Bulgaria

I INTRODUCTION

Bulgaria: Flag and Anthem

© Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved./© Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Bulgaria, country in southeastern Europe. Bulgaria lies on the eastern side of the Balkan Peninsula, a historical
crossroads between Europe and Asia. To the north of Bulgaria is Romania and to the east is the Black Sea. Greece and
Turkey lie to the south, and Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) lie to the west. Sofia is
Bulgaria’s capital and largest city.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an impressive landmark in Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, stands as a symbol of gratitude to Russia, which
liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman domination in 1878. The cathedral houses many alabaster and marble treasures, as well as a superb
icon collection. The predominant religion in Bulgaria is Eastern Orthodox, which until 1989 was suppressed under Communist rule.
Teresa Zabala/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Bulgaria covers an area approximately the size of the state of Virginia. It is a land of mountains, rivers, and rolling
plains. The Balkan Mountains, for which the Balkan Peninsula is named, extend east to west across northern Bulgaria.
Bulgarians call them the “Old Mountains” (Stara Planina). The great Danube River, Europe’s second longest, forms
much of Bulgaria’s northern border.

Fortified Mountain, Bulgaria

Walls of an ancient fort surround a natural rock turret in Belogradchik, in northwest Bulgaria. Since medieval times this overlook has
been fortified, offering defenders a commanding view of the wooded valleys. Hilly or mountainous terrain covers more than half of
Bulgaria.
Adam Woolfitt/Corbis

Between Sofia in the west and the Black Sea is a low-lying region called the Valley of the Roses. For more than three
centuries, farmers in the region have raised Kazanluk roses for their fragrant oil, a prized ingredient in perfumes and a
Bulgarian export specialty. To the east, the dramatic Black Sea coast drops from rocky cliffs in the north to sandy
beaches in the south, where tourist resorts attract visitors from around the world. Heavy snowfalls in the mountains
create a paradise for winter sports.
Rose Harvesting, Bulgaria
Attar of roses, the oil extracted from rose petals for the manufacture of perfume, is perhaps Bulgaria’s most famous export. Rose
harvesting, which occurs in May and June, is done only early in the morning, when the petals contain their highest concentration of
oil.
Adam Woolfitt/Woodfin Camp and Associates, Inc.

Bulgaria’s location as a crossroads has made it the center of many struggles for power. An independent kingdom for
many centuries, Bulgaria was a major power for long periods during the Middle Ages. At different times its rulers
controlled much of the Balkan Peninsula, and its Orthodox Christian religion and culture influenced many Slavic
peoples of southern and eastern Europe. Following almost 500 years of rule by the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria regained
its independence in 1878.

After World War II (1939-1945), a government backed by the Soviet Union, the occupying power, was established in
Bulgaria. During the period of communist rule, Bulgaria’s leaders enforced an industrialization program in an effort to
modernize the country’s largely agrarian economy (see Communism). Bulgaria remained a communist-ruled country
until democratizing reforms began in 1989. In 1990 Bulgaria held its first postwar multiparty elections and changed its
name from the People’s Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria’s transition toward democracy and a free market economy has not been easy. The fall of communism and the
loss of the Soviet market for Bulgarian goods led to a massive contraction of the economy. The standard of living
plunged amid rising inflation and unemployment, rampant corruption, and the collapse of the social welfare system.
Many Bulgarians emigrated. The Bulgarian government remained committed to reforms undertaken in the late 1990s,
however, leading to greater political and economic stability. In 2000 the European Union (EU) opened membership
negotiations with Bulgaria; the nation is slated for membership in 2007. Bulgaria joined the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) in March 2004.

II LAND AND RESOURCES

Geography of Bulgaria

Area 110,994 sq km
42,855 sq mi
Coastline 354 km
220 mi
Highest Musala
point 2,925 m/9,596 ft

The area of Bulgaria is 110,994 sq km (42,855 sq mi). The greatest distance from north to south is about 330 km
(about 210 mi) and from east to west it is about 500 km (about 310 mi).

A Natural Regions

Rila Mountains
The broad and irregular Rhodope Mountains delineate most of Bulgaria’s southern boundary with Greece. At the western end of these
mountains are the Rila Mountains, which culminate at Musala (2,925 m/9,596 ft), the highest peak in the Balkans.
Christo Popoff Studio

More than half of Bulgaria is hilly or mountainous, with an average elevation of about 480 m (about 1,600 ft). The
Balkan Mountains cross the country from the northwestern corner to the Black Sea. More than 560 km (350 mi) long,
the mountains vary in width from 19 to 48 km (12 to 30 mi) and rise to a maximum height of 2,376 m (7,795 ft) at
Botev Peak. Sheep graze in the rich mountain pastures.

Rhodope Mountain Pass

A truck wends its way through the Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria. These broad, irregular mountains mark the nation's
border with Greece.
Brian Goddard/Panos Pictures
North of the Balkan Mountains is a fertile plateau cut by deep river valleys. The plateau extends to the Danube, which
forms most of the country’s northern boundary. The plateau is part of the Danubian Plain, Bulgaria’s most fertile
expanse of land and the nation’s chief grain-growing region. In northeastern Bulgaria, the plateau extends into an
agricultural region known as Dobruja, which lies partly in Romania.

The central and southern sides of the Balkan Mountains are fringed by a series of narrow plains, notably the fertile
Thracian Plain. In the southern part of the country are the broad and irregular Rhodope Mountains (Bulgarian Rodopi),
which contain many lakes and deep river valleys and form the boundary with Greece. At the western end of these
mountains, in southwestern Bulgaria, are the rugged Rila Mountains, which rise to a maximum elevation of 2,925 m
(9,596 ft) at Musala, the highest peak in the Balkan Peninsula. Several smaller ranges lie along the western
boundaries.

B Rivers and Lakes

The principal river draining Bulgaria is the Danube. Its primary tributaries in Bulgaria are the Iskŭr (about 370
km/about 230 mi long) and the Yantra (about 290 km/about 180 mi long). The Maritsa (about 480 km/about 300 mi
long), which flows east to Greece and Turkey across the Thracian Plain, is the deepest river of the Aegean Sea basin.
Other important rivers are the Kamchiya (about 180 km/about 112 mi long), which empties into the Black Sea, and in
the southwest, the Struma and Mesta, which flow south to the Aegean Sea.

C Plant and Animal Life

Some 33 percent of Bulgaria is forested, and half this area supports tall trees suitable for timber production. About 70
percent of the forest consists of broadleaf deciduous trees; most of the rest are conifers. Most wildlife is confined to the
mountainous southwestern portion of the country, which supports populations of bear, wolf, red deer, fox, and wildcat.

