soc.culture.bulgaria FAQ (monthly posting) (part 2/10)
Dragomir R. Radev
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.06
URL: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi
Archive-Name: bulgaria-faq/part2
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CHAPTER 3: VISITING BULGARIA
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3-1 Travel agencies dealing with Bulgaria
(by Plamen Bliznakov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
Telefoni i FAX na letishte JFK :
(718) 656-8235
(718) 656-8370
(718) 656-0119
(mislja, poslednoto e FAX)
Adresqt e E. Wing, Building 51
JFK International Airport
Jamaica, NY 11430
1-800 - nomera imat dve ot agenciite, specializirani v bileti za BG.
Balkan Holidays - predstavljavat Balkan ot poveche vreme
(800) 852-0944 (obshto vzeto ne go reklamirat za p`tnici, idejata
e kato che li poveche da go polzvat travel agent-i)
(212) 573-5530
(212) 573-5538 (FAX)
Intervega - rabotjat sravnitelno ot skoro
(800) 677-9089
Sofia Travel - s`shto sa sravnitelno otskoro v NY
(212) 247-8091
(212) 247-3810 (FAX)
Poslednite dve agencii kato che li predlagat po-niski ceni
(makar che imat dop`lnitelni taksi za pokupka na bileti s kreditna
karta, v krajna smetka mozhe da izleze i s`shtata suma).
Ima e agencija s E-mail adres : Tra...@aol.com
Po princip, v njakoi sluchai agenciite mogat da predlozhat i cena
po-niska ot tazi, kojato Balkan shte dade direktno na p`tnika.
No p`k v njakoi sluchai chovek se nalaga da se obadi direktno
na Balkan.
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3-2 Telephones of Balkan Airlines
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
(212) 371-2047
(212) 573-5530
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3-3 Visa info for foreigners
(by Plamen Bliznakov)
Visitors should have valid passports. No visa is required for Americans
visiting up to 30 days.
Entry or transit visas could be obtained at Bulgarian Embassies and
Consulates abroad.
Some Addresses :
In the USA
The Consular Office of the Bulgarian Embassy
1621 22nd Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 483-5885
In Canada
The Consular Office of the Bulgarian Embassy
100 Adelaide Street, Toronto, Ontario M5H 1S3
Phone (416) 363-7307
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3-4 Tourist Information
(by Dragomir R. Radev)
Off-peak Europe in brief
[...]
During the winter, there's top skiing (Borovets has been the site of World
Cup competitions) plus a Christmas and New Year's Festival in the country's
5,000-year-old capital, Sofia. Come spring, Black Sea resorts are magnets
for vacationing Europeans.
Year-round, Bulgaria is on of the best bargains in Europe. In fact, a
seven-day air/land package (New York-Sofia) starts as low as $825 per person.
Ski Bulgaria packages - offered by Balkan Holidays - start as low as $1,000
per person, including roundtrip airfare to Sofia, six nights' first-class
accomodations, breakfast and dinner daily, equipment rental and lift passes,
and ski-school tuition.
Best shopping buys include antiques, leather goods, perfume, ceramics
and woordcrafts.
Bulgarian Tourist Information Center: 41 East 42nd St., Suite 508,
New York, NY 10017, (212) 573-5530
Source: NYT supplement "Your invitation to Europe", October 10, 1993
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3-5 Useful Contacts in Bulgaria
(by Department of Commerce of the USA, Eastern Europe Business Bulletin)
American Embassy Sofia
John Fogarasi, Commercial Attache
No.1 Bulgaria Square
NDK Administration Building, 5th Floor
Sofia, Bulgaria
(APO NY 09213-5740)
Tel: 359-2-65-94-64 (or 359-2-88-48-01 ext. 307)
Fax: 359-2-80-38-50 (or 80-19-77)
Telex: 22690 BG
Ministry of Industry & Trade
Boris Nachev, International Trade Specialist
8, ul. Slavyanska
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: 359-2-80-37-28
Fax: 359-2-89-76-05
Evgeni Kharalanov, U.S. Desk Officer
Tel: 359-2-87-24-20
Fax: 359-2-89-76-05
Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Vladimir Lambrev, President
11A, A.Stamboliiski Blvd.
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: 359-2-87-26-31
Fax: 359-2-87-32-09
Bulgarian-American Enterprise Fund
Ms. L. Searle Vetter, Managing Director
3 Shipka Street
Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: 359-2-44-18-62
Fax: 359-2-43-89-47
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3-6 Visit to Bulgaria
(by Jan Terziyski)
The airport is 3km from the Sofia living areas (Druzhba, Iskyr, etc.).
