a portion of the announcement of the
results:
"I am happy to announce that soc.culture.bulgaria received a favorable
vote. A total of 270 people voted of which 241 in support and 29
against. The numbers meet the criteria for a successful vote by a wide
margin.
YES - NO = 212 > 100
and
YES >> 2 x NO"
.. It is up to us now to make it an interesting and
viable group by supplying information, asking questions,
answering questions etc..."
The group was created on Dec.24, 1991 (rozhdestvo Hristovo i Grupovo)
and the first posting appeared on Dec.30, 1991.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-2 Some statistics on the newsgroup
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 14-Apr-1997
soc.culture.bulgaria FAQ (monthly posting) (part */*)
This posting contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about
Bulgaria and their answers. It should be read by anyone who
wishes to post to the soc.culture.bulgaria Usenet newsgroup. The
FAQ consists of
<bulgaria-faq/part1>
From:
[email protected] (Dragomir R. Radev)
Posted: Monthly (26 Oct 1995 10:08:12 -0400)
Readers: 15000 (0.2%) {62%} Mesgs per month/day: 1278/43 {72%}
Crossposting: 7% {32%} Megs per month/day: 4.2/0.140 {86%}
Sites reciving this Group: 63% Cost ratio ($US/month/rdr): 0.16
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 2: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BULGARIA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-1 Bulgaria - Ancient and Young
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 31-Dec-1991
Situated in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria boasts
an old and rich history. Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines,
Slavs and Bulgarians inhabited this land in their time, leaving
behind monuments and enriching the world's treasure-house of culture.
Bulgaria occupies 111 000 square km and has a population of 8.8
million. Bulgaria's capital is the city of Sofia with 1.3
million people. Bulgaria is divided into two parts by the Balkan
mountain, and also borders Black sea.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-2 Bulgaria - consular information sheet (09/1999)
(by US Department of State), last updated: 17-Jul-1920
Bulgaria - Consular Information Sheet
September 14, 1999
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Bulgaria is a moderately developed European nation
undergoing significant economic changes. Tourist facilities are widely
available although conditions vary and some facilities may not up to
Western standards. Goods and services taken for granted in other European
countries are still not available in many areas of Bulgaria.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: A passport is required. A visa is not required for U.S.
citizen visitors for stays of up to 30 days. Travelers who intend to stay
more than 30 days should secure a Bulgarian visa as the fees connected with
the extension of their stay in the country are much higher than the visa
fees. Visitors should carry their passport with them at all times. For
further information concerning entry requirements, travelers should contact
the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria at 1621 22nd St. N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20008; tel: (202) 483-5885 (main switchboard (202) 387-7969) or the
Bulgarian Consulate in New York City.
CRIME INFORMATION: Petty street crime, much of which is directed against
foreigners or others who appear to have money, continues to be a problem.
Pickpocketing and purse snatching are frequent occurrences, especially in
crowded markets and on shopping streets. Confidence artists operate on
public transportation and in bus and train stations, and travelers should
be suspicious of "instant friends" and should also require persons claiming
to be officials to show identification. Taxi drivers at Sofia Airport often
gouge unwary travelers, and even if they agree to run their meters, the
amounts to be paid are much higher than normal. Travelers who pre-negotiate
a fare can avoid the more outrageous overcharging. Because incidents of
pilferage of checked baggage at Sofia Airport are common, travelers should
not include items of value in checked luggage. Automobile theft is also a
frequent problem, with four-wheel drive vehicles and late model European
sedans the most popular targets. Very few vehicles are recovered. Thieves
also sometimes smash vehicle windows to steal valuables left in sight. The
loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to
the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. U.S. citizens
may refer to the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad for ways
to promote a more trouble-free journey. The pamphlet is available by mail
from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402, via the Internet at
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs
home page at
http://travel.state.gov.
MEDICAL FACILITIES: Although Bulgarian physicians are trained to a very
high standard, most hospitals and clinics are generally not equipped and
maintained at U.S. or Western European levels. Basic medical supplies are
widely available, but specialized treatment may not be obtainable. Serious
medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the
United States can cost thousands of dollars or more. Doctors and hospitals
often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
MEDICAL INSURANCE: U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the
United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment
for medical services outside the United States. Uninsured travelers who
require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties. Check with
your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas,
including provision for medical evacuation. Ascertain whether payment will
be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be
reimbursed later for expenses you incur. Some insurance policies also
include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains
in the event of death. Useful information on medical emergencies abroad,
including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of
States Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure Medical Information for
Americans Traveling Abroad, available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs
home page or autofax: (202) 647-3000.
OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION: Information on vaccinations and other health
precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP
(1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via their
Internet site at
http://www.cdc.gov.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S.
citizens may encounter road conditions which differ significantly from
those in the United States. The information below concerning Bulgaria is
provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a
particular location or circumstance.
Safety of Public Transportation: Fair
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Fair
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor to Fair
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor
The Bulgarian road system is underdeveloped. There are few sections of
limited-access divided highway. Some roads are in poor repair and full of
potholes. Rockslides and landslides are common on roads in mountain areas.
Livestock and animal-drawn carts present road hazards throughout the
country. Travel conditions deteriorate during the winter as roads become
icy and potholes proliferate. The U.S. Embassy in Sofia advises against
night driving because road conditions are more dangerous in the dark. Many
roads lack pavement markings and lights, and motorists often drive with dim
or missing headlights.
Heavy truck traffic along the two-lane routes from the Greek border at
Kulata to Sofia and from the Turkish border at Kapitan Andreevo to Plovdiv
creates numerous hazards. Motorists should expect long delays at border
crossings. A U.S. state driver's license is not considered valid for
Bulgaria; only an international driver's license is accepted. Persons
operating vehicles with foreign license plates frequently complain of being
stopped by police and being fined on the spot for offenses that are not
clear.
Buses, trams, and trolleys are inexpensive but often crowded and of widely
varying quality. Passengers on the busiest lines have reported
pickpocketing, purse-slashing, and backside-pinching.
For specific information concerning Bulgaria driver's permits, vehicle
inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, contact the Bulgarian
National Tourist Organization.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
has assessed the Government of Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Authority as
Category One -- in compliance with the international aviation safety
standards for the oversight of Bulgarian air carrier operations.
For further information, travelers may contact the Department of
Transportation at 1 (800) 322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet home page at
http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/index.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official
providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on
specific carriers, travelers may contact DOD at 618-256-4801.
CUSTOM'S REGULATIONS: Bulgarian customs laws and regulations are in a state
of flux. Currently, travelers carrying more than 10,000 United States
dollars must declare the amount of cash they are carrying on their customs
declaration. Travelers who have less than $10,000 when entering the
country, must have documents proving the source of their money if upon
departure they have with them more than $10,000. Travelers should also
declare jewelry, cameras, computers, and other valuables to avoid
difficulties on departure. Contact the Embassy of Bulgaria in Washington or
one of Bulgaria's consulates in the United States for specific information
regarding customs regulations.