D Natural Resources

Fertile Soil on the Danubian Plain

The Danubian Plain stretches across northern Bulgaria from the Danube River south to the Balkan Mountains, covering nearly one-
third of the country in rich, productive soil. A combination of the most fertile land in Bulgaria and humid summer weather make the
region ideal for agriculture. Cereals such as wheat, maize, and barley grow well on the rolling hills of the plain, while flatter areas are
ideal for fruits and vegetables. Expanses of scrub grass in the northeast section provide excellent pasture for sheep.
Granitsas/The Image Works

The rivers of Bulgaria, which originate mostly in the Balkan Mountains and flow either north to the Danube or south to
the Maritsa, are used for waterpower and for irrigating crops. The nation’s waterpower resources are plentiful but
significantly underutilized.

Bulgaria’s soils are moderately fertile and support a great variety of agriculture. On the Danubian Plain, black earth
and gray forest soils predominate. The Thracian Plain has mainly brown soils, together with some black earth.
Deforestation and inadequate soil-conservation practices have caused erosion in some fertile areas.

Bulgaria has a wealth of metallic and nonmetallic minerals. Among the most important are iron ore and coal. Other
mineral reserves are small, but some deposits, particularly lead, zinc, copper, manganese and petroleum, are valuable.

E Climate

Most of Bulgaria has a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. The climate in general is more severe
than in other European areas of the same latitudes, and the average annual temperature range is greater than that of
neighboring countries. Severe droughts, frosts, winds, and hail storms frequently damage crops. A Mediterranean
climate, with dry summers and mild, humid winters, prevails in the valley of the southwestern Rhodope Mountains; the
northern limit of the climatic zone is the Balkan Mountains.

The average January temperature in Sofia ranges from -4° to 2°C (25° to 35°F) and the July temperature ranges from
16° to 27°C (60° to 81°F). In Varna, along the Black Sea, the average January temperature ranges from -1° to 6°C (30°
to 42°F) and the July temperature ranges from 19° to 30°C (65° to 85°F). The average rainfall in Bulgaria is about 630
mm (about 25 in) per year, ranging from a low of about 190 mm (about 7 in) in the northeast, to a high of about 190
cm (about 75 in) in the Rila Mountains. The wettest period is early summer in most of the country and autumn or
winter in the southern valleys.

F Environmental Issues

Bulgaria’s industrial economy has seriously damaged the nation’s environmental health. Virtually all of the middle and
lower reaches of the major rivers are polluted by industrial centers that discharge detergents, heavy metals, nitrates,
oils, and raw sewage. Water treatment facilities for industrial and municipal wastes are inadequate or nonexistent. Two
of the largest industrial cities, Varna and Burgas, are located on the Black Sea coast. Water pollution generated by
these cities has threatened the area’s valuable tourism industry. Uncontrolled mining operations and environmentally
insensitive practices also contribute to soil erosion and contamination. Air pollution, from automobiles and industrial
emissions, is severe, leading to acid rain and the defoliation of a significant portion of Bulgaria’s forests.

III THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA

People of Bulgaria

Population 7,322,858 (2007 estimate)

Population density 66 persons per sq km
171 persons per sq mi (2007 estimate)
Urban population distribution 71 percent (2005 estimate)
Rural population distribution 29 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities, with population Sofia, 1,194,164 (2002 estimate)

Official language
Chief religious affiliations
Life expectancy
Infant mortality rate
Literacy rate
Plovdiv, 340,638 (2001)
Varna, 314,539 (2001)
Bulgarian
Bulgarian Orthodox, 72 percent
Muslim, 12 percent
Nonreligious, 5 percent
72.6 years (2007 estimate)
19 deaths per 1,000 live births (2007 estimate)
98.8 percent (2005 estimate)

The population of Bulgaria (2007 estimate) is 7,322,858. The 1985 census population was 8,948,649; the subsequent
decrease was largely caused by emigration after the collapse of the former communist regime. Bulgaria has a
population density of 66 persons per sq km (171 per sq mi). Due to the communist government’s forced
industrialization program, Bulgaria’s population became increasingly urbanized after 1945. Even so, today 71 percent
of the people live in urban areas, a relatively modest figure compared to most European countries.

The Bulgarians are the descendants of the early Slavic inhabitants of the Balkans and of a people of Asian Turkic origin
who founded states between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains in the early Middle Ages. Today about 85 percent
of the population is classified as ethnic Bulgarian and about 9 percent are Turkish. Small groups of Armenians, Roma
(Gypsies), Greeks, and Macedonian Slavs also live in the country.

A Principal Cities

Sofia, Bulgaria
A view of a busy boulevard in central Sofia, the capital and largest city of Bulgaria.
Sandro Vannini/Corbis

Sofia (Bulgarian Sofiya), in western Bulgaria, is the national capital of Bulgaria and by far the largest city. An ancient
city world-famous for its historic architecture, Sofia is the country’s chief political, cultural, and commercial center.
With a population of 1,194,164 (2002 estimate), about one-eighth of all Bulgarians call the city their home.
Varna, Bulgaria
Varna, a port on the Black Sea in eastern Bulgaria, was founded by Greeks under the name Odessus in the 6th century BC. During its
lengthy history, the city has been ruled by Romans, Byzantines, Ottoman Turks, Russians, and Bulgarians.
Spectrum Colour Library

Plovdiv, with a population of 340,638 (2001), is Bulgaria’s second largest city. Plovdiv lies at the center of an
agricultural region in southern Bulgaria and is a center for the food-processing industry. Varna, the third largest city
with a population of 314,539 (2001), is the largest Bulgarian city on the Black Sea and the nation’s principal seaport.
Other major cities include Ruse, Bulgaria’s chief river port on the Danube, and Burgas, a port on the Black Sea.

B Language and Religion

Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

Rila Monastery, in the Rila Mountains 120 km (75 mi) south of Sofia, Bulgaria, was founded in the 10th century and rebuilt between
1834 and 1860. It is adorned with numerous works of art and serves as a symbol of Bulgarian cultural identity.
Magnaux/Sipa/Woodfin Camp and Associates, Inc.
The country’s official language is Bulgarian, spoken by about 90 percent of the population. Bulgarian is a southern
Slavic language (see Slavic Languages) that is related to Slovenian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Russian. Bulgarian
is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, which was first used for literary purposes in medieval Bulgaria. Turkish is the largest
minority language (see Turkish Language). Prior to 1989 Bulgarians were required to study Russian. Today, Bulgarian
students frequently study English as a second language.

By tradition, most of Bulgaria’s people belong to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, established in the 9th century AD
(see Orthodox Church). Under communist rule after World War II, the government tightly restricted religious activities
but supported the church as a national institution under its control. The collapse of the communist regime in 1990 led
to a revival of Orthodox religious activities. Today, an estimated 72 percent of the population adheres to the teachings
of the Orthodox Church.