The buses depart every 20min, but in the rush hours you can get on
for 5 min or so. Tickets ARE AVAILABLE on board, but one has to by a
bunch of ten or five to ease the driver who may not have change. For the
tourists who have reserved rooms in bigger hotels by travelling agency,
there are buses going directly to the hotel(I know about Varna, but such
a service should be available in Sofia).
There are 4 main international roads, used by tourists and cargo-trucks:
Kalotina-Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad, Vidin-Sofia-Kulata,
Russe-Pleven-Sofia-Kulata and Russe-Sliven-(to Turkey and to Greece).
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3-7 Hotels in Bulgaria
(by Plamen Bliznakov), last updated: 06-Apr-1994
Bulgaria has some 400 international hotels with 100,000 beds, half of which
are located in the Black Sea resorts. In all major cities and tourist
places there is at least one good First Class hotel. Some of the hotels are
built with Western partners and are jointly managed. In Sofia you can stay
at Deluxe hotels like the Sheraton Balkan Hotel, the Vitosha Hotel or the
First class Novotel Evropa, Rodina or Grand Sofia Hotel.
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3-8 Where to sleep in Bulgaria
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
WHERE TO SLEEP
Stay in private accommodations whenever and wherever you can.
Whether it's a private room in a house or a private hotel (each
$5-$7 per night), you will be much better off than if you stay
in a state-run establishment, where prices vary according to your
nationality. In the latter, foreigners pay exorbitant prices -
as much as $100 - $150 per night, which is about 10-20 times
the amount a Bulgarian would pay. Even if you speak Bulgarian,
the mandatory display of your passport will give you away. If that
were not bad enough, the typical Balkantourist hotel is run-down
and dirty. Hot water is rarity; plumbing and electrical problems
are not.
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3-9 The Sheraton Hotel in Sofia
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 07-Jun-1995
Sheraton Sofia
5, Sveta Nedelya Sq.
$180 per night
359-2-876541
1-800-325-3535
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3-10 Renting Cars
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 06-Sep-1995
CITY RENT - VARNA 10,Dragan Tsankov str.
tel: 359/52/256977
Lada (1 month) 640 $ (insurance and VAT included)
Price goes up respectively with the size of the vehicle
Hertz or Avis charge nearly double
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3-11 Eating in Bulgaria
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
The staple in most restaurants is meat - and don't expect a large selection.
The loud music at diner is meant to keep you occupied while you wait. It's
common to share tables if a place is crowded, which can be a plus or minus,
depending on whom you are stuck with. The "smetkata" (bill) won't be brought
to you until you ask for it. It's a good idea to request a menu and check
the addition - errors are common. Whether you are dining out or weighing
veggies at the marketplace, you will find that food is extremely cheap. The
major obstacles are finding it and waiting in line for it. ...
Many locals consider Sofia's restaurants overpriced and are wary of being
overcharged by money-hungry waiters, who tend to prey on foreigners but who
have recently begun pulling scams on locas as well.
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3-12 Bringing electrical devices to Bulgaria
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 02-Jul-1996
Be careful when bringing electrical appliances from the U.S. to Bulgaria.
The voltage there (as in the rest of Europe) is 220 V. Don't lose your
equipment to the high voltage! In addition to this, note that the frequency
used in Bulgaria is 50 Hz, not 60 Hz.
In addition to this, please note that plugs (and outlets) in Bulgaria are
different than those in the U.S. So, even if your computer (VCR, or whatever)
can operate at 220 V, you will still need a special plug (it's better to
purchase it before coming to Bulgaria, since you might not be able to find
one there).
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3-13 Information for drivers
(by Plamen Bliznakov), last updated: 06-Apr-1994
Bulgaria is connected with neighbouring countries by a broad network of
motorways. Motorists entering the country are required to provide
valid driver's license (a regular US driver's license is sufficient),
car registration, and an insurance policy covering third party liability
known as the "green card". The latter can be obtained at the border,
but buying it in advance typically costs less.
Gas stations in Bulgaria are located 25-30 kilometers (15-20 miles)
apart. Hours of operation in most cases are 6 a.m. (6:00) to 10 p.m.
(22:00). Few gas stations in big cities and key junctions are open 24
hours a day. Unleaded gasoline is available at the border checkpoints,
in Sofia and the large Black Sea and mountain resorts, and along the
major motorways.