Bulgaria's customs authorities encourage the use of an ATA (Admission
Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet for the temporary admission of
professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions
and fair purposes. ATA Carnet Headquarters, located at the U.S. Council for
International Business, 1212 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036,
issues and guarantees the ATA Carnet in the United States. For additional
information call (212) 354-4480, send an e-mail to
[email protected], or
visit
http://www.uscib.org for details.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Bulgaria is still a largely cash economy. Visitors
should exchange cash at banks or Change Bureaus. Some Change Bureaus charge
commissions on both cash and travelers' check transactions which are not
clearly posted. People on the street who offer high rates of exchange are
confidence tricksters intent on swindling the unwary traveler. Old, dirty
or very worn denomination bank notes are often not accepted at banks or
Change Bureaus. Major branches of the following Bulgarian banks will cash
travelers' checks on the spot for Leva, the Bulgarian currency: Bulbank,
Bulgarian Postbank, Biochim, First Investment Bank and United Bulgarian
Bank (UBB). UBB also serves as a Western Union agent and provides direct
transfer of money to travelers in need. ATM cash machines are increasing in
numbers in Sofia and other major cities. Most shops, hotels and
restaurants, with the exception of the major hotels, still do not accept
travelers' checks or credit cards. Due to the potential of fraud and other
criminal activity credit cards and ATM's should be used with caution. On
July 5, 1999, the Lev was re-denominated at a rate of 1,000 old Leva to one
new Lev. For further information see the website of the Bulgarian National
Bank at
http://www.bnb.bg.
CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information on international adoption of children,
international parental child abduction, and international child support
enforcement issues, please refer to our Internet site at
http://travel.state.gov/children's_issues.html or telephone (202) 736-7000.
Approximately 150 U.S. families per year adopt Bulgarian orphans. For more
information on international adoptions in Bulgaria, please contact the
Department of State's Office of Children's Issues, the Consular Section of
the Embassy, or the U.S. Embassy website at
http://www.usis.bg.
REGISTRATION/EMBASSY AND CONSULATE LOCATION: Americans living in or
visiting Bulgaria are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the
U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria and obtain updated information on travel and
security within Bulgaria. The U.S. Embassy is located in Sofia at 1 Saborna
(formerly 1 A. Stamboliyski Boulevard); tel. (359) (2) 980-5241; fax: (359)
(2) 981-8977. The Consular Section of the Embassy is located at 1 Kapitan
Andreev Street in Sofia; tel. (359) (2) 963-1391; fax (359) (2) 963-2859.
The Embassy's website address is
http://www.usis.bg. Questions regarding
consular services may be directed to
[email protected].
*********
This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated May 8, 1998, to update
the sections on Country Description, Entry Requirements, Crime Information,
Medical Facilities, Traffic Safety and Road Conditions, and Aviation Safety
Oversight, and Registration and Embassy Location; to add sections on
Medical Insurance, Other Health Information, Customs Regulations, Criminal
Penalties, and Children's Issues. Also, to change the section Ground
Transportation to Traffic Safety and Road Conditions and the section on
Currency Regulations to Special Circumstances.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-3 CIA World Factbook on Bulgaria
(by CIA World Factbook, 1996), last updated: 19-Aug-1997
Location: 43 00 N, 25 00 E -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea,
between Romania and Turkey
Flag
Description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red;
the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been
removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a
red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first
Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 110,910 sq km
land area: 110,550 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km (all with Serbia),
Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 34%
permanent crops: 3%
meadows and pastures: 18%
forest and woodland: 35%
other: 10%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted
from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage
from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy
metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Geographic note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land
routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People
Population: 8,612,757 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 769,025; female 732,119)
15-64 years: 68% (male 2,891,197; female 2,923,440)
65 years and over: 15% (male 561,944; female 735,032) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.46% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 8.33 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 13.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71 years
male: 67.07 years
female: 75.12 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic divisions: Bulgarian 85.3%, Turk 8.5%, Gypsy 2.6%, Macedonian 2.5%,
Armenian 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, other 0.6%
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 85%, Muslim 13%, Jewish 0.8%, Roman Catholic
0.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
breakdown
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
Data code: BU
Type of government: emerging democracy
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Burgas,
Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Montana, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofiya, Varna
Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system with Soviet law influence; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Zhelyu Mitev ZHELEV (since 1 August 1990, when he
was elected by the National Assembly); president and vice president elected
for five-year terms by popular vote; election last held NA January 1992
(next to be held NA 1997); results - Zhelyu ZHELEV elected by popular vote;
Vice President (vacant)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister)
Zhan VIDENOV (since 25 January 1995) appointed by the president; Deputy
Prime Ministers Doncho KONAKCHIEV (since 25 January 1995), Atanas PAPAKIZOV
(since NA), Rumen GECHEV (since 25 January 1995), Svetoslav SHIVAROV (since
25 January 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Narodno Sobranie): last held 18 December 1994 (next to
be held NA 1997); results - BSP 43.5%, UDF 24.2%, PU 6.5%, MRF 5.4%, BBB
4.7%; seats - (240 total) BSP 125, UDF 69, PU 18, MRF 15, BBB 13
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman appointed for a seven-year term by
the president; Constitutional Court, 12 justices appointed or elected for a
nine-year term
Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Zhan
VIDENOV, chairman; Union of Democratic Forces (UDF - an alliance of
pro-Democratic parties), Ivan KOSTOV; People's Union (PU), Stefan SAVOV;
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (mainly ethnic Turkish party) (MRF), Ahmed
DOGAN; Bulgarian Business Bloc (BBB), George GANCHEV
Other political or pressure groups: Democratic Alliance for the Republic
(DAR); New Union for Democracy (NUD); Ecoglasnost; Podkrepa Labor
Confederation; Fatherland Union; Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP);
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (KNSB); Bulgarian
Agrarian National Union - United (BZNS); Bulgarian Democratic Center;
"Nikola Petkov" Bulgarian Agrarian National Union; Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization - Union of Macedonian Societies (IMRO-UMS);
numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various
agendas
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOT, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (applicant), ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Snezhana Damianova BOTUSHAROVA
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-7969
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 1 Saborna Street, Sofia
mailing address: Unit 1335, APO AE 09213-1335
telephone: [359] (2) 88-48-01 through 05
FAX: [359] (2) 80-19-77
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the
national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been
removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a
red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first
Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Economy
Economic overview: One of the poorest countries of central Europe, Bulgaria
has continued the difficult process of moving from its old command economy
to a modern, market-oriented economy. GDP rose a moderate 2.4% in 1995;
inflation was down sharply; and unemployment fell from an estimated 16% to
12%. Despite this progress, structural reforms necessary to underpin
macroeconomic stabilization were not pursued vigorously. Mass privatization
of state-owned industry continued to move slowly, although privatization of
small-scale industry, particularly in the retail and service sectors,
accelerated. The Bulgarian economy will continue to grow in 1996, but
economic reforms will remain politically difficult as the population has
become weary of the process.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $4,920 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 36%
services: 52% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 35% (1995)
Labor force: 3.1 million
by occupation: industry 41%, agriculture 18%, other 41% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 11.9% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.8 billion
expenditures: $4.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals,
textiles, construction materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1995)
Electricity:
capacity: 11,500,000 kW
production: 38.1 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 4,342 kWh (1994)
Agriculture: grain, oilseed, vegetables, fruits, tobacco; livestock
Illicit drugs: important transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine transiting the Balkan
route; limited producer of precursor chemicals
Exports: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: machinery and equipment 12.8%; agriculture and food 21.9%;
textiles and apparel 14%; metals and ores 19.7%; chemicals 16.9%; minerals
and fuels 9.3%
partners: former CEMA countries 35.7%; OECD 46.6% (EU 33.5%); Arab
countries 5.1%; other 12.6%
Imports: $4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials 30.1%; machinery and
equipment 23.6%; textiles and apparel 11.6%; agricultural products 10.8%;
metals and ores 6.8%; chemicals 12.3%; other 4.8%
partners: former CEMA countries 40.3%; OECD 48.3% (EU 34.1%); Arab
countries 1.7%; other 9.7%
External debt: $10.4 billion (1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $39 million (1993)
note: $700 million in balance of payments support from Western nations
(1994)
Currency: 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1 - 70.5 (December 1995), 54.2 (1994),
27.1 (1993), 23.3 (1992), 18.4 (1991); note - floating exchange rate since
February 1991
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
Railways:
total: 4,292 km
standard gauge: 4,047 km 1.435-m gauge (2,650 km electrified; 917 double
track)
other: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (1995)
Highways:
total: 36,932 km
paved: 33,904 km (including 276 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,028 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 470 km (1987)
Pipelines: crude oil 193 km; petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,400
km (1992)
Ports: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Merchant marine:
total: 103 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,084,090 GRT/1,596,735 DWT
ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 27, chemical tanker 4, container 2, oil
tanker 13, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6,
short-sea passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 1
note: Bulgaria owns an additional 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
135,016 DWT operating under the registries of Liberia and Malta (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 355
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 17
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 10
with paved runways under 914 m: 88
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 226 (1994 est.)