Another 13 percent of Bulgarians, mainly people of Turkish ancestry, identify themselves as followers of Islam. From
1984 to 1989, the communist government attempted to force Muslims to assimilate to Bulgarian culture, in part by
pressuring them to take Slavonic names. During this period of persecution, hundreds of thousands of Turkish Muslims
fled to Turkey. Since the early 1990s, Muslims in Bulgaria have enjoyed greater religious freedom. Bulgaria is also
home to small numbers of Jews (see Judaism), Roman Catholics, Uniate Catholics (see Eastern Rite Churches), and
Protestants.

C Education

Education is free and compulsory for children from the ages of 7 through 14; 100 percent of primary school-aged
children are enrolled in school. Students attend primary school for four years, basic (or middle) school for three years,
and secondary school for three to five years depending on the course of study. Bulgaria’s literacy rate is 99 percent.

Bulgarian students who perform well may continue their educations at state universities after passing qualifying
exams. About 30 percent of students continue their education past the secondary level. There are more than 20
institutions of higher learning in Bulgaria, offering degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They include
Sofia University (founded as a secondary school in 1888 and chartered as a university in 1909) and universities in
Burgas, Plovdiv, Svishtov, Tarnovo, and Varna.

D Food and Recreation

Black Sea Beaches
The Black Sea city of Varna is the locale of one of many resort areas constructed along the Bulgarian coast in the past four decades.
Nicknamed the Riviera of Eastern Europe, the resort areas share the coast with Bulgaria's active Black Sea fishery. Historic Varna is
also the country's principal seaport.
David Burnett/Leo de Wys, Inc.

Bulgaria’s cuisine reflects its location as a geographic crossroads, combining elements from Slavic, Greek, and Turkish
cooking traditions. The main ingredients in Bulgarian food are lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant,
cucumbers, a white cheese similar to Greek feta, and yogurt. A famous Bulgarian yogurt called kiselo mlyako is
believed to promote good health and longevity.

Bulgarians typically eat a small breakfast. For many, the main meal of the day is a lunch consisting of salad, soup or
stew, and a meat dish. Common foods served for lunch include shopska salata (cucumber salad); tarator (yogurt and
cucumber soup) or gyuvech (a stew of eggplant, beans, and meat baked in a pot); and agneski drebulijki (shish
kebab), moussaka (a dish made with minced meat, potatoes, onions, and yogurt), or sarmi (grape or cabbage leaves
stuffed with pork and rice). Baklava (a thin, flaky pastry with a syrup-and-nut filling) is a popular dessert. Bulgarians
enjoy high-quality domestically produced wines, especially full-bodied red wines, and spirits such as cognac and vodka.

As in many other European countries, soccer is the most popular sport in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian soccer team is
frequently a source of national pride and on numerous occasions has reached the finals of the World Cup—the premier
international soccer tournament, held every four years. Bulgarian families often spend their vacations skiing or hiking
at mountain resorts, or swimming and sunbathing on Bulgaria’s Black Sea beaches.

E Social Problems

Under communist rule, Bulgarians became accustomed to free health services and a wide range of other social welfare
benefits. Bulgaria’s post-communist governments have lacked the financial resources to maintain these services at the
same level. Furthermore, the transition to a market economy led to a significant increase in unemployment, which
remains chronically high. Corruption and discrimination against the Roma minority remain important problems to be
resolved. Residents of Bulgaria’s large cities are burdened by housing shortages and high rents.

IV CULTURE
Plovdiv Amphitheatre, Bulgaria
One of the major landmarks of the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv is the amphitheatre, the largest in the country. It was built in the
2nd century ad by the Romans, who called this city Trimontium. During May, June, and September, classical plays are staged in the
amphitheatre, while a Verdi opera festival is an annual event. Concerts, ballet, recitals, drama, and performances are also held here.
Rob Crandall/Stock Boston Inc.

The rich spiritual life of medieval Bulgaria (especially in the 10th and 11th centuries), was the center of Slavic culture.
Over the centuries, Bulgarian culture has been influenced successively by Byzantine, Islamic, and Greek traditions. In
recent times, Russian and Western influences have been added, forming the modern Bulgarian culture that flourished
in the 1920s and 1930s.

Cultural policies under communist rule, including strict censorship, enforced an official culture based on communist
ideology. Socialist realism, a form of realistic art that glorified communist morality and values, was promoted as the
most advanced artistic expression. The government suppressed freedom of speech, and public art and literature
expressed loyalty to communist ideals. However, intellectual and moral dissent never entirely disappeared from
literary and artistic life. Totalitarian controls over art and literature dissipated with the collapse of communism in 1990.
Since that time, authentic forms of artistic expression have reemerged alongside the rapid spread of mass commercial
entertainment.

A Literature

Elias Canetti
Winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize for literature, Bulgarian-born writer Elias Canetti focused much of his work on the effects of mass
psychology. A versatile writer, he produced a novel, several plays, and essays on a range of subjects.
Globe Photos, Inc.
The earliest Bulgarian literature was written in medieval times in the vernacular of the Bulgarian people, called Old
Bulgarian or Old Church Slavonic. It was a major literary language of Europe and was later introduced into Russia and
Serbia. Most of these writings, produced between the 9th and 14th centuries, consisted of historical chronicles and
translations of religious works.

Modern Bulgarian literature dates from the 18th century, and its development is closely connected with the growth of
Bulgarian nationalism during the 19th century. Among the best-known Bulgarian writers are the poet Christo Botev, a
hero of the struggle for independence from the Ottoman Turks (see Ottoman Empire), and the poet, novelist, and
playwright Ivan Vazov, whose works describing the oppression of Ottoman rule earned him a wide following. Other
important writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries are Stoyan Mikhaylovski and Yordan Yovkov. Modern writers
include Viktor Paskov, Blaga Dimitrova, Jordan Radichkov, and Bulgarian-born writer Elias Canetti, who won the 1981
Nobel Prize for literature. See Bulgarian Literature. Dimitrova served as vice president of Bulgaria from 1992 to 1994.

B Art and Architecture

Rila Monastery Altar, Bulgaria

In Orthodox churches, an iconostasis, such as one in the Rila Monastery in southwestern Bulgaria pictured here, conceals a church’s
altar area from the congregation. Icons (flat images of Jesus Christ, Mary, or the saints that are made of gold, ivory, mosaic, or oil
paint) cover the iconostasis. Members of the Orthodox faith believe that God sends blessings and healing through these icons. The
use of icons can be traced from the 5th century.
THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE

The 13th-century frescoes of the Boyana Church near Sofia are outstanding examples of the painting of that period.
Bulgarian handicrafts include rich folk embroideries and ornaments. Some of the best sculpture, wood carvings,
etchings, and paintings are based on traditional culture and native subjects. Outstanding 20th-century Bulgarian
artists include the painter Vladimir Dimitrov and Christo, a Bulgarian-born avant-garde artist noted for his technique of
wrapping buildings, monuments, and landscape features, who now lives in the United States.
Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1995
In the summer of 1995, after more than 20 years of preparation, Bulgarian-American artists Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude
realized their ambitious project to wrap the Reichstag, the former and future center of German government. Christo and Jeanne-
Claude have wrapped many natural and constructed landmarks, transforming familiar structures and landscapes into works of art.
Adenis/Sipa Press/Woodfin Camp and Associates, Inc.