Speed limits : for cars - 60 km/h (37 MPH) within city limits,
80 km/h (50 MPH) on roadways outside cities and 120 km/h (75 MPH)
on highways.
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3-14 Time, office hours (by Plamen Bliznakov)
(by Plamen Bliznakov), last updated: 06-Apr-1994
Time
Local time: GMT+2 or EST+7. As in most European countries, summer
daylight saving time is being introduced from the last weekend of
March till the last weekend of September.
Business Hours
Shopping
Usually open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. (9:00) to 1 p.m. (13:00) and
from 2 p.m. (14:00) to 7 p.m. (19:00).
Banks
Typically work with customers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. (8:00)
till noon (12:00).
Museums
From 9 a.m. (9:00) to 5 p.m. (17:00). Admission fees are $ 1 - $ 3.
Restaurants
Meals may be ordered until 11 p.m. (23:00).
Government offices
Monday to Friday 9 a.m. (9:00) to 6 p.m. (18:00) with a lunch break.
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3-15 Local Calls
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 03-Jan-1997
Public phones are plentiful but require coins, which
you deposit at the top of the phone after dialing the number.
Stockpile a few of these coins, since they are rare, and venders
eschew dispensing change to foreigners. ...
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3-16 Sending Mail Home
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
Unless you plan on staying in Bulgaria for quite a long time,
you will probably arrive home before your mail. Letters to other
parts of Europe can take as long as two weeks to arrive, and letters
to the US can take anywhere from two weeks to two months.
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3-17 Police Assistance
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
The police are not that helpful to their fellow Bulgarians,
let alone foreigners who do not speak the language, so do not
expect much.
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3-18 Medical care for foreigners
(by Plamen Bliznakov), last updated: 06-Apr-1994
Bulgaria has well-trained medical personnel.
No charge is made for consultations about, or treatment of, emergency
cases. There is a clinic for foreigners in Sofia. Its address is:
1 Evgeni Pavlovski Str., Mladost 1, Sofia; Phone (02) 75-361.
The prices for the medical treatment and medicines there are
reasonable.
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3-19 Contraceptives and Safe Sex
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
Sexual attitudes in Bulgaria are fairly liberal. Prostitution
is rampant, especially in resort towns and seaports. Casual
sex is definitely not a taboo, and condoms are readily available
in pharmacies. ...
You get what you pay if you buy 2 cents Bulgarian condoms (a.k.a.
Medbio Protex) - they have the annoying tendency of decomposing or
falling apart as they are unrolled. They don't ever work as balloons
or soap containers. Foreign-made condoms (mostly Chinese and Japanese)
exist, but they are hard to find. ...
Although public displays of affection among the same sex are common,
homosexuality is not openly accepted. As far as attitudes toward
homosexuality go, Bulgarians waver between denial and intolerance.
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3-20 Taxi
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
There are two types of taxis: state and private. Many do not
have meters, and the fares are calculated from the driver's
odometer. Agree on a rate ahead of time and note the distance
traveled, or negotiate a flat fee for the trip, since the
drivers have a tendency to overcharge.
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3-21 How to use credit cards in Bulgaria
(by Plamen Bliznakov)
During my two-week stay in Bulgaria I tried to check how cash could be obtained
from a cradit card account or by cashing a traveller's cheque.
First, there was an office of American Express recently established in Sofia.
It is located at Batemberg square, at the former office of Yugoslavian airlines
JAT. One can obtaing emergency cash from his/her account in this office. I am
not sure what is the commission they take for that service. Almost $ 1000 were
available to me.
Second, Balkantourist is a travel representative of AMEX, offering many
services in their office on 1, Vitosha Blvd., including traveller's mail,
cashing traveller's cheques, getting cash from AMEX credit card account, etc.
They charge 1 % commission + 10 BGL per traveller's cheque for cashing the
latter. If you want to use your AMEX charge card, it will cost you 4.5 %
commission, and you can get cash only in Bulgarian leva, according to
Balkantourist rate.
Several other exchange bureaus also can give you Bulgarian leva charging
your credit card account (AMEX, Visa, Mastercard), but all I have seen
charge 8 % commission.
AMEX traveller's cheques can be cashed in some banks as well. One of them
is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which has
an office on the 3 floor of EuropaPalace Hotel (former Hotel Rila) in the
center of Sofia. First Private Bank also cashes AMEX as well as Mastercard
traveller's cheques. You can check with Balkan Air Tours (the office of
Balkan Airlines at Sofiyska Communa St.) for cashing AMEX and Eurocheques.