Communications
Telephones: 2,773,293 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: almost two-thirds of the lines are residential; 67% of
Sofia households have telephones (November 1988 est.)
domestic: extensive but antiquated transmission system of coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay; telephone service is available in most villages
international: direct dialing to 36 countries; satellite earth stations - 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region); Intelsat available through a Greek
earth station
Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 29 (Russian repeater in Sofia 1)
Televisions: 2.1 million (May 1990 est.)
Defense
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Troops, Internal
Troops
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 2,155,332
males fit for military service: 1,797,318
males reach military age (19) annually: 64,568 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $352 million, 2.5% of GDP
(1995)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-4 Demographic, Social And Economic Features Of Bulgaria
(by National Statistics Institute), last updated: 12-Nov-1995
1992 1993 1994
Population as of
31.12\Thousand 8484,8 8459,7 8427,4
Men 6169,1 4251,6 4130,0
Women 4315,7 4308,1 4297,4
Birth rate - % 10,4 10,0 9,4
Death rate - % 12,6 12,9 13,2
Natural increase - % -2,2 -2,9 -3,8
Average life -
expectancy\years 70,9 71,2 70,9
Men 67,6 67,7 67,2
Women 74,4 75,0 74,8
Employed
in the country\ 3273,3 3221,8 3235,0
( thousand) 1\
Relative Share of
the employed in 17,7 28,3 35,9
the private sector - %
Employed on a
labour contract in
public sector of 2662,7 2667,0 2032,1
Economy\ in
Thousand 1\
Average annual
wage of the
employed on a
labour contract in 24568 38776 59525
the public sector
of Economy - LV
Unemployed
persons,
registered in the 576,9 626,1 448,4
Bureau of Labour,
as of to 31. 12
Unemployment level,
as of 31.12 - 2\ 15,3 16,4 12,8
Gross Domestic
product - indices
on the basis of 92,7 97,6 *101,4
preceding year = 100
Inflation -
consumer prices
indices for XII 179,5 163,9 221,9
month preceding
year = 100
--
1\ Average annual number
2\ A relative share of the registered unemployed persons in the Bureau of
Labour from
the total number of employed and unemployed - %
* Preliminary data
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-5 State System
(by Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission)
Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. According to the Constitution, which
was adopted in July 1991, the entire power of the state shall derive from the
people and shall be exerted directly and through the bodies established by the
Constitution. The Constitution proclaims pluralism of political views and
freedom of religion.
The supreme legislative body in the country is the National Assembly (Narodno
Sqbranie - Bulgarian Parliament), which exercises parliamentary control
over the government.
The President is the Head of State. He is elected through direct and secret
ballot for a five-year term of office, and he personifies the unity of the
nation.
The Council of Ministers is the supreme executive body for home and foreign
affairs.
The territory of the Republic of Bulgaria is divided into nine administrative
regions and smaller municipalities. The municipality is the primary terri-
torial administrative unit, being a legal entity where local
self-government is exercised through a municipal council elected by the
respective local community population for a for-year term of office.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-6 Human Rights Practices in Bulgaria
(by U.S. Department of State), last updated: 07-Mar-1996
Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic ruled by a democratically elected
government. President Zhelyu Zhelev, former chairman of the Union of
Democratic Forces (UDF), was elected in 1992 to a 5-year term in the
country's first direct presidential elections. The Bulgarian Socialist
Party (BSP), heir to the Communist Party, and two nominal coalition
partners won an absolute majority in preterm elections in December 1994
and formed a government in January. The judiciary is independent but
continued to struggle with structural and staffing problems. Most
citizens have little confidence in their legal system.
Most security services are the responsibility of the Ministry of the
Interior, which controls the police, the National Security Service
(civilian intelligence), internal security troops, border guards, and
special forces. A number of persons known to be involved in repressive
activities during the Communist regime returned to senior-level
positions in the security services in 1995. Some members of the police
force committed serious human rights abuses.
The post-Communist economy remains heavily dependent on state
enterprises. Most people are employed in the industrial and service
sectors; key industries include food processing, chemical and oil
processing, metallurgy, and energy. Principal exports are agricultural
products, cigarettes and tobacco, chemicals, and metal products. The
transformation of the economy into a market-oriented system has been
retarded by continued political and social resistance. Privatization of
the large Communist-era state enterprises has been very slow and is the
main reason for Bulgaria's economic stagnation. The Government is now
developing a mass privatization program which, if successfully
implemented, would partially address this problem. The service and
consumer goods sectors in private hands continued to be the most
vibrant. Although all indicators point to a reviving economy this year,
the last several years' decline has affected the employment of people
>from ethnic minorities disproportionately. The annual per capita Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of $1,300 provides a low standard of living.
The Government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, but
problems remained in some areas. Constitutional restrictions on
political parties formed on ethnic, racial, or religious lines
effectively limit participation. There were several reports that police
used unwarranted lethal force against suspects and minorities, and
security forces beat suspects and inmates. Human rights observers
charged that the security forces are not sufficiently accountable to
Parliament or to society and that the resultant climate of impunity is a
major obstacle to ending police abuses. Prison conditions are harsh,
and pretrial detention is often prolonged. Mistreatment
of ethnic minorities by the population at large is a serious problem,
and both the Government and private citizens continued to obstruct the
activities of some non-Eastern Orthodox religious groups.
Discrimination and violence against women and Roma are serious problems.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom
from:
a. Political and Other Extrajudicial Killing
There were several reports of police officers using unwarranted lethal
force against criminal suspects, as well as against members of minority
groups whether or not suspected of any crime, resulting in three deaths.
On February 11, a Rom was found dead in Gradets, near Sliven. A witness
told a human rights nongovernmental organization (NGO) that a police
officer had beaten the victim in the village center the previous day,
and the deceased's family described numerous signs of severe beating.
An investigation is in progress.
During a March attempt to apprehend a man previously sentenced for
committing theft, a police officer in Nova Zagora allegedly beat an 18-
year-old Rom, then shot and killed the man's 22-year-old brother when
the older brother intervened. Neither of the victims was being sought
by the police. The alleged perpetrator, a police sergeant, has been
charged with murder resulting from excessive use of force in self-
defense. The investigation continues.
A 22-year-old male died in April while in police custody, apparently as
a result of beating. The deceased, an ethnic Bulgarian, had been
arrested for alleged complicity in a burglary. Six policemen were
arrested in this widely publicized case; one officer, a police
lieutenant, remains under investigation, and the national police
director resigned.
No progress was made in the case of a detainee who died while in police
custody following an August 1994 roundup of suspected criminals in
Pazardjik, although the Government's investigation remains open. There
was little progress in the September 1994 case of a detainee who died
one day after being taken into police custody in Pleven, and there were
no developments in the investigation of the 1993 incident in which
police allegedly beat three escaped prisoners (two of whom reportedly
died) upon recapture.