The most celebrated architectural monuments of Bulgaria are medieval churches and monasteries. The oldest is the
4th-century Church of Saint George in Sofia. South of Sofia in the Rila Mountains is the Rila Monastery, founded in the
9th century. An important monument of the 11th century is Bachkovo Monastery, south of Plovdiv. A major modern
structure is the large, ornate Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built in Sofia in the early 20th century.

C Music

Bagpipe of Eastern Europe

Bagpipes are a popular folk instrument found throughout Eastern Europe. The instrument plays an essential role in wedding festivals
and dances. This music example features a type of bagpipe traditionally made of goatskin, which is known as the gaida in Bulgaria
and as the gajde in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This instrument differs from other bagpipes in the region in that it
has a drone (accompanying sustained note) pipe as well as a melody pipe.
"Staro makedonsko narodno oro" from Pece Atanasovski (unreleased) (p)1992 Globestyle-ACE Records, Ltd. All rights
reserved./Dorling Kindersley

Bulgaria is a country in which music has a long, rich history. Traditional Bulgarian music includes folk songs and choral
chants in the Greek mode for church services. Bulgarian folk music is unusual, displaying complex harmonies and
rhythms. The chief folk musical instruments are the gaida (bagpipe) and the kaval (wooden shepherd’s flute).
Characteristic folk dances are variations of the hora, a round chain dance, and the ruchenitsa, a lively dance of two
couples. Some modern Bulgarian orchestral and operatic compositions have gained international recognition. Among
the country’s leading 20th-century composers are Petko Stainov and Pancho Vladigerov.

D Libraries and Museums

Large libraries in Sofia include the Central Library of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (founded in 1869), the library
of the University of Sofia (1888), and the Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius National Library (1878). The Ivan Vazov
National Library (1879) is located in Plovdiv. In addition, the people of Bulgaria are served by many smaller library
clubs (chitalisshta), a unique Bulgarian form of cultural center that has its origins in the national revival period of the
19th century.

Bulgaria has more than 200 museums. In Sofia are botanical and zoological museums and gardens; the National
Archaeological Museum (1892), with a collection of old coins and artifacts from many ancient burial mounds; and the
National Ethnographical Museum (1906). Other museums in the country are devoted to history, science, and the
struggles for national revival.

V ECONOMY
Economy of Bulgaria

Gross domestic product (GDP in U.S.$) $27 billion (2005)

GDP per capita (U.S.$) $3,442.90 (2005)
Monetary unit 1 new lev (Lv), consisting of 100 stotinki
Number of workers 3,110,602 (2005)
Unemployment rate 13.7 percent (2003)

Until 1947 Bulgaria was predominantly agricultural and rural, with virtually no heavy industry. In communist Bulgaria
following World War II (1939-1945), all industrial enterprises were nationalized and operated under a series of five-year
economic plans, with financial aid from the Soviet Union. Heavy industry was the government’s highest priority, and
many Bulgarians moved from the countryside to cities to work in newly built factories. Bulgarian agriculture was
organized into large collective farms (Collectivism), although many farmers were allowed to raise their own livestock
and till small plots.

Bulgaria’s transition from a socialist to a market economy, which began in 1990, proved challenging. In 1991 the
government introduced banking reforms, austerity measures, and a program to privatize state-owned assets. But the
loss of the Soviet market for Bulgarian-produced goods triggered a pronounced economic contraction, causing
widespread food and fuel shortages, high unemployment, and a severe drop in the standard of living. These
developments led to popular dissatisfaction with the economic reforms. Consequently, the government failed to press
for further reforms that would lead to mass privatization. Although limited privatization had begun, the major industrial
sectors remained under state control.

In 1994 Bulgarian voters—yearning for the economic stability of the communist era—elected the former communists
into power, a development that further hindered reform. Rather than transferring inefficient state-owned enterprises to
private ownership, the government sustained them or had state-controlled banks extend loans that were never repaid.
The absence of structural reform yielded dangerous consequences by 1996, as the value of the national currency, the
lev, plummeted, pushing the fragile banking system toward collapse. In late 1996 Bulgaria entered a deep economic
crisis, with skyrocketing inflation and a rash of bankruptcies in the banking sector.

In 1997 a newly elected reform-minded government undertook measures to stabilize the economy and to fight the
deep-seated corruption prevalent in many of the country’s large enterprises. Since that time, Bulgaria has pressed
ahead with pro-market reforms, including the acceleration of privatization. Bulgaria’s commitment to reforms led the
European Union (EU) to open membership talks with the country in 2000, and Bulgaria expected to officially join the
EU in 2007. Despite these developments, unemployment remains chronically high, and the nation’s per-capita income
ranks among the lowest in Europe.

Today, as in most developed countries, service industries, such as finance, transportation, and tourism, account for the
bulk of Bulgaria’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, Bulgaria remains highly dependent on manufacturing and
agriculture, which together occupy about half the total workforce. Important manufacturing activities include chemical,
metallurgical, machine-construction, and food processing industries. Bulgaria produces and exports many agricultural
products, including vegetables, tobacco, and rose oil. Bulgaria’s wines are world-famous. In 2005, Bulgaria’s GDP was
$26.6 billion.

A Agriculture

Roadside Market in Bulgaria

People buy red peppers and other vegetables at a farmers’ market in a suburb of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Although privatization
of Bulgaria’s economy has been slow, most farmland once controlled by the state is now owned by independent farmers.
Melanie Friend/Hutchison Library
Emphasis on agriculture, once the largest sector of Bulgaria’s economy, declined significantly after World War II (1939-
1945). However, Bulgaria remains a surplus food producer, and farming still occupies a major role in Bulgaria’s
economic life. In 2005 agriculture contributed 9.6 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and
employed about one-quarter of the nation’s total workforce.

Climate and soil conditions support raising livestock and the growing of cereals (especially wheat), sunflower seeds,
and tomatoes, grapes, and other fruits. Tobacco is one of the most valuable crops, contributing approximately 20
percent to the total value of agricultural goods. The most important livestock raised include fowl, sheep, and hogs.

Collectivization of agriculture began under communist rule in the early 1950s, and by the late 1980s most farmland
was part of the country’s collective farm system. In 1990 private farming was legalized, and from 1992 to 1999 more
than 96 percent of collectivized farmland had been returned to its former owners and their heirs.

B Mining

Coal furnishes the bulk of Bulgaria’s mineral production. Coal-powered energy plants produce more than 40 percent of
electricity produced in Bulgaria. Annual coal production (27.2 million metric tons in 2003) has expanded to meet
domestic demand. Petroleum was discovered in 1951 on the Black Sea coast; Bulgaria produced 365,300 barrels of
crude oil in 2004. Production of iron ore was 120,000 metric tons. Copper, gold, zinc, lead, and natural gas are also
commercially exploited.