Credit cards are accepted for payments of airline tickets at offices of
Balkan Airlines, as well as by many travel agencies. Yoy can also use
major cards for purchases at CUM and some other stores (e.g., Boujour chain
of Stambouli brothers - Cyprus). You can certainly use a credit card at the
duty free shops (e.g., at Sofia airport). In a TV interview they also said that
a chain of private gas stations now under construction will also start
accepting credit cards.
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3-22 Can Bulgarians exchange leva for hard currency
(by Vassil Peychev), last updated: 01-Jan-1994
You can buy any amount of dollars from a "Change" office, which are
everywhere in the bigger cities. However, to be able to get the currency out
of the country you need a document, certifying where you have it from - for
this, you need an international passport (no visa), and the limit is 10,000
lv. However, you can usually get away with a slightly higher amount, and in
my experience the customs officers don't care. If you bring currency in, you
can take it out with your entry customs form, so don't throw it away!
P.S. Some numbers look suspicious to me (e.g., prices for a round-trip
travel with a stay up to 1 year are the same for Economy class and for
Business class; also, two one-ways are cheaper than one 1-year round-trip
travel). However, this are the prices which the agency my wife works at
received officially. I might ask her to verify some specific figures if
there is interest.
Also, soon the limit will be 50,000 leva, and if you need the money for
medical care abroad or for education, there is no limit - but I guess this
would involve some unpleasant amount of paperwork.
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3-23 Exchange Rate for the Bulgarian Lev (1995-1997)
(by Andrey Savov), last updated: 29-May-1997
Rough estimate: Exch. rate:
Nov-95 65
Dec-95 70
Jan-96 75
Feb-96 80
Mar-96 85
Apr-96 95
May-96 150
Jun-96 151
Jul-96 185
Aug-96 190
Sep-96 230
Oct-96 231
Nov-96 260
Dec-96 490
Jan-97 870
Feb-97 2700
Mar-97 1600
Apr-97 1550
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3-24 Bulgarian Addresses
(by Vladimir Alexiev), last updated: 15-Jan-1997
The syntax of the addresses is:
[name]
[street address]
[county]
[city/village] [code]
PO Box Poshtenska kutia (PK)
Boulevard Bulevard bul.
Street Ulica ul.
Street number Nomer no. (or can be omitted, written after the
street name)
Square Ploshtad pl.
Ciry district Kvartal kv.
Apartment block Blok bl.
Block entrance Vhod vh.
Apartment Apartament ap.
The code is 4 decimal digits. Sometimes the lines of the address can be
written in the opposite order.
--
Dragomir R. Radev http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev
Natural Language Processing Group Columbia University CS Department
Home: 212-749-9770 Office: 914-784-7899, 212-939-7121
--
Dragomir R. Radev http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev
Natural Language Processing Group Columbia University CS Department
Home: 212-749-9770 Office: 914-784-7899, 212-939-7121
Dragomir R. Radev
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.06
URL: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi
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CHAPTER 4: TRAVELOGUES
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4-1 Visit to Varna
(by Austin Kelly)
Some advice from an American who lived in Bulgaria in 1992-1993 (by
Austin Kelly)
The following is based on 9 months of teaching at the Technical and
Economics Universities of Varna, and a limited amount of traveling
throughout Bulgaria in the 1992-93 academic year. While I can relate
my experiences, bear in mind that there is an enormous amount of
diversity in Bulgaria - take all advice with big grains of salt.
First piece of advice - go there, and travel around. The Black Sea
Coast is beautiful year round, and has excellent swimming from July
through September (June or October if you are really lucky). The
mountains are beautiful for hiking, hunting, or skiing in the Winter.
And the art and architecture of the monasteries is not to be missed.
