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Bulgaria

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Last reviewed: 26 August 2009

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Bulgaria is a member of a number of international organisations, including: the Council of Europe (COE), the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe (OSCE) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The Bulgarian government has the following foreign policy priorities:

  • Presence of Bulgaria in the core of the European politics.
  • Development of the Euro-Atlantic partnerships as a guarantee for peace and global security.
  • Bulgaria becoming a factor of democratic stability and development of the Balkans and the Black Sea region.
  • Increasing the role of Bulgaria in the global economy.
  • Supporting the development of the Bulgarian communities abroa.

See the Bulgaria Ministry of Foreign Affairs web-site for more information.

BILATERAL RELATIONS

Bulgaria and the UK enjoy a close bilateral relationship, with a number of shared interests, for example in the Atlantic relationship and the fight against organised crime and terrorism. The defence relationship is very good, and Bulgaria continues to contribute significantly to overseas military operations in support of NATO (ISAF, KFOR), EU (Op ALTHEA, Bosnia, and Chad and the Central African Republic), and Coalition Operations in Iraq, as well as UN Observer Missions world-wide.

Nearly half a million British tourists come to Bulgaria each year – to the Black Sea coast in summer and to ski resorts like Bansko in winter. In addition, around 40,000 UK nationals own property and live here either temporarily or permanently.

Recent Bilateral Visits

To Britain

March 2005 Deputy Prime Minister Plamen Panayotov
July 2006 Mayor of Sofia Boiko Borissov
July 2006 Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin
April 2006 President Georgi Purvanov
October 2006 Minister for European Affairs Meglena Kuneva
October 2006 Minister for Labour and Social Policy Emilia Maslarova
January 2007 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Evgenia Koldanova
February 2007 Minister of Economy and Energy Rumen Ovcharov
February 2007 Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev
April 2007 Interior Minister Roumen Petkov
March 2008 Justice Minister Meglana Tacheva
June 2008 Minister for European Affairs Gergana Grancharova

To Bulgaria

March 2005 Home Office Minister Caroline Flint
February 2006 Minister for Europe Douglas Alexander
April 2006 Home Secretary Charles Clarke
May 2006 Foreign Office Minister Dr Kim Howells
September 2006 Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Department of Constitutional Affairs Baroness Ashton
December 2006 Under-Secretary of State for Immigration Joan Ryan
January 2007 Secretary of State for Education and Skills Jim Knight
January 2007 Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott
February 2007 Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon
June 2007 Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Ministry of Justice Baroness Ashton
March 2008 Under Secretary of State for Crime Reduction Vernon Coaker
April 2008 Minister for Trade and Investment Lord Digby Jones
November 2008 Minister of State for National Offender Management Services and Youth Justice David Hanson
November 2008 Minister for Europe Caroline Flint

BULGARIA AND THE EU

Bulgaria joined the EU on 1 January 2007, as recommended by the European Commission in a report published in September 2006. However, the report outlined outstanding issues in Justice and Home Affairs (JHA), Bulgaria's progress on JHA continues to be monitored.

In July 2009 the European Commission published its third full report on Bulgaria's progress on outstanding issues in Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). The report was critical of the outgoing Bulgarian government's failure to make headway in the fight against corruption and organised crime, highlighting continuing issues with the efficiency of the pre-trial phase, and the administrative capacity of the police and judiciary. In September 2009 a report on Bulgaria's management of EU funds, of which over 500 million euro of EU funding are currently suspended, will assess improvements to the management of EU funds.

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Contacts

Bulgaria

Address:

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
186–188 Queen's Gate
London SW7 5HL

Telephone:

(020) 7584 9400/9433
(020) 7589 3763 (Consular: Inquiries 1300-1500)
090 6554 0750 (Consular 24 Hour Automated Booking system)
(020) 7581 4903 (Commercial)

Fax:

(020) 7584 4948
(020) 7581 9073 (Consular)
(020) 7589 4875 (Commercial)

Email: trade@bulgariaembassy.org.uk

Office hours:

Mon–Fri: 0900–1800      

Consular Section:
Mon-Fri: 0930-1230 (with an appointment)
Mon-Fri: 1230-1400  (without an appointment)

Website: http://www.bulgarianembassy.org.uk