In November Amnesty International (AI) sent a letter to the Ministry of
Interior expressing concern about five incidents in which AI said that
police officers opened fire on suspects in violation of U.N. basic
principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement
officials. Interior Ministry data on serious police violations over the
18 months ending March 31 show 18 deaths due to police negligence, 59
cases of physical injury, more than 60 charges of serious offenses, and
58 convictions of police officers on these and lesser charges during the
period. The Minister of Interior publicly acknowledged that police
abuses occur and made a commitment to address the problem; a number of
cases are under investigation. However, the police have generally
refused the requests of human rights groups to make investigative
reports available to the public. The climate of impunity that the
Government allows to prevail is the single largest obstacle to ending
such abuses.
b. Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
The Constitution expressly prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment.
Despite this prohibition, there were a number of credible reports
describing police beating of Roma during arrests. In January and
February, a riot control unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs shot
and wounded at least 3 people and beat more than 10 during an operation
in response to illegal felling of trees near Velingrad. All of the
victims were Roma. No police officers were charged or investigated.
In a Sofia neighborhood in March, police reportedly beat almost 40
Romani teenagers and young men in an incident following several
confrontations between Roma and "skinheads." No police officers were
investigated, despite numerous victims' accounts and a credible NGO
report to law enforcement and other governmental authorities.
Conditions in some prisons are harsh, including severe overcrowding,
inadequate lavatory facilities, and insufficient heating and
ventilation. Credible sources reported cases of brutality committed by
prison guards against inmates; in some cases, prisoners who complained
were placed in solitary confinement. The process by which prisoners may
complain of substandard conditions or of mistreatment does not appear to
function. The Government cooperated fully with requests by independent
observers to monitor prison conditions.
d. Arbitrary Arrest, Detention, or Exile
The Constitution provides for access to legal counsel from the time of
detention. Police normally obtain a warrant prior to apprehending an
individual; otherwise, in emergency circumstances judicial authorities
must rule on the legality of a detention within 24 hours. Defendants
have the right to visits by family members, to examine evidence, and to
know the charges against them. Charges may not be made public without
the permission of the Chief Prosecutor. Pretrial detention is limited
to 2 months under normal circumstances, although this may be extended to
6 months by order of the Chief Prosecutor, who may also restart the
process. In practice, persons are often detained for well over 6
months.
About one-third of Bulgaria's approximately 9,000 prison inmates are in
pretrial detention. In the event of a conviction, time spent in
pretrial detention is credited toward the sentence. The Constitution
provides for bail, and some detainees have been released under this
provision, although bail is not widely used. Neither internal nor
external exile is used as a form or punishment.
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
Under the Constitution the judiciary is granted independent and coequal
status with the legislature and executive branch. However, most
observers agreed that the judiciary continued to struggle with problems
such as low salaries, understaffing, and a heavy backlog of cases.
Partly as a legacy of communism and partly because of the court system's
structural and personnel problems, most citizens have little confidence
in their judicial system. Human rights groups complain that local
prosecutors and magistrates sometimes fail to pursue vigorously crimes
committed against minorities.
The court system consists of regional courts, district courts, and the
Supreme and Constitutional Courts. The Government has not yet carried
out several of the reforms provided for in the June 1994 judicial Reform
Bill, including the establishment of separate supreme courts of
cassation (civil and criminal appeal) and administration. Judges are
appointed by a 25-member Supreme Judicial Council and, after serving for
3 years, may not be replaced except under limited, specified
circumstances. The 12 justices on the Constitutional Court are chosen
for 9-year terms as follows: a third are elected by the National
Assembly, a third appointed by the President, and a third elected by
judicial authorities.
The Constitution stipulates that all courts shall conduct hearings in
public unless the proceedings involve state security or state secrets.
There were no reported complaints about limited access to courtroom
proceedings. Defendants have the right to know the charges against them
and are given ample time to prepare a defense. The right of appeal is
guaranteed and widely used. Defendants in criminal proceedings have the
right to confront witnesses and to have an attorney, provided by the
State if necessary, in serious cases.
The Constitutional Court is empowered to rescind legislation it
considers unconstitutional, settle disputes over the conduct of general
elections, and resolve conflicts over the division of powers between the
various branches of government. Military courts handle cases involving
military personnel and some cases involving national security matters.
The Constitutional Court does not have specific jurisdiction in matters
of military justice.
A number of criminal cases against former leaders for alleged abuses
during the Communist period were carried forward. Former dictator Todor
Zhivkov is serving a 7-year sentence under house arrest for abuse of
power involving personal expense accounts and state privileges. Legal
review of his case continues; the most recent step was a Supreme Court
hearing on September 15. Although the investigation continues, there
was little progress in the case in which 43 former high-level Communists
were indicted in 1994 for having given grant aid during the 1980's to
then-friendly governments in the developing world such as Cuba, Angola,
and Libya. Investigation also continues in a case begun in 1993
involving a charge of embezzlement for giving grant aid to Communist
parties in other countries (the "Moscow case"), with no tangible
progress. Some human rights observers criticized these and previous
indictments, asserting that the activities in question were political
and economic in nature, not criminal.
One of the primary figures in these cases, former Prime Minister and
once senior Communist official Andrei Lukanov, brought a complaint
against these proceedings to the European Commission of Human Rights.
Acting on his petition in January, the Commission ruled that Lukanov's
appeal of the procedure by which he was stripped of parliamentary
immunity was admissible before the Commission, but has not yet issued a
decision on the merits of the case. Lukanov's appeals under two other
articles of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms were not admitted.
There was no progress in a case begun in 1993 relating to the forced
assimilation and expulsion of ethnic Turks in 1984-85 and 1989, nor in a
trial relating to the notorious death camps set up by the Communists
after they came to power in 1944. Police authorities concluded their
investigation of the 1994 murder of a key witness in the latter case in
February without definite result.
In one of its first acts, the new Socialist-dominated Parliament
repealed a controversial 1992 lustration act ("Law for Additional
Requirements Toward Scientific Organizations and the Higher Certifying
Commission"), known as the "Panev Law."
The law had barred former secretaries and members of Communist party
committees from positions as academic council members, university
department heads, deans, rectors, and chief editors of science
magazines, applying a presumption of guilt that conflicts with
international human rights standards.
There were no reports of political prisoners.
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home or
Correspondence
The Constitution provides for the inviolability of the home, for the
right to choose one's place of work and residence, and protects the
freedom and confidentiality of correspondence. Human rights observers
expressed concerns that illegal wiretaps may still persist but provided
no tangible evidence.
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, and the
Government generally respects this right in practice, although there
were signs that it was seeking to increase editorial control over
government-owned electronic media. The variety of newspapers published
by political parties and other organizations represents the full
spectrum of political opinion, but a notable degree of self-censorship
exists in the press among journalists who must conform to what are often
heavily politicized editorial views of their respective newspapers.
National television and radio broadcasting both remain under
parliamentary supervision. A September Constitutional Court ruling
declared unconstitutional some portions of a "provisional" statute that
had placed the electronic media under parliamentary supervision since
1990. In October Parliament passed legislation restoring its right to
exercise control over the national electronic media; in December the
Constitutional Court again struck down this provision. In November 34
journalists from a national radio station issued a declaration accusing
radio management of censoring their work and threatening uncooperative
journalists with dismissal. A month later, seven of the journalists
were fired, provoking widespread public concern about freedom of speech
and the establishment of at least two NGO's to monitor the issue. This
ongoing dispute illustrates a growing concern about the lack of balance
in the state-controlled news media.
Some observers criticized changes in the senior leadership of the
national electronic media and editorial control by a newly established
board of directors of Bulgarian national radio, charging they were
politically motivated. In September the Constitutional Court overturned
a provision of the July Local Elections Act which prohibited journalists
working for state-owned media and local electronic media from expressing
opinions on parties, coalitions, and candidates in the October 29 local
elections.