Most of the large state-owned hotels charge rip-off prices ($100-$200) to
foreigners. In Sofia the Sheraton, the New Otani, and to a lesser
extent, the Grand Hotel and Park Hotel Moskva provide high standards
at high prices. The other big hotels provide the high prices, but don't
bother with the service. Private hotels provide a much better
correlation between price and service. In Turnovo the Hotel Veliko
Turnovo charges stiff prices ($80 dbl) but gives good service in return, as
does the Grand Hotel Varna in Sveti Konstantin. The other big hotels
in Sveti Konstantin and Golden Sands are badly overpriced. There are
alternatives to consider. In Sofia there is a very small hotel between
the airport and downtown attached to the Archeological Institute, called
the Hotel Kedar (Cedar, as in Cedars of Lebanon). The rooms are small
but clean, the prices are cheap, the staff speaks French or German,
and its on a main tram line. Another alternative are private accomodation
bureaus. BG Tours in Varna booked me into a wonderful room near Sveti
Konstantin for $8.00 US a night - it was a short walk downhill (a LONGER
walk back uphill) to the beaches, and the balcony looked out on the
Black Sea. The owners spoke no foreign language that I recognized but
we got along great. If you're really on the cheap universities will rent
out any available dorm rooms at around $2 or $3 a night - the trick is
connecting with the right person. If you speak Bulgarian or Russian ask
a cab driver, etc. the way to the nearest obshezhitie (dormitory) and
negotiate with the front desk. If not, try any coffee shop at the
university for an English speaker and start asking around.
Car rentals are not cheap ($30-$40 a day for a Lada with a manual) but
are plentiful. They will advise you to remove your windshield wipers
when parked, leave no valuables or packages in the car, and always set
the alarm. TAKE THEIR ADVICE. Long-distance buses are fast, comfortable
and inexpensive. In Sofia long-distance buses congregate around the
Novotel Europa, in Varna they are either at the Cherno More Hotel or near
the Cathedral. Trains are slow but generally not too bad (if you ignore
the odor in the restrooms). You can probably get around pretty well without
a car.
Balkan flights between Varna and Sofia are frequent, several a day,
more or less on time, and cost $65.00 one-way last time I checked.
Balkan's Sofia JFK flights are extremely comfortable. Lufthansa,
Swiss Air, Air France, CSA (Czech Slovak), Malev (Hungarian), LOT
(Polish) all fly to Sofia. Lufthansa and Balkan treated me fairly
well in Sofia, the staff at Air France were obnoxious, and CSA put
me through hell like you wouldn't believe. Malev offers discounts
to students under 26 for flights throughout E. Europe. In general,
flights within E. Europe are much cheaper than to W. Europe. Balkan
charged about $200 less r/t Sofia Bratislava than Sofia Vienna, for
instance.
In general, supplies for tourists are plentiful. If you have a
favorite American brand of deodorant or shampoo, bring it. Most of
the imports are Turkish, Italian, or German. There are plenty of
places selling Kodak and Fuji film, Sony cassettes, etc. Outside of
the expensive parts of Sofia fluffy white toilet paper is rare - always
keep some with you.
Money changing places are ubiquitous - most charge no commission for
cash and deal in cash only. Banks charge commissions - some take
traveler's checks - a few do credit card cash advances. The commission
for these services can be stiff (5%- 8% for traveler's checks). Shop
around a little for rates and commissions - there's not a lot of variability
but a few places will try to rip you off. NEVER deal with the "change
money?" boys, unless you want a handful of Yugoslav dinars, the most
worthless currency on earth.
Maps in German or English can be found in the touristy areas. The
guide to E. Europe published in Berkeley has a pretty good section
on Bulgaria. Many people in Sofia and on the Black Sea speak a little
English or German - a few know French or Italian. If you know Russian
you're all set. Try to at least learn the Cyrillic alphabet - it won't
take long and it will make reading train and bus schedules a hell of a lot
easier.
Crime against persons is rare by the standard of someone living in
Washington D.C. (me). I walked around late at night in Varna for 9
months and never felt threatened. The only "crime hotspot" that I know
of is near the Hotel Pliska in Sofia. Don't be stupid - don't flash
money or jewelry around, etc., and you should be OK. Property crime is
more common, and thefts of or from autos seems to be a Bulgarian specialty.
VOA and BBC are on FM in Sofia - VOA is on 89.3 FM in Varna, at least for a
few hours a day. A small pocket short-wave radio is a good idea, but
FM will get you the news in English in at least a few places. The
International Herald Tribune is 1 day behind in Sofia, 2 in Varna. There
are weekly business newspapers in English published in Sofia.
The scarcity of goods in Bulgaria is pretty much over (although a
scarcity of money remains!). The most appreciated gifts that I found
were books in English (literature, travel, culture, and, especially,
business), booze with official US or British tax stamps attached (so
the recipient knew it wasn't adulterated swill), and cassettes or
CD's of "uncommon" music, ie Blues or Bluegrass anthologies, rare
Rock cuts, etc. Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, R.E.M. and Jesus and
Mary Chain are available for $1.50 on cassette all over Bulgaria.
