Bulgaria
Membership in EU:2007
Political system:Republic
Capital city:Sofia
Total area: 111 000 km²
Currency:Bulgarian lev (BGN)
Economy | Business Protocol | Legislative and Political System | More about the Country | Order a Business Information Report (BIR)
Economy
Statistical Office

National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria
Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Entrepreneurship in the Country

Entrepreneurs in the Republic of Bulgaria
Bulgaria exports mainly products of light industry, foods and wines, which are successfully winning recognition on European markets.
Track-Trace Shipments
International Trade Shows
Business Directories

Golden Pages Bulgaria
Local Communities

Business Protocol
Business Meetings

Relationship building is important in Bulgaria. Try to spend time getting to know people before getting down to serious business.
Initial meetings should be used as an introduction. The next meetings can then be used for more business focused discussions.
If you are aware of your counterparts in Bulgaria, hire an interpreter and fully brief them on your needs.
Eye contact is important; it is relaying on trust and sincerity.
Any presentations should be factual and backed with statistics. If possible try to present information visually.
Bulgarians do not appreciate too much "talk", so avoid over zealous statements.
Once meetings have started to get into more serious matters, they will start to proceed at a much slower pace as details are digested, scrutinized and discussed.
Bulgarians are not deadline oriented. They prefer to ensure they have comprehensively covered a topic, before bringing proceedings to a close.
Be patient and do not rush meetings - successful ventures in Bulgaria will never happen overnight.
Meetings often last much longer than anticipated. Try not to rush the process.
It is important to retain a sense of formality and professionalism. Any slip into casual behaviour may not be appreciated.
Bulgarians have a tendency to talk in a roundabout way when concerned about not saying anything, that could be used against them later. If you are asking questions and not getting direct answers, try asking the question in different ways.
Legislative and Political System
President

President of the Republic of Bulgaria
Government

Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria
National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
Services of e-Government in Bulgaria
Prime Minister

Bulgarian Prime Minister
Ministries

Ministries in Bulgaria
Constitutional Court

Constitutional Court of the Republic of Bulgaria
Legislation

Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria
The European Union Portal
More about the Country
Geographical Characteristics

Located in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria offers a highly diverse landscape:  Danubian Plain is spread in the north, highlands and high peaks rise in the south, in the east mild and sunny Black Sea coast attracts tourists all year round.
Languages

Bulgarian; also Turkish, Romanian, Macedonian, Albanian, Gagauz.
Short History

Bulgaria was founded in 681 and is one of the oldest states in Europe. Its history is marked by the nearness of Europe’s frontier with Asia.
Time Zone

GMT/UTC + 1
International Dialing Code

+359
Average Temperatures

July 21 0C, January -2 0C.
Opening Hours of Banks

Monday - Friday: 9.00am – 4.00pm.
Opening Hours of Post-Offices

Monday – Friday: 8.00am – 6.00pm.
Opening Hours of Shops

Legally permitted opening hours of stores:

 

Monday – Friday: 9.00am – 7.00pm,

Saturday: 9.00am – 1.00pm.
Credit Cards

In Bulgaria the most popular credit cards are accepted, such as: American Express, Diners, Mastercard-Eurocard, Visa. Credit cards are accepted in numerous hotels, restaurants and stores, as well as in almost every petrol station.
Foreign Currency Exchange

Apart from the banks, foreign currency can be also exchanged in exchange offices, hotel receptions, tourist agencies, petrol stations and larger department stores.
Mobile Telecommunications

The country is almost entirely covered by mobile telephony signal, since the operators have concluded contracts with larger European and world operators. Mobile phones in the country are designed to function within the network of frequency bands 900 MHZ and 1800 MHZ. You can host in the following mobile networks: GloBul, Mtel, Vivatel.
Anti Smoking Law

From January 1st 2005 smoking is partly banned in restaurants, bars and pubs. These establishments can still have smoking areas, but they should be separated from non smoking areas.
Emergency Telephone Numbers

Police

166

Toll-free European emergency number (EEN)

112

Medical emergency

150

Fire emergency

160
European Emergency Number (EEN)
Population of the State

Statistics Bulgaria
Population of the Capital

Sofia Statistics
Demographics

Statistics Bulgaria
Religion

Bulgaria Statistics
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