C Manufacturing

As a result of privatization reforms begun in the 1990s, many formerly state-owned industrial enterprises are now
privately owned. The metalworking and chemical industries, as well as the food-processing, tobacco-processing, and
machinery-manufacturing enterprises, are among the newer, more productive sectors. During the 1990s, Bulgaria
gained an international reputation for producing high-quality, affordable wines, especially red wines such as gamza,
mavrud, melnik, and pamid. Smelting and metalworking industries are largely dependent on imports of raw materials.
The ores mined domestically, however, are refined and fabricated into manufactured goods in Bulgaria. Machine
building and engineering are being expanded, especially for light electrical equipment.

Textiles are the oldest manufactured products of Bulgaria and, except for cotton goods, largely use domestic raw
materials. The manufacture of building materials, including cement, brick, and glass, is well developed, as is the
production of leather goods and footwear. Perhaps the most famous—and among the oldest—products of Bulgaria is
attar of roses (fragrant rose oil), which is used as a perfume base (see Perfumery).

D Energy

Bulgaria derives about half of its energy from nuclear power plants, with most of the rest coming from thermal plants
burning low-grade coal and waterpower facilities. Bulgaria’s Kozloduy nuclear power plant produces enough energy to
permit the country to earn millions of dollars from electricity exports. However, under pressure from the European
Union (EU), which expressed concerns about the safety of four of the six reactors at the plant, Bulgaria closed two of
the oldest reactors in late 2002, and it agreed to close two additional reactors by the end of 2006. Meanwhile, to meet
future energy needs, Bulgaria announced plans to open two new reactors at Belene in the Danube River valley and a
new coal-fired plant at Maritsa East thermal power complex in central Bulgaria. Bulgaria produced 38.1 billion kilowatt-
hours of electricity in 2003.
E Currency and Banking

The unit of currency in Bulgaria is the lev (2 leva equal U.S.$1; 2005 average). The National Bank of Bulgaria is the
bank of issue.

F Transportation

Bulgaria is largely dependent for transport on railroads, with 4,163 km (2,587 mi) of track in use. The country is also
served by about 102,016 km (about 63,390 mi) of roads. A major event in the development of transportation in
Bulgaria was the opening of the Ruse-Giurgiu rail-and-road bridge over the Danube River in 1954; it is the chief bridge
of its type connecting Bulgaria and Romania. Extensive bus services operate in areas not served by railroads.

The Danube River is a major artery of commerce. Of the dozen Danube ports, Ruse, Svishtov, Lom, and Vidin have the
greatest importance. Much of the Bulgarian freight and passenger traffic with the countries of the former Soviet bloc
uses the Danube and the Black Sea.

Balkan Bulgarian Airlines served as the national airline from 1946 to 2002. At its height, it was one of Europe’s largest
air carriers. It was replaced by Bulgaria Air, which serves the major cities of the country as well as many international
destinations. Smaller airlines also operate in Bulgaria.

VI GOVERNMENT
Government of Bulgaria

Form of government Multiparty republic

Head of state President
Head of government Prime minister
Legislature Unicameral legislature:
National Assembly, 240 members
Voting qualifications Universal and compulsory at age 18
Constitution Adopted 12 July 1991
Highest court Supreme Court

From 1946 to 1990, Bulgaria had a communist form of government with only one legal political party, the Bulgarian
Communist Party (BCP). Early in 1990, however, the Bulgarian constitution was amended to allow a multiparty system,
and in July 1991 a new constitution was approved, establishing Bulgaria as a parliamentary democracy. All Bulgarian
citizens age 18 and older may vote in local and national elections.

A Executive

The president serves as the head of state and is directly elected by the voters to no more than two five-year terms.
The president is commander in chief of the armed forces and represents Bulgaria abroad. The president may also send
legislation back to the legislature for further debate, although the legislature may pass the returned legislation into law
with a simple majority vote.
The head of government is the prime minister, who is nominated by the president from the largest parliamentary party
or coalition of parties and is approved by parliament. The prime minister presides over the Council of Ministers (or
cabinet), the highest executive and administrative body of the Bulgarian government.

B Legislature

Bulgaria’s legislature, the National Assembly (Narodno Sabranie), is a unicameral (one-chamber) parliament composed
of 240 members. Members are directly elected to four-year terms. The assembly is responsible for passing laws,
approving the national budget, declaring war, and ratifying international treaties. The assembly may, through a vote of
no-confidence, dismiss the prime minister and other ministers of government.

C Judiciary

Bulgaria’s constitution of 1991 provides for an independent judiciary and for the establishment of a Constitutional
Court, which interprets the constitution and rules on the constitutionality of laws and treaties. The Supreme Court sits
in Sofia and oversees the application of laws by lower courts. Other tribunals in Bulgaria include provincial courts,
regional courts, and military courts.

D Local Government

For purposes of local administration, Bulgaria is divided into 28 regions, each headed by a regional governor who is
appointed by the Council of Ministers. The governor is assisted by an appointed deputy governor and regional
administration. The duties of the governor and the regional administration are to implement the policies of the national
government on the local level, safeguard the national interests, enforce the law and maintain public order, and
exercise administrative control.

For purposes of local self-government, Bulgaria is divided into more than 250 municipalities. Each municipality is
governed by a mayor and a municipal council. The municipal council is elected directly by the populace for a term of
four years. The mayor is elected by the municipal council for a term of four years. The municipal councils adopt their
own budgets and development plans and deal with matters such as environmental preservation, public health,
education, and cultural activities.

E Political Parties

With the end of communist rule in 1990, Bulgaria became a multiparty state. Under the 1991 constitution, political
parties or coalitions must gain at least 4 percent of the vote to enter the National Assembly.

During the 1990s, three principal political parties dominated Bulgarian politics: the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP),
composed of former Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) members; the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), a center-right
coalition of anti-Communist parties; and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, an ethnic Turkish party. In 2001 a new
organization led by Bulgaria’s former king, Simeon II, the National Movement for Simeon II, emerged as an important
party. More than 60 other parties function in Bulgaria.

F Social Services
Matters of healthcare in Bulgaria are under the overall control of the ministry of public health. Health services are free
in government-run hospitals, although patients must pay for some kinds of medications. Private medical services were
authorized in 1989. However, social security, which provides pensions to seniors, has faced severe budgetary
restraints as a result of economic difficulties.

G Defense

Military service is compulsory for nine months for all males beginning at age 19. Men enrolled in institutions of higher
education may defer fulfillment of their military obligation until they complete their education. The army had about
25,000 personnel in 2004. Air force personnel numbered about 13,100. Military equipment in the late 1990s included
1,475 tanks and 217 combat aircraft. The navy had a force of about 4,370 and maintained three major bases on the
Black Sea.