In downtown Sofia, Veliko Turnovo, Nessebur, or Golden Sands people
are pretty much jaded towards visiting foreigners. Many are quite
friendly, a few are rude or hostile, and a lot are indifferent. If
you go anywhere smaller, especially the places that Bulgarians think
tourists should see, like the ruins at Pliska, the Madara horseman, or
hiking the Rodope mountains, or if you ride the 2nd class train
compartment to Varna you'll find a lot of people who are still fascinated
that an American is kicking around in their country. They'll do all
they can to help. Its worth the trip.
By the way, to continue with a couple of threads that I read
today:
In June in Varna matchbooks were being used by shops in place of
50 stotinki pieces - a tram ride in Sofia was 2 lv, and jeans
were around 500 Lev.
Bulgarian folk music is alive and well. The Restaurant Liverpool
on Ul. Dubrovnik in Varna has a live band on Fri. and Sat.,
the private radio station I worked for in Varna (Kannal Komm)
played Bulgarian folk on week-ends and holidays, and in May
and June every restaurant in Varna was booked on Saturday and
Sunday afternoons for weddings, and every wedding had a band
playing folk music. Country-western and Speed Metal haven't
completely displaced Bulgarian folk.
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4-2 A Journey Through Romania and Bulgaria
(by Melissa Harris)
Portico, The College of Architecture and Urban Planning Newsletter
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Spring/Summer 1993
A JOURNEY THROUGH ROMANIA AND BULGARIA
by Melissa Harris
While teaching for a semester at the Technical University of Vienna,
Melissa Harris, an assistant professor of architecture, and three
graduate students from the College took a two-week trip to Romania and
Bulgaria.
(...)
So why go? Adventure. Yes. I was also interested in seeing the
vernacular architecture of these countries. But most intriguing was a
strong urge to be inside cultures which have been historically oppressed
and yet remained beautifully productive. Being immersed in extremes
often generates interesting revelations. Extreme contrast, engaging the
edges and touching, even briefly, opposite ends of various spectra are
the essential characteristics of this trip.
First a quick introduction to my three companions on this adventure -
all graduate students at Michigan studying architecture for a semester
at the Technical University in Vienna. Ted, the forward man, confident
and charismatic. Susan, a blossoming talent, thoughtful and analytical.
And Dave, whose wisdom seemed to comfort us, like a blanket of security,
at all the right times. It wasn't long before each of us realized that a
larger group could take risks far too dangerous for someone traveling
alone.
(Part related to travel through Romania is posted on s.c.r.)
Bulgaria welcomed us back to lands of negotiable travel. Everything was
impressive about our introduction to Sofia. We got right to our
destination by tram and within a half hour had secured two double rooms
for the night, rented a car for the next morning and changed money. On
the way to our great rooms in a family's apartment we picked up
wonderful fruit. How very thankful we were for a shower and a bed. After
showers and some fresh fruit, we set out to explore downtown Sofia.
The city seemed to be prospering, with streets full of cafes, vendors
and color. Though l am sure it is prevalent, hardship was not nearly so
obvious as it was in Romania. What was prevalent were former monuments
to fallen Communist leaders. Many of these buildings are being put to
other uses or house new governments, but some remain empty. A specific
monument, the former mausoleum which housed the embalmed body of Georgi
Dimitrov (Bulgaria's first Communist leader) has now become an outdoor
toilet. When protests mounted in 1990, his body was removed and
cremated. The mausoleum sits on an elevated base with a surrounding
arcade. Between the columns and the building, feces has accumulated.
There isn't much trash, only human waste. Questions about the
relationship between form and a building's successive uses resurfaced.
Walking around the building, the new use seemed quite logical. The
columns are wide enough to provide privacy and the width between them
and the building just wide enough for passage while someone might be
relieving themselves. It is slated to become a museum.
After we had walked around in the rain seeing former monuments, the
Alexander Nevsky church, more Roman ruins, and basically getting a sense
of the downtown, we decided to eat in a fancy restaurant in the Grand
Hotel Bulgaria built in the `30s. The circular dining space had a dated
but somehow trendy feel with balcony seating around a two story space
which opened to a great skylight. As the meal progressed and we became
buddies with our waiter, he treated us to the main feature of the space.
The huge circular skylight actually opened mechanically to the sky.
Though it was still rainingabit, he opened it partially so we could get
the idea. Must be glorious in the summer.
