Bulgaria
General Information:
Capital: SofiaPolitical system: Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. The Prime Minister (Prime Minister) has the highest executive power. The head of state (president) performs mainly representative tasks.
Population: 7.3 million
Currency: Bulgarian lev (BGN)
Official language: Bulgarian
EU single emergency number: 112
National lines:
Rescue service: 150
Firemen: 160
Police: 166
Embassy of the country in Slovakia:
Address: Kuzmányho 1, 811 06 Bratislava 1
Tel :. +421 2 54415308
Email: bulharskoet@stonline.sk
Embassy of the Slovak Republic in the country:
Address: Blv. Janko Sakazov 9, Sofia
Tel :. +359 29429211
Email: emb.sofia@mzv.sk
Web: www.mzv.sk/sofia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic offers Slovak citizens a free voluntary registration option before traveling abroad via the Ministry's website. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic will thus be able to inform you about crisis situations and provide you with timely and effective assistance in the event of an emergency.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
Cultural differences and advice from Intercultural Communication Coach:
Bulgaria is a country of thermal springs and it ranks second after Iceland in Europe. Many women know Bulgaria namely thanks to the rose oil, which can be found in 70-80% of the world's perfumes. Peter Petrov, of the Bulgarian provenance, is behind the birth of digital watches. The Bulgarians are big enthusiasts of yoghurt. The first mention of its consumption dates back to the times of Turkish rule, and nowadays the Bulgarians add it to many dishes. It is considered to be one of the recipes for longevity.
The Bulgarians are among the cultures that invest time in building relationships with friends and colleagues. They say that there is always a way how to solve problems, even if the situation seems hopeless. Bulgaria is facing a relatively large outflow of educated people who are leaving to work to other countries.
Respect and esteem towards the elderly are the dominant features of the Bulgarian culture. This is reflected in business negotiations and approvals of decisions. The Bulgarians expect their colleagues and business partners to explain their arguments and offers in detail. They are usually well prepared for meetings and have professionally justified opinions. When it comes to the interest in discussing the details, it often happens that the business meetings last longer than originally planned. They belong to cultures with an indirect communication style and a specific non-verbal language. Nodding and head shaking express the exactly opposite meaning in Bulgaria compared with our country. The Bulgarian non-verbal “yes” means “no”. The verbal expression of the Bulgarians is more emotional and louder than that of the Slovaks. This can give the impression that they are angry.
Recommendations for Co-operation with Colleagues from Bulgaria:
- The Bulgarians expect respect and esteem from their colleagues and partners from other cultures considering the age and status of team members.
- First, it is important to convince them of your expertise, and then discussion and co-operation are possible.
- The Bulgarians belong to cultures that try to avoid risk and verify all the details before making a decision.
- Good food and wine are also part of business meetings and building relationships.
- The Bulgarians try to satisfy the needs of their colleagues and business partners as much as possible. A positive response does not automatically mean that the measure in question will also be accepted.