There are two state-owned national television channels and a growing
number of privately owned regional stations. Two channels broadcast in
Bulgarian, while a third broadcasts Russian programming, and a fourth
carries a mixture of Cable News Network International and French
language programming. Bulgarian national television has been planning
Turkish- language programming for at least 2 years, but broadcasts have
not yet begun. Foreign government radio programs such as the British
Broadcasting Corporation and the Voice of America (VOA) had good access
to commercial Bulgarian radio frequencies, although in April the interim
council for radio frequencies and television channels turned down a
request by Radio Free Europe to add VOA programming on its frequency.
After initial government approval in the fall of 1994 of an application
to create a privately owned national broadcast television station,
further progress has floundered, with no action being taken by the
current Government. Television and radio news programs on the state-
owned media present opposition views but are generally seen as being
biased in favor of the Government. There are no formal restrictions on
programming. Some political groups complained that coverage was one-
sided, although they acknowledged that their representatives were
interviewed regularly. Both television and radio provide a variety of
news and public interest programming, including talk and public opinion
shows.
More than 30 independent radio stations are licensed. Some private
stations complained that their licenses unduly restricted the strength
of their transmissions in comparison to state-owned stations. Radio
transmitter facilities are owned by the Government.
Private book publishing remained lively, with hundreds of publishers in
business. Respect for academic freedom continued.
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
The right to peaceful and unarmed assembly is provided for by the
Constitution, and the Government generally respected this right in
practice. The authorities require permits for rallies and assemblies
held outdoors, but most legally registered organizations were routinely
granted permission to assemble. However, one non-Orthodox religious
group reported difficulties obtaining a permit for an outdoor assembly,
and several other religious groups also had difficulty renting assembly
halls. In most cases, these religious groups had been denied
registration by the Council of Ministers (see Section 2.c.).
Vigorous political rallies and demonstrations were a common occurrence
and took place without government interference.
The Government has undertaken to respect the rights of individuals and
groups freely to establish their own political parties or other
political organizations. However, there are constitutional and
statutory restrictions that limit the right of association and
meaningful participation in the political process. For example, the
Constitution prohibits organizations that threaten the country's
territorial integrity or unity, or that incite racial, ethnic, or
religious hatred. Some observers considered the Government's refusal
since 1990 to register a Macedonian rights group, Umo-Ilinden, on the
grounds that it is separatist, to be a restriction of the constitutional
rights to express opinions and to associate. The group, which is
seeking registration as a Bulgarian-Macedonian friendship society, was
allowed to hold an outdoor public meeting in April, but police broke up
attempts to hold a second public meeting in July.
The Constitution forbids the formation of political parties along
religious, ethnic, or racial lines, and prohibits "citizens'
associations" from engaging in political activity. Although these
restrictions were used in 1991 to challenge the legitimacy of the mainly
ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), that party is
currently represented in Parliament, and its right to compete in the
October 29 local elections was not questioned.
c. Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the
Government restricts this right in practice. The ability of a number of
religious groups to operate freely continued to come under attack, both
as a result of government action and because of public intolerance. The
Government requirement that groups whose activities have a religious
element register with the Council of Ministers remained an obstacle to
the activity of many religious groups. Dozens of articles in a broad
range of newspapers depicted lurid and inaccurate pictures of the
activities of non-Orthodox religious groups, attributing suicides of
teenagers and the breakup of families to their activities.
The Government refused visas and residence permits for foreign
missionaries, and some came under physical attack in the street and in
their homes. Members of the Mormon church reported continued acts of
harassment and assault, including some perpetrated by the police
themselves. The police response was indifferent despite the expressed
concern of the Government about such cases.
In February the Supreme Court ruled that a mother and supporter of the
nonregistered community of Christ's Warriors be denied parental custody
of her 4-year-old son because she had taken the boy to religious
meetings of the community. The court grounded its decision on
"educational qualities" claiming that "it is obvious that the child's
presence at such a public place is harmful to his mind and his health as
a whole."
At the Department of Theology of Sofia University, all students have
been required to present a certificate of baptism from the Orthodox
Church, and married couples to provide a marriage certificate from the
Orthodox Church, in order to enroll in the Department's classes.
Authorities initiated an investigation of the case of the April 1994
shooting death of Yordan Tsolov, an Orthodox priest in Surnitsa, about
which charges of police complicity were raised by a human rights
organization and the press in 1994.
Several religious groups appealed the denials of their registration by
the Council of Ministers under a 1994 amendment to the Families and
Persons Act. Most of the appeals were denied by the Council of
Ministers. Following the Supreme Court's April decision to affirm the
Council's denial of registration to the "Word of Life" group, the press
reported that the group was banned and that the police would seek out
and stop religious gatherings of the group, even if held in private
homes. Some observers made credible charges that the police sought to
break up meetings of non-Eastern Orthodox religious groups which were
denied registration.
The Constitution designates Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the
"traditional" religion. A number of major religious bodies, including
the Muslim and Jewish communities, receive government financial support.
There was no evidence that the Government discriminated against members
of any religious group in restituting to previous owners properties that
were nationalized during the Communist regime. For most religious
groups which were able to maintain their registration, there were no
restrictions on attendance at religious services or on private religious
instruction. A school for imams, a Muslim cultural center, university
theological faculties, and religious primary schools operated freely.
Bibles and other religious materials in the Bulgarian language were
freely imported and printed, and Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish
publications were published on a regular basis. However, during
compulsory military service most Muslims are placed into labor units
where they often perform commercial, military, or maintenance work
rather than serve in normal military units. The mainly ethnic-Turkish
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) protested this practice (see
Section 5).
A significant proportion of Muslims considered the current Government's
approval of the statutes of the Muslim faith and its registration of a
new Chief Mufti and new head of the Supreme Theological Council, all
developed at a November 1994 Islamic conference, to be government
interference in the affairs of the community. A rival Chief Mufti,
elected at an alternative Islamic conference in March, appealed the
Government's actions unsuccessfully to the Supreme Court.
The schism which opened in the Orthodox church in 1992 persisted.
d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign Travel,
Emigration, and Repatriation
The Constitution provides for freedom of movement within the country and
the right to leave it, and these rights are not limited in practice,
with the exception of limited border zones off limits both to foreigners
and Bulgarians not resident therein. Every citizen has the right to
return to Bulgaria, may not be forcibly expatriated, and may not be
deprived of citizenship acquired by birth. A number of former political
emigrants were granted passports and returned to visit or live.
As provided under law, the Chief Prosecutor restricted foreign travel by
Lukanov (see Section 1.e.) and also by Ivan Slavkov, son-in-law of Todor
Zhivkov, due to outstanding investigations of them. Observers
criticized the lack of time limits on such inactive investigations and
questioned whether the travel restrictions were not being used
punitively.
The Government has provisions for granting asylum or refugee status in
accordance with the standards of the 1951 U.N. Convention and its 1967
Protocol relating to the status of refugees. Domestic and international
human rights organizations expressed concerns over the Government's
handling of asylum claims and reported that there may be cases in which
bona fide refugees are forced to return to countries where they fear
persecution. The Bureau for Territorial Asylum and Refugees asserts
that it gives a fair hearing to all persons seeking asylum or refugee
status but admits that there may be cases which do not come to its
attention before the applicant is returned to the country from which he
or she entered Bulgaria. The Bureau is still seeking to establish
registration and reception centers blocked in 1994 by skinheads and
local citizens groups and has identified some new sites for the centers.