The next morning we picked up our car and were reassured that it would
be no problem that our only road map for Bulgaria was in the Latin
alphabet not Cyrillic,which Bulgaria uses. Other maps and street signs
we had seen were only in Cyrillic, an alphabet which at first glance to
an uninformed Westerner looks like the swearing from a cartoon
character's mouth. No, no problem, signs will have both.
Rila Monastery was our first destination. We beat all the tourist buses
by an hour and therefore had it to ourselves initially. Situated on a
mountain cliff, the views were spectacular. Essentially a wall of rooms
rings the church in the middle, forming a protected exterior court. The
most impressive space was the kitchen. It was as though you walked into
an oven, sized to cook whole humans. The ceiling scalloped as it rose
nearly 45 feet into a chimney. The pans sat on large fire places and
were more than eight feet in diameter.
Before departure I got a bus driver to write out all the cities we would
be passing through in Cyrillic. The car rental agency was quite wrong.
We saw few Latin letters once we left Sofia. Despite the fact that we
now had critical translations, we had to stop at the base of every major
road sign so we could hold up our printed destination and compare it
with the sign.
>From Rila we headed to Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest but perhaps
most beautiful city. Cobblestone streets twisted to accommodate the
grade. An interesting attitude toward architectural history pervades the
city. There are literally layers of time incorporated in the buildings.
When a ruin is uncovered, they weave it into the current life of the
city - assigning new functions like a cafe or a stair.
Next stop was the Black Sea. We had no reservations, so it became a race
to get to Nessebar before the Balkan tourist office closed. Ted was
driving. We almost flew through the stunning countryside, traveling
first through mountains and then rolling farm lands, ultimately ending
in flat fields close to the sea. As in Plovdiv the night before, we
convinced the hotel woman in Nessebar that we could fit four people in a
double room despite the rules. She finally agreed as long as we were out
before eight in the morning when her shift changed. She wanted no part
of the story if we were caught.
The actual sea coast was forgettable, but both Nessebar and Sozopol had
hundreds of beautiful wooden seaside houses which sat on stone bases.
The overhangs were large enough to protect the rooms from sun and wind,
The wood frame was filled with tiny wood slats and overlaid once more
with thin battens every two feet or so. These elegant structures
represented at one time very progressive ideas about living, containing
unprecedented spaces for women who had just given birth. We ate
wonderful fresh fish that night. Our waiter took great care of us, even
running out to a cafe to get us chocolate cake for dessert.
Bulgaria rekindled my interest in vernacular architecture. In fact, it
reminded me of what I love about the mountains of North Carolina. The
buildings have a direct, clear relationship with the land and with the
function they house. As we drove through the Valley of the Roses (near
Veiliko Tarnovo), we stopped in many small towns - Arbanassi, Zeravna,
Gabrovo. Each seemed to have a subtle and specific architectural
response to its location.
Our last night in Bulgaria was the best. It provided us a beautiful
place to rest, to reflect, and to cook ourselves a meal. Now that the
trip was almost over, we had learned to call ahead for accommodations.
When the woman in Nessebar heard that we were traveling by car, she
said, "I have a place for you." A small town she likened to a museum
because of its houses, Bozenci was just a few miles outside Veiliko
Tarnovo, our destination for the final day. Bring your own food, she
advised, because there is nothing there. A man named Stephan will be
waiting for you in the square. We tried to tell her we were not sure
when we would arrive, but she insisted. He would be waiting.
We stopped at a big roadside market near Gabrovo and bought eight pork
chops, three loaves of bread, olives, and fruit. That was the entire
choice. We had no idea if we could cook them at our place or not.
Spring had exploded on the hills of Bozenci and the smell of white
blossoms filled the air. We followed the map the Nessebar woman had
scratched out for us. It didn't show much: a road, a center square with
a well, a nother road and the house. We got out and walked up the hill
which seemed to be the road of Stephan's house. Wonderful view from the
top, but no Stephan and no house which looked like the photos she had
shown us. We split up, with assigned territories to cover. My job was to
understand the woman worKing in the post office, who had begun helping
us. I was trying to decide if she was connected to Stephan. I began to
draw as I spoke, illustrating each part of my narrative: calling from
Nessebar, securing a house from Stephan, what the agreed price was, its
location, etc. When she finally shook her head and led me out of the
lobby, I heard Sue yelling from the top of a hill, "I found Stephan."
And so she had, and with him our little two-bedroom house with a porch
overlooking the mountain side.