The Bulgarian military has undergone an aggressive restructuring effort to bring its equipment and forces up to the
standards of other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a defensive alliance it joined in March
2004. In recent years, Bulgaria has played an important role in helping to resolve interethnic conflicts in the Balkan
Peninsula, deploying small numbers of troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Serbian province of Kosovo. It sent a
contingent of troops to Afghanistan as part of the war against international terrorism after the September 11 attacks
on the United States in 2001. Bulgaria also sent forces to Iraq following the U.S.-led invasion of that country in 2003
(U.S.-Iraq War).

H International Organizations

Bulgaria is a member of the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), NATO’s Partnership for Peace
program, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Group,
the Council of Europe, and several other major international associations. Bulgaria is an associate member of the
European Union (EU). In 2000 the EU opened membership negotiations with Bulgaria, and the country is expected to
become a full member of the organization in 2007.

VII HISTORY

The region that is now Bulgaria was at one time included in the Roman Empire as part of the provinces of Thrace and
Moesia. Slavic and Turkic tribes settled in the area between about the 4th and 6th centuries AD. One branch of people
known as Bulgars, who had established a large state near the Volga River on the east side of the Black Sea, invaded
the Balkan Peninsula in the 7th century. They set up a state between the Danube River and the Balkan Mountains, an
area that was then claimed by the Byzantine Empire. Byzantine armies failed repeatedly to dislodge the invaders
during the 8th and early 9th centuries. By the end of the 9th century the Bulgarians had annexed considerable
additional territory and laid the foundations for a strong state under Khan Krum, who reigned from 803 to 814. The
Krum armies inflicted a devastating defeat on an invading Byzantine force in 811 and, assuming the offensive, nearly
succeeded in 813 in taking Constantinople (present-day İstanbul, Turkey), the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Bulgarian-Byzantine relations were thereafter relatively peaceful and continued to be so during the first half of the 9th
century. The immediate successors of Krum enlarged their dominions, mainly in the region of Serbia and Macedonia. In
860, however, during the reign of Boris I, Bulgaria suffered a severe military setback at the hands of the Serbs. Four
years later Boris, responding to pressure from the Byzantine emperor Michael III, made Christianity the official religion.
Boris accepted the primacy of the papacy in 866, but in 870, following the refusal of Pope Adrian II to make Bulgaria an
archbishopric, he shifted his allegiance to the Eastern Orthodox Church (see Orthodox Church).

A The First Bulgarian Empire

Basil II
Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025, Basil II expanded the empire’s borders east into Armenia and west into Bulgaria. Many
historians regard Basil as the empire’s last great ruler. His likeness is reproduced in this manuscript illustration.
Scala/Art Resource, NY

In the late 9th and early 10th centuries, Bulgaria became the strongest nation of Eastern Europe during the reign of
Boris’s son Simeon. A brilliant administrator and military leader, Simeon introduced Byzantine (Greek) culture into his
realm, encouraged education, obtained new territories, defeated the Magyars (Hungarians), and conducted a series of
successful wars against the Byzantine Empire. In 925 Simeon proclaimed himself tsar (emperor) of the Greeks and
Bulgars. He conquered Serbia in 926 and became the most powerful monarch in contemporary Eastern Europe.
Simeon’s reign was marked by great cultural advances led by the followers of the brothers Saint Cyril and Saint
Methodius. During this period Old Church Slavonic, the first written Slavic language (see Slavic Languages), and the
Cyrillic alphabet were adopted.

Weakened by domestic strife and successive Magyar raids, Bulgarian power declined steadily during the following half-
century. In 969 invading forces from Russia seized the capital and captured the royal family. The Byzantine Emperor
John I Tzimisces, alarmed over the Russian advance into southeastern Europe, intervened in 970 in the Russo-
Bulgarian conflict. The Russians were compelled to withdraw from Bulgaria in 972, and the eastern part of the country
was annexed to the Byzantine Empire. Samuel, the son of a Bulgarian provincial governor, became ruler of western
Bulgaria in 976. Samuel’s armies were annihilated in 1014 by the Byzantine Emperor Basil II, who incorporated the
short-lived state into his empire in 1018.

B The Second Empire and Ottoman Rule

Bulgarian Castle
This castle, which stands in Nessebur, in east central Bulgaria, dates back to a period of Bulgarian self-rule that began in the late 12th
century. In 1185 Bulgarians freed themselves from Byzantine rule. They established an empire that lasted for a little over 100 years
before Serbs, and then Ottomans, conquered the region.
Christo Popoff Studio

Led by the noble brothers Asen and Peter, the Bulgarians revolted against Byzantine rule in 1185 and established a
second empire. It consisted initially of the region between the Balkan Mountains and the Danube; by the early 13th
century it included extensive neighboring territories, notably sections of Serbia and all of western Macedonia. Ivan
Asen II, the fifth ruler of the Asen dynasty, added western Thrace, the remainder of Macedonia, and part of Albania to
the empire in 1230.
Former Capital of a Balkan Empire
On a gorge overlooking the Yantra River, the north central Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo lies between the Danubia Plain and the
Balkan Mountains. In the late 12th century, the city became capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The 13th century czar Ivan Asen
II ruled much of the Balkan Peninsula from Veliko Tarnovo.
Margot Granitsas/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Feudal strife and involvement in foreign wars caused gradual disintegration of the empire after the death of Ivan Asen
II. The Bulgarian armies were decisively defeated by the Serbs in 1330, and for the next quarter century the second
empire was little more than a dependency of Serbia. Shortly after 1360, armies of the Ottoman Empire began to
ravage the Maritsa Valley and by 1396 they controlled all of Bulgaria. During the next five centuries the political and
cultural existence of Bulgaria was almost obliterated. After a century of terrorism and persecution, Ottoman
administration improved, and the economic condition of the remaining Bulgarians rose to a level higher than it had
been under the kingdom, although unsuccessful revolts against Ottoman rule occurred from time to time.

With the revival of a Bulgarian literature glorifying the history of the country, in the latter half of the 18th century and
the early part of the 19th century, Bulgarian nationalism became a powerful movement. In 1876 the Bulgarians
revolted against the Ottomans, but were quelled; in reprisal, the Ottomans massacred an estimated 30,000 Bulgarian
men, women, and children. In 1877, prompted by the desire to expand toward the Mediterranean Sea and by Pan-
Slavic sentiment, Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire and defeated it in 1878. As a result of the war, a part of
Bulgaria became an autonomous principality; another part, Eastern Rumelia (see Rumelia), was made an autonomous
Ottoman province.