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to
Change Their Government
Citizens have the right to change their government and head of state
through the election of the President and of the members of the National
Assembly, although the constitutional prohibition of parties formed on
ethnic, racial, or religious lines has the effect of circumscribing
access to the political process (see Section 2.b.). Suffrage is
universal at the age of 18. The most recent parliamentary elections
took place in December 1994. President Zhelev was elected in 1992 in
the first direct presidential elections.
Local elections were held in the fall. With the exception of the
mayoral election in Kurdjali, all major political parties accepted the
results and agreed that the elections were conducted in a free and
orderly manner. In the ethnically mixed city of Kurdjali, in a
politically charged atmosphere, the Socialist Party challenged in court
the narrow runoff victory of the MRF candidate, questioning the
registration of several hundred voters. After lengthy delays the court
took up the case, but it has not yet ruled, and the elected mayor has
not been allowed to take office.
There are no restrictions in law on the participation of women in
government. A number of women hold elective and appointive office at
high levels, including a cabinet-level post and several key positions in
the Parliament. However, women hold only about 14 percent of the seats
in the current Parliament.
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and
Nongovernmental Investigations of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
Local and international human rights groups operate freely,
investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. At
the initiative of several groups concerned with children's rights, the
Government conducted a dialog with them on its compliance with the
Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Government was particularly
cooperative in allowing an NGO committee to survey prison conditions.
However, the Government is otherwise often reluctant to provide
information or active cooperation.
Section 5 Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion, Disability,
Language, or Social Status
The Constitution provides for individual rights, equality, and
protection against discrimination, but in practice discrimination still
exists, particularly against Roma and women.
Women
Domestic abuse is reportedly a serious problem, but there are no
figures, official or otherwise, on its occurrence. The courts prosecute
rape, although it remains an underreported crime because some stigma
still attaches to the victim. The maximum sentence for rape is 8 years;
convicted offenders often receive a lesser sentence or early parole.
Marital rape is a crime but rarely prosecuted. Courts and prosecutors
tend to view domestic abuse as a family rather than criminal problem,
and in most cases victims of domestic violence take refuge with family
or friends rather than approach the authorities. No government agencies
provide shelter or counseling for such persons, although there is a
private initiative to address the problem.
Many of the approximately 30 women's organizations in Bulgaria are
closely associated with political parties or have primarily professional
agendas. Of those which exist mainly to defend women's interests, the
two largest are the Women's Democratic Union in Bulgaria, heir to the
group which existed under the Zhivkov dictatorship, and the Bulgarian
Women's Association, which disappeared under communism but has now
reemerged and has chapters in a number of cities.
The Constitution forbids privileges or restrictions of rights on the
basis of sex. However, women face discrimination both in terms of
recruitment and the likelihood of layoffs. Official figures show the
rate of unemployment for women to be higher than that for men. Women
are much more likely than men to be employed in low-wage jobs requiring
little education, although statistics show women are equally likely to
attend university. Women, in the main, continue to have primary
responsibility for child-rearing and housekeeping even if they are
employed outside the home. The liberal provisions for paid maternity
leave may actually work against employers' willingness to hire and
retain women employees, especially in the private sector.
Children
The Government appears to be committed to protecting children's welfare.
It maintains, for example, a sizable network of orphanages throughout
the country. However, government efforts in education and health have
been constrained by serious budgetary limitations and by outmoded social
care structures. Groups that exist to defend the rights of children
charge that an increasing number of children are at serious risk as
social insurance payments fall further behind inflation and are often
disbursed as much as 6 months late.
The vast majority of children are free from societal abuse, although
skinhead groups have beaten some Romani children; the homeless or
abandoned were particularly vulnerable. Some Romani minors were forced
into prostitution by family or community members; there was little
police effort to address these problems.
People with Disabilities
Disabled persons receive a range of financial assistance, including free
public transportation, reduced prices on modified automobiles, and free
equipment such as wheel chairs. However, as in other areas, budgetary
constraints mean that such payments have fallen behind. Disabled
individuals have access to university training and to housing and
employment, although no special programs are in place to allow them to
live up to their full employment potential. To date little effort has
been made to change building or street layouts to help blind or
otherwise physically disabled persons. At the end of the year,
Parliament passed legislation requiring the relevant Ministry and local
governments to provide a suitable living and architectural environment
for the disabled within 3 years. Also, policies of the Communist regime
which separated mentally and physically disabled persons, including very
young children, from the rest of society have persisted.
Religious Minorities
Bulgarian Muslims or "Pomaks" constitute a sizable minority, comprising
2 to 3 percent of the population. Bulgarian Muslims are a distinct
group of Slavic descent whose ancestors converted from orthodox
Christianity to Islam. Most are Muslim, although a number have become
atheists or converted to Christianity.
Reports continued that some Muslim religious figures refused to perform
burial services for Muslims with Slavic names, a practice which some
observers saw as an encroachment on religious freedom.
There were a series of acts of vandalism directed at Jewish
institutions.
National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Ethnic Turks comprise about 10 percent of the population. Although
estimates of the Romani population vary widely, several experts put it
at about 6 percent. These are the country's two largest minorities.
There are no restrictions on the speaking of Turkish in public or the
use of non-Slavic names. A defense bill before Parliament renewed
controversy over the issue of language. The bill declared Bulgarian to
be the official language in the armed forces and the language in which
military duties were to be carried out. Members of Parliament of the
mainly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms tried
unsuccessfully to amend the bill to affirm the constitutional right to
use the "mother tongue," for example, in personal conversations and
correspondence. The motion was rejected, but use of the mother tongue
is not prohibited in the military, and Turkish is freely spoken in off-
duty situations.
Voluntary Turkish-language classes, funded by the Government, continued
in areas with significant Turkish-speaking populations, although some
observers complained that the Government was restricting the
availability of training for teachers and discouraging the optional
language classes in areas with large concentrations of Bulgarian
Muslims. Some ethnic Turkish leaders, mainly in the MRF, demanded that
Turkish-language schooling be made compulsory in ethnic Turkish areas,
but the Government resisted this.
In the 1992 census approximately 3.4 percent of the population
identified itself as Romani. The real figure is probably about twice
that high, since many persons of Romani descent tend to identify
themselves to the authorities as ethnic Turks or Bulgarians. Romani
groups continued to be divided among themselves, although several groups
had some success presenting Romani issues to the Government. As
individuals and as an ethnic group, Roma faced high levels of
discrimination.
Attacks by private citizens on Romani communities continued to occur in
1995. The most serious were a series of attacks in two Romani
neighborhoods of Stara Zagora in March and April. A group of young men
wielding bats and sticks reportedly damaged the property of 11 Romani
families in March, and a group of young people wearing masks allegedly
beat 2 Romani women on school grounds in April. Police have identified
the alleged perpetrators of the March incident, and an investigation is
underway. An arson investigation resulting from the February 1994
incident in Dolno Belotintsi was suspended later that year because of
the reluctance of the sole witness to testify. A human rights NGO was
able to gather new evidence implicating individuals in the crime and has
asked the Chief Prosecutor to resume the investigation; no action has
yet been taken. Authorities often fail to aggressively investigate
cases of assault or other crimes against Romani individuals, although
there was some improvement in their responsiveness to inquiries of human
rights organizations.
Roma encounter difficulties applying for social benefits, and rural Roma
are discouraged from claiming land to which they are entitled under the
law disbanding agricultural collectives. Many Roma and other observers
made credible allegations that the quality of education offered to
Romani children is inferior to that afforded most other Bulgarian
students.
The Government took some steps to address the problems faced by Roma.
The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology convened a forum in
July to discuss the education of Romani children, during which
representatives of the President's office, concerned ministries, and
human rights organizations discussed pedagogical issues. The Council of
Ministers disbanded the interagency Ethnic Affairs Council established
in 1994, replacing it with a National Board on Social and Demographic
matters with broader responsibilities. Some observers expressed concern
over onerous requirements for admission of NGO's to the board. For
example, NGO's must have established branches in more than one-third of
Bulgarian municipalities.