We moved in quicily, reveling in the luxury of our own place, the view,
the cleanliness, and its intimacy. Dinner was started immediately.
Cooking for ourselves was an indescribable pleasure. Dave's ingenuity
with rice rewarded us with a terrific dinner overlooking the mountains,
now dotted with perfumed flowers. We toasted our collective spirit of
adventure and the amazing luck with which we had been blessed.
You don't hear or read much about Bulgaria. But city after city, street
after street, we uncovered stunning views and wonderful architecture
preserved through layers of time and movements. We rarely saw other
tourists. Bulgaria is a country where one can still afford to eat five
course meals, have coffee in an outdoor cafe overlooking a Roman
amphitheater and the entire city below, tour castles and museums, and
dance all night for 50 cents. I will see Bulgaria again in my lifetime,
Back in Vienna I saw this city in a new way, imagining it as home.
Thinking back over our experiences in both countries, Bulgaria pales
against Romania - not because of what either had to offer, but because,
for me, people transcend place, architecture, and accommodation. Our
personal experiences with people were all Romanian. It just turned out
that way this time. Perhaps this addresses the question of how issues of
the human spirit relate to architecture. The power of people to impart
significant meaning, memory and experience far surpasses the ability of
architecture to do the same. One is merely a stage for the other. But
both possess a spirit which affects everyday life. The Arad waiting room
will haunt my visions and inform my conceptions of public spaces for
years.
I relearned a valuable lesson for someone committed to visual education.
Drawing not only connects people to their own thoughts and sights, but
also to other people. Those people then frame the experience and
experience structures the story. After all, as John Barth said, "The
story of your life is not your life. It is your story."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4-3 Visit to Bulgaria by Balkan airlines - 1
(by r...@doc.cc.utexas.edu), last updated: 30-Oct-1995
We took a group of 15 to Bulgaria in 1993. Most flew
Balkan Air. Balkan Air lost 2 reservations, denied
boarding to one woman, lost 1 set of luggage, found it
and sat on it until the woman was ready to leave, causing
her to have to buy new clothes and stuff for the trip,
and very rudely denied all compensation.
Needless to say, we will never fly Balkan again. If you
do, we wish you luck.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4-4 Visit to Bulgaria by Balkan airlines - 2
(by Ernie Scatton), last updated: 30-Oct-1995
In Feb, 1994, my son and I flew roundtrip JFK NY to Sofia on Balkan
Air. The flights were on schedule, the service was good. On return
we were diverted to Toronto because US East Coast was snowed in.
Balkan personnel were very helpful in getting us alternative flights
back to States, and we arrived home one hour later than we'd been
scheduled to through NY. I wouldn't mind flying them again at all...
particularly since the non-stop direct flight is so much better than
connecting in West Europe.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4-5 Food in Bulgaria
(by Rolf Henze), last updated: 01-Jan-1995
The food supply is OK. Nothing to complain from my point of view. One
bread costs around 12 Leva. The transport in Sofia is easily done by tram
or bus or taxi, if you like. Don't expect the tram to have western standard,
they are very loud, but they are working. The administration is busy to
install a subway system, but it's not yet working. Travelling in the country
can be done by bus or train. Busses are going very frequently and to almost
everywhere. What I don't like that much is that as a foreigner you have to
register 48 hours after your arrival at the local administration, if you're
living in a hotel it can be done there. If you like southern kitchen and
vegetables, you will probably appreciate bulgarian food. The wine is
comparable to french wine (Bordeaux type).
Best wishes for your trip
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4-6 Travel to Burgas - travelogue
(by Vesselin Velikov), last updated: 23-Jul-1995
Most of the information is as of end of '93 - summer of '94.
BG Airport Service times for International flights are no better than
your average US intn'l flight check-in. She will probably be required
to show for check-in anywhere between 120 to 60 min in advance. Given
that it is Monday morning she will have to plan also to have to meet
rush hour trafic in Sofia in the morning if she arrives by train or
bus.
There are always night trains labeled "Express", "Inter-city",
"Fast"("Burz vlak") which leave from the corners of Bulgaria at
somewhat convenient times in order to arrive in Sofia at approximately
two time slots: 1) between 6:00 and 7:30; 2) between 8:00 and 9:30.
I am almost sure there will be a train from Burgas, which will leave
approximately at about 10:30-11:30 p.m. from Burgas and arrive at Sofia
(last stop) about 6:00-7:00 a.m. If there haven't been a major cut in
public transport (I doubt it on this route as it's the major tourist
route