C Modern Bulgaria
Elected by a Bulgarian assembly in 1879, the first prince of the new Bulgaria was a German, Alexander of Battenberg,
also a prince and a nephew of Emperor Alexander II of Russia. Eastern Rumelia revolted against the Ottoman Empire in
1885 and was united with Bulgaria. Russia, whose relationship with Prince Alexander had deteriorated, refused to
recognize the union. The Russian emperor demanded the abdication of the prince and withdrew all officers who had
been detailed to train the Bulgarian army. Serbia then declared war on Bulgaria but was quickly defeated. In 1886 a
group of Russian and Bulgarian conspirators abducted Prince Alexander and established a Russian-dominated
government. Within a few days the government was overthrown by the Bulgarian statesman Stepan Stambolov, but
the Russians compelled Prince Alexander to abdicate. The new ruler, chosen in 1887, was Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-
Coburg-Gotha. Taking advantage of a revolution in the Ottoman Empire, in 1908 Ferdinand declared Bulgaria
independent and assumed the title of King, or Tsar, Ferdinand I; he reigned from 1908 to 1918.

C1 The Balkan Wars and World War I

In the First Balkan War (1912-1913), Bulgaria, allied with Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece, defeated the Ottoman
Empire. Division of the reconquered Balkan territories, however, resulted in the Second Balkan War in 1913, which
Bulgaria lost to Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, the Ottoman Empire, and Romania; as a consequence, Bulgaria lost
considerable territory. Bulgaria entered World War I in 1915 on the side of the Central Powers, but was forced to agree
on an armistice with the Allies (see Allied Powers) in September 1918. King Ferdinand abdicated in October and was
succeeded by his son, Boris III. By the Treaty of Neuilly on November 27, 1919, Bulgaria lost most of what it had gained
in the Balkan Wars and all of its conquests from World War I. It was also required to abandon conscription, reduce
armaments, and pay large reparations.

C2 The Interwar Period and World War II

Boris III, King of Bulgaria
Boris III was the king of Bulgaria (1918-1943) and its effective dictator from 1935. Although he led Bulgaria into an alliance with
Hitler's Germany, and he acquired territory from Yugoslavia and Greece in 1941, Boris refused to involve Bulgarian soldiers in the
invasion of the Soviet Union. Boris’s son, Simeon II, was elected prime minister of Bulgaria in 2001.
Austrian Archives/Corbis

The Agrarian Party government under Aleksandr Stambolisky, who became premier in 1919, attempted to improve the
condition of the large peasant class and maintain friendly relations with the other Balkan countries. Stambolisky’s
dictatorial regime, unpopular with the army and the urban middle class, was overthrown by a coup d’état in 1923; he
was captured and killed while seeking to escape. Internal dissension continued under the new government, which
represented all political parties except the Agrarians, Communists, and Liberals. Bulgaria and Greece again came into
conflict in 1925, and the Greek army invaded Bulgaria. The Council of the League of Nations brought the conflict to an
end and penalized Greece.

In 1934 King Boris III staged a coup of his own and established a royal dictatorship. In September 1940 Germany
compelled Romania to cede southern Dobruja to Bulgaria. In March 1941, under German pressure, Bulgaria joined the
Axis powers, agreeing to immediate occupation by German forces. Bulgaria declared war on Greece and Yugoslavia in
April, shortly afterward occupying all of Yugoslav Macedonia, Grecian Thrace, eastern Greek Macedonia, and the Greek
districts of Florina and Kastoría. Bulgaria signed the Anti-Comintern Pact in November and the following month
declared war on the United States and the United Kingdom. Although allied with Nazi Germany (see National
Socialism), King Boris and his government resisted German demands for the persecution of Bulgarian Jews, most of
whom survived the Holocaust, the mass killing of European Jews by the Nazis.

When the tide of war turned against the Germans in 1943, German dictator Adolf Hitler attempted to force Bulgaria to
declare war on the Soviet Union. In August 1943, after returning from a meeting with Hitler, King Boris died under
mysterious circumstances and was succeeded by his six-year-old son, Simeon II, and a pro-German government under
Dobri Bozhilov. An anti-German resistance movement organized by the Communists and the Agrarians opposed the
Bozhilov regime, which fell in May 1944. The succeeding government severed its ties with Germany, but it was too
late. The Soviet Union formally declared war on Bulgaria on September 5. No fighting occurred, and the Bulgarian
government subsequently asked the Soviet Union for an armistice, or truce. Bulgaria, moreover, declared war on
Germany on September 7. The armistice was agreed to by the Soviet Union on September 9, and under the protection
of Soviet forces a government subservient to the Soviets was immediately established.

The armistice, signed by the Soviet Union, the United States, and Britain in October 1944, provided for the control of
Bulgaria, until the signing of final peace treaties, by the Allied Control Commission under the chairmanship of the
Soviet representative, who was also the commander of the Soviet occupation forces. The armistice provided also that
the Bulgarians evacuate Yugoslav Macedonia and territories they had taken from Greece.

Soviet pressure in the Bulgarian election engaged the attention of Britain and the United States in the fall of 1945.
National elections originally scheduled for August were postponed because of U.S. protests concerning the nature of
Soviet political maneuvers within Bulgaria. The opposition parties boycotted the elections held on November 18, and a
single list of candidates of the communist-dominated Fatherland Front won 85 percent of the vote.

C3 The Communist Regime

Todor Zhivkov
Todor Zhivkov joined the Young Communist League in the 1920s, became party secretary of the Sofia district of the Bulgarian
Communist Party in 1934, and rose steadily through party ranks until he became prime minister of Bulgaria in 1962. Zhivkov served
as president from 1971 to 1989, when he was ousted in a coup and subsequently convicted, in 1992, of embezzlement, corruption,
and abuse of power.
Zentralfoto/SOVFOTO-EASTFOTO

By a plebiscite in September 1946, the Bulgarians ousted King Simeon and ended the monarchy; a week later Bulgaria
was proclaimed a people’s republic. The constitution drawn up by the Fatherland Front, which won an overwhelming
victory in the elections to the National Assembly, held in October, provided for freedom of the press, assembly, and
speech. The National Assembly, which gained full control of state affairs, then elected the premier and also the
president. The first president was Vasil Kolarov, a Communist Party leader. Georgi Dimitrov, a former key figure in the
Communist International, was elected premier in November 1946.

In February 1947 the peace treaty formally ending Bulgarian participation in World War II was signed in Paris. It
provided for reparations to be paid to Greece in the amount of $45 million and to Yugoslavia in the amount of $25
million; severe limitation of military strength, with partial demilitarization along the Greek frontier; and the retention of
southern Dobruja. (The borders with Greece were returned to their status as of 1941.) In December 1947 the National
Assembly adopted a new constitution modeled on that of the Soviet Union; this document replaced the presidency with
the presidium, an executive committee. That September, Nikola Dimitrov Petkov, leader of the opposition to the
Fatherland Front, had been executed after being convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government.

Under pressure from the Soviets, Bulgaria renounced its treaty of friendship with Yugoslavia after the Soviet-
Yugoslavian rift in 1948; relations with the country and its successor states have since continued to fluctuate, as have
those with neighboring Greece and Turkey. Diplomatic ties with the United States, broken in 1950 but restored in 1959,
were frequently marred by Bulgarian accusations of U.S. espionage activities. The U.S. ministry was raised to the
status of an embassy in 1966.