The Ministry of Education continued its program to introduce Romani-
language schoolbooks into schools with Romani populations and issued
follow-on textbooks for the program. The program has had mixed success,
partly due to a lack of qualified teachers.
Workplace discrimination against minorities continued to be a problem,
especially for Roma. Employers justify such discrimination on the basis
that most Roma have relatively low training and education. Supervisory
jobs are generally given to ethnic Bulgarian employees, with ethnic
Turks, Bulgarian Muslims, and Roma among the first to be laid off.
During compulsory military service most Roma (and Muslims--see Section
2.c.) are shunted into labor units where they often perform commercial,
military construction, or maintenance work rather than serve in normal
military units. The MRF protested this practice, as did human rights
groups and labor observers who cited it as a violation of International
Labor Organization (ILO) accords. There are only a few ethnic Turkish
and Romani officers in the military.
Thousands of Bulgarians, mainly in the southwest, identify themselves as
Macedonians, most for historical and geographic reasons. Members of the
two organizations which purport to defend the interests of ethnic
Macedonians, Umo-Ilinden and Tmo-Ilinden, are believed to number in the
hundreds (see Section 2.b.).
Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
The 1991 Constitution provides for the right of all workers to form or
join trade unions of their own choice, and this right was apparently
freely exercised. Estimates of the unionized share of the workforce
range from 30 to 50 percent. This share is shrinking as large firms lay
off workers, and most new positions appear in small, nonunionized
businesses.
Bulgaria has two large trade union confederations, the Confederation of
Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB), and Podkrepa. CITUB, the
successor to the trade union controlled by the former Communist regime,
operates as an independent entity. Podkrepa, an independent
confederation created in 1989, was one of the earliest opposition forces
but is no longer a member of the Union of Democratic Forces, the main
opposition party. In February a third trade union confederation, the
Community of Free Union Organizations in Bulgaria (CFUOB), was admitted
to the National Tripartite Coordination Council (NTCC), which includes
employers and the government (see Section 6.b.). CITUB and Podkrepa
filed a joint complaint to the International Labor Organization (ILO)
against the Government's selection of CFUOB as the labor delegate to the
1995 ILO conference. The ILO found that the Government had unilaterally
imposed rotation of the labor delegate among three trade union
organizations without consulting the other two.
The 1992 Labor Code recognizes the right to strike when other means of
conflict resolution have been exhausted, but "political strikes" are
forbidden. Workers in essential services are prohibited from striking.
There was no evidence that the Government interfered with the right to
strike, and several work stoppages took place. The Labor Code's
prohibitions against antiunion discrimination include a 6-month period
of protection against dismissal as a form of retribution. While these
provisions appear to be within international norms, there is no
mechanism other than the courts for resolving complaints, and the burden
of proof in such a case rests entirely on the employee.
The ILO in 1993 requested further information on lustration proceedings,
measures directed at compensating ethnic Turks for abuses under the
previous regime, efforts taken to improve the economic situation of
minorities, and measures to promote equality between men and women in
workplace opportunity. At year's end, the ILO was still reviewing the
information provided to it by the Government, including information
provided this year on efforts to improve the situation of minorities.
The ILO has not yet issued opinions or recommendations on these matters.
There are no restrictions on affiliation or contact with international
labor organizations, and unions actively exercise this right.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
The Labor Code institutes collective bargaining, which was practiced
nationally and on a local level. The legal prohibition against striking
for key public sector employees weakens their bargaining position;
however, these groups were able to influence negotiations by staging
protests and engaging in other pressure activities without going on
strike. Both CITUB and Podkrepa complained that while the legal
structure for collective bargaining was adequate, many employers failed
to bargain in good faith or to adhere to concluded agreements. Labor
observers viewed the Government's enforcement of labor contracts as
inadequate.
Only the three labor members of the National Tripartite Cooperation
Council are authorized to bargain collectively. This restriction led to
complaints by smaller unions, which may in individual workplaces have
more members than the NTCC members. Smaller unions also protested their
exclusion from the NTCC.
There were no instances in which an employer was found guilty of
antiunion discrimination and required to reinstate workers fired for
union activities. International labor organizations criticized the
"national representation" requirement for participation in the National
Tripartite Coordination Council as a violation of the right to organize.
The same obligation of collective bargaining and adherence to labor
standards prevails in the export processing zones, and unions may
organize workers in these areas.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
The Constitution prohibits forced or compulsory labor. Many observers
agreed that the practice of shunting minority and conscientious-objector
military draftees into work units which often carry out commercial
construction and maintenance projects is a form of forced labor (Section
5).
d. Minimum Age for Employment of Children
The Labor Code sets the minimum age for employment at 16; the minimum
for dangerous work is set at 18. Employers and the Ministry of Labor
and Social Welfare (MLSW) are responsible for enforcing these
provisions. Child labor laws are enforced well in the formal sector.
Underage employment in the informal and agricultural sectors is
increasing as collective farms are broken up and the private sector
continues to grow. In addition, children work on family-owned tobacco
plantations.
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
The national monthly minimum wage was approximately $38 (2,555 leva) at
year's end. The minimum wage is not enough to provide a wage earner and
family with a decent standard of living. The Constitution stipulates
the right to social security and welfare aid assistance for the
temporarily unemployed, although in practice such assistance is often
either late or not disbursed.
The Labor Code provides for a standard workweek of 40 hours with at
least one 24-hour rest period per week. The MLSW is responsible for
enforcing both the minimum wage and the standard workweek. Enforcement
has been generally effective in the state sector, although there are
reports that state-run enterprises fall into arrears on salary payments
to their employees if the firms incur losses. Enforcement of work
conditions is weaker in the emerging private sector.
A national labor safety program exists, with standards established by
the Labor Code. The Constitution states that employees are entitled to
healthy and nonhazardous working conditions. The MLSW is responsible
for enforcing these provisions. Under the Labor Code, employees have
the right to remove themselves from work situations which present a
serious or immediate danger to life or health without jeopardizing their
continued employment. In practice, refusal to work in situations with
relatively high accident rates or associated chronic health problems
would result in loss of employment for many workers. Conditions in many
cases are worsening owing to budget stringencies and a growing private
sector which labor inspectors do not yet supervise effectively.
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2-7 Temperatures
(by Plamen Bliznakov), last updated: 06-Apr-1994
Bulgaria offers a lot of sunshine. The climate is continental with four
seasons and a Mediterranean influence in its southern regions. Although
the Black Sea coast has mild winters, there is excellent snow for winter
sports in the mountains.
The winter temperature varies between -5 deg Celsius and +5 deg Celsius
(+20 deg F to +40 deg F). The average summer temperatures are between
+20 deg Celsius and +30 deg Celsius (+68 deg F to +86 deg F). Bring
warm clothing in winter (especially, if you go to the mountains) and
light clothing in summer.
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2-8 Bulgarian Clothing
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 31-Dec-1991
Bulgarian folk clothes are very colorful and nice. Both women and
men wear white shirts with an embroidered bodice and skirts, richly
ornamented as well. The types of folk clothes vary according the region
and some times are very different, as though from different countries. The
clothes are so colorful and pretty that it seems they reflect all
the colors of nature. It is not possible to describe, it can only be
seen.