During most of the communist period, under the leadership of Todor Zhivkov—secretary of the Bulgarian Communist
Party (BCP) from 1954, the country’s premier from 1964 to 1971, and head of state from 1971 to late 1989—Bulgaria
was one of the most restrictive societies among the former Soviet satellites. As a member of the Council for Mutual
Economic Assistance (COMECON) and the Warsaw Pact, Bulgaria long remained among the Soviet Union’s most
dependable allies. During the 1970s the country received substantial financial aid from the Soviet Union, which was
used for industrialization.

During the mid-1980s the Zhivkov government launched a campaign to assimilate members of Bulgaria’s Turkish
minority by forcing them to take Slavic names, prohibiting them from speaking Turkish in public, and subjecting them
to other forms of harassment; during 1989 alone, more than 300,000 Bulgarian Turks crossed the border into Turkey to
escape persecution.
D The End of Communist Rule

A New Political Climate

Outside the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party, citizens exchange views and sign petitions, reveling in their
newfound political freedom. Despite a 1971 constitution stating that sovereignty was vested in the people, real political power in
belonged to the Communist Party's Politburo, which dictated policy for over 40 years. In 1989 political reforms began to sweep
through Eastern Europe, bringing dramatic changes to Bulgaria.
Margot Granitsas/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Late in 1989, Zhivkov was ousted from power and expelled from the Bulgarian Communist Party; replacing him as
general secretary was the foreign minister, Petur T. Mladenov. Under Mladenov’s leadership, Bulgaria restored the civil
rights of Bulgarian Turks and began to institute a multiparty system. In June 1990 the communists, running as the
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), won the nation’s first free parliamentary elections since World War II. Mladenov, who
had become president in April, resigned in July over a scandal regarding the use of force in the suppression of student
demonstrations. The parliament replaced him with Zhelyu Zhelev of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF).

The subsequent collapse of the Bulgarian economy led to the resignation in November 1990 of Prime Minister Andrei
Lukanov of the BSP. Despite being replaced by an independent candidate, Dimiter Popov, new elections were
scheduled. The UDF won the elections of 1991 by a narrow margin. Filip Dimitrov, head of the UDF, became the prime
minister. Under a new constitution providing for direct presidential voting, Zhelyu Zhelev won reelection in January
1992.

E Economic and Political Instability

Ivan Kostov
Ivan Kostov served as prime minister of Bulgaria between 1997 and 2001. An economist and democratic activist in the 1980s, he
focused on introducing free-market economic reforms.
Reuters/Oleg Popov/Archive Photos

Following the 1991 elections, the government slowly began initiating economic reforms. Among the reforms were laws
allowing foreign investment, privatization of state-owned companies, and the return of lands seized by the communists
to their original owners. However, public dissatisfaction with the social effects of the reforms led to the overthrow of
Dimitrov’s government in October 1992.

The following two years were characterized by volatile and ineffective political alliances with parliament unable to
enact key legislation. When the BSP and the UDF refused to form a new government, President Zhelev of the UDF
dissolved parliament in October 1994. He then appointed a caretaker government until parliamentary elections were
held in December. The BSP won a clear majority, capturing 125 of the 240 seats. Zhan Videnov, the 35-year-old
chairman of the BSP, was appointed prime minister.

In 1996 Zhelev lost his party’s nomination to Petar Stoyanov for the November presidential elections. Stoyanov won 60
percent of the vote in the elections, defeating Ivan Mazarov, the BSP candidate. Faced with Mazarov’s defeat, a
collapsing economy, and an intraparty rebellion against his leadership, Videnov resigned his posts as prime minister
and chairman of the BSP in December. The BSP parliamentary majority then appointed the interior minister, Nikolay
Dobrev, as their choice for prime minister. The UDF objected vigorously to continuing the BSP mandate and demanded
an early parliamentary election, but the BSP refused, insisting that its mandate from 1994 be continued. Meanwhile,
the national economy collapsed; the lev, the Bulgarian currency plunged in value and inflation soared, leaving the
country in a state of near-bankruptcy. In January 1997 tens of thousands of Bulgarians began to hold daily protests,
calling for early elections and an end to the country’s economic crisis.

On January 10, 1997, the UDF and other opposition parties—angered that the BSP refused to consider the UDF’s
motion for new elections—walked out of a National Assembly session and began a boycott of parliament. Protesters
immediately stormed the parliament building, trapping more than 100 BSP deputies inside until police broke through
and enabled the deputies to escape. The next day, President Zhelev announced he would not give the BSP’s newly
appointed prime minister the mandate, as required by the constitution, to form a new government. In the face of this
political standoff, president-elect Stoyanov took office on January 22. After the mass protests and strikes succeeded in
paralyzing the economy, the BSP conceded to the opposition’s demands on February 4, and Stoyanov appointed a
caretaker government led by Sofia mayor Stefan Sofianski. The economy began to recover somewhat in March, in part
because the interim government was able to attract support from international lenders and donor governments.

In the April 1997 parliamentary elections, the United Democratic Forces (ODC)—an electoral alliance of the UDF and
several smaller parties—swept into power, winning 137 parliamentary seats. The leader of the alliance, Ivan Kostov of
the UDF, was unanimously chosen to be prime minister. He immediately established a currency-board system to
stabilize Bulgaria’s currency, the lev, a measure required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for aid.
Kostov promised to battle organized crime and corruption and institute rigorous economic reforms. Bulgaria used IMF
funds to help carry out financial, tax, and trade reforms, and to modernize agriculture and other economic sectors. In
2000 the European Union (EU) opened membership talks with Bulgaria.

F Recent Events
Simeon II
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was, as Simeon II, the last king of Bulgaria and was deposed by communists in 1946. Following the
collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989, he returned to the country and in 2001 was elected prime minister as leader of his newly formed
party, the Simeon II National Movement.
Reuters NewMedia Inc./Corbis

In April 2001 Simeon Saxe-Coburg, Bulgaria’s former king Simeon II, reentered Bulgarian politics by creating a political
organization that promised to improve living standards and combat political corruption—a chronic problem since the
collapse of communism. Exiled in 1946, Saxe-Coburg had spent much of his life as a businessman in Madrid, Spain.
Saxe-Coburg’s organization, the National Movement for Simeon II, emerged as the largest party in the June 2001
parliamentary elections. His party formed a coalition government with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, an
ethnic Turkish party, and he became Bulgaria’s prime minister in July. Since then, Saxe-Coburg’s government has won
praise from Western governments for pressing ahead with market reforms to meet targets set by the EU. In the
November 2001 elections for the largely ceremonial position of president, BSP leader Georgi Parvanov edged out
incumbent candidate Peter Stoyanov. Parvanov was reelected in a runoff in October 2006.

Contributed By:
Daniel N. Nelson
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2008. © 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.