It is not possible to see people wearing traditional clothes in
the streets, as with kimonos in Japan. Bulgarians wear modern dress,
which are quite the same as anywhere in Europe. But there are a lot of
Folklore schools that study and preserve national traditions - dances,
clothes and folk music. When speaking about folklore clothes it is not
possible not to mention Bulgarian folk dances and music. Mountain
Rodopa, known as a birthplace of Orpheus, is one of the numerous regions
in which traditional folk music can be heard. On the "Voyager" satellite,
sent to another possible civilization, one of the messages included was
a song from this mountain. Maybe the variety of the Bulgarian folk is one
of the explanations of Bulgarian voice magic. A large number of world's
famous opera singers, instrumentalists and choirs have popularized
the power and beauty of Bulgarian performing art.
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2-9 Bulgarian Architecture
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 31-Dec-1991
During the Ottoman rule the influence of European architecture was
weak. For this reason it is not possible to find big buildings
with architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. Instead of that there are a
lot of houses and small towns that keep the original beauty of
the Bulgarian National Revival (18-19 centuries). One of the most famous is
Plovdiv's Old Town. Behind stone walls and wrought iron gates along the
steep cobbled streets are lovely gardens with flowers and
symmetrical houses with colorful painted facades, bay and lattice
windows. Lovely carved ceilings, murals and exquisite furniture adorn
the interiors. Many of these houses are now museums, others are folk-style
restaurants, and the remainder are inhabited.
Monuments, buildings and archaeological excavations from different
times can be found all over the country. Here are some of them: Varna's
ancient necropolis which revealed proofs of the first European civilization
and the world's oldest gold dated to 4600-4200 B.C.; The Kazanluk Thracian
Cupol Tomb dated to the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd century
B.C., containing unique murals - the only surviving monuments of Hellenic
painting, included in the List of World Cultural Heritage.; A Roman
Amphitheater from the 2nd century - the biggest one in the Balkan Peninsula
outside of Greece; The Rila Monastery founded in 9th century - the biggest
monum of Bulgarian Architecture from that time; Kotel and Zeravna - two
villages in the Balkan mountain that have saved their original architecture
from the National Revival. The spirit of these villages can not be
described, it can only be seen and experienced.
Apart from the old buildings, there are a large number of modern resorts
at the Black Sea's beach and mountains. They have a different modern
architecture that provide a good holiday time and refuge from the noise
of the 20th century.
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2-10 Who are the Slavs
(by Harry Tsamaidis), last updated: 02-Jul-1996
Slavs are any of several groups of peoples, most of whom live
in Eastern Europe. There are about 275 million Slavs. They
speak similar languages, called the Slavic or Slavonic
Languages.
The first Slavs lived over 5,000 years ago in a region
that now forms part of the northwestern Ukraine and
southeastern Poland. From A.D. 200 to 500, they migrated
to other parts of Europe. Some Slavs settled in what are
now the western Soviet Union and eastern and central Europe.
Other Slavs migrated to the region of southeastern Europe
known as the Balkans.
During the 800's, the Slavs established the Great Moravian
Empire, which united the peoples of central Europe for the
first time. In 906, the empire was conquered by the Magyars,
the ancestors of the Hungarians. Since then, the Slavs have
been ruled by many foreign powers, including the Byzantine
Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, Austria-Hungary, and Germany.
In 1918, after World War I ended, the Slavs established such
independant states as Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the Former
Yugoslavia. Germany conquered these Slavic states during
World War II (1939-1945).
Today, the Soviet Union dominates most of the Slavic peoples.
In eastern Europe, only the Slavs of Former Yugoslavia; and
Greece are free of Soviet rule.
Historians classify the Slavs into three main groups-
(1) eastern, (2) western, and (3) southern - based on the
regions in which these people live.
Eastern Slavs
consist of the Byelorussions, or White Russians; the Russians,
or Great Russians; and the Ukrainians, or Little Russians.
The eastern Slavs were strongly influenced by the culture of the
Byzantine Empire. About A.D. 988, the ruler of the Russian Slavs,
Grand Prince Vladimir I, married a Byzantine princess and became
a Christian. As a result, most of the people under his rule also
turned to Christianity. Today, many eastern Slavs belong to
Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Western Slavs
form a group that includes the Czechs; the Slovaks; the Poles; and the
Wends, who also are known as Sorbs or Lusatians. The Wends live in
East Germany. During the 800's, two Greek monks, named Cyril
and Methodius, converted many western Slavs to Christianity.
At that time, church services were held in Greek or Latin, which
few people could understand. But Cyril and Methodius held services
in the language of the Slavs, called Old Church Slavonic.
As the western Slavs became involved in the affairs of western Europe,
they also became influenced by the Roman Catholic Church. Through the
Centuries, the Catholic Church has strongly influenced western
European Culture. Today, most western Slavs are Roman Catholics.
Southern Slavs
are a group composed of the Bulgarians, the Croats, the Macedonians,
the Serbs, and the Slovenes. During the 800's, a large number of
southern Slavs were converted to Christianity by followers of Cyril
and Methodius. However, these Slaves were also strongly influenced
by the Byzantine culture. Today, the majority of southern Slavs
belong to Eastern Orthodox Churches. Most members of the group
live in the Balkans.
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2-11 Who are the Pomaks
(by Roumi Radenska), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
'Pomaks' is the name of pretty large group of people who live
mainly in Rhodopi mountains (southern Bulgaria, close to the
border with Greece). They have muslim names and speak very
ancient bulgarian language (bulgarian belongs to the group of
slavic languages). Their ancestors were slavic christian people
who accepted muslim religion. This fact took place in 16th and
17th centuries. There were several ways to become muslim that
time, when Bulgaria like all Balkan peninsula, was part of the
Ottoman empire. But most common paths to islamiztion were:
1. Through marriages. This way was valid for a number of
bulgarian women.
2. Voluntary islamization. Main reason for that was escaping a
lot of taxes.
3. Forced islamization. The largest amount of 'pomaks' became
muslims that way. There are well known several ottoman actions
for islamiztion of bulgarians living in Rhodopi mountain during
17th century. Here is coming the question: why ottomans forced
the people living in that region only to accept the muslim faith?
One of the explanations is: Rhodopi mountains were a huge hunting
field for the sultan, his family and large number of his people.
They needed to be served during their stay there (some times for
months). According to their believes they have to be served only
by muslims. That's why ottomans forced the large amount of
bulgarian population in Rhodops to accept the islam.
How we know about that fact? Ottoman empire had excellent
organized tax system. All taxpayers were registered in books,
their land or other property described in order to determine the
taxes. Naming the taxpayers ottomans used identification on first
name of the person and the name of his father. For example:
Khasan, son of Ivan. Khasan is muslim name, but Ivan is slavonic,
christian name. This is the way we know that 'pomaks' used to be
slavic christian people before they became muslims. A lot of
books from all 500 years of ottoman rule over Bulgaria containing
data about taxes and taxpayers are saved in archives in Sofia,
Burgas, Istanbul.
'Pomaks' were pretty isolated from the rest of the bulgarian
society for centuries. They saved that old bulgarian language and
some old customs which took place before 17th century. About 20
years ago, in the beginning of 1970s, the ethnography professor
Ivan Koev from Sofia University lead a student expedition to
pomak region called 'Chech'. They did research on language,
crafts and customs in that area. I visited the village of
Sarnitza entirely populated by pomaks in 1983. My impressions of
that visit are still fresh. All the houses were new two stories
brick buildings. Many families had cars. A lot of children were
playing in the yards dressed with snow white shirts. It was such
a peaceful picture and all the past seemed to be forgotten.
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2-12 Where to buy Bulgarian Flags
(by The Flag Guys), last updated: 17-Sep-1995
We have a 3x5 foot Bulgarian flag. If interested in getting one, email
[email protected] for the info.
The Flag Guys
5636 N Delaware, Portland, OR 97217-4206 USA
voice (503) 289-7158, fax (503) 286-0236,
[email protected]
--
Drago
--
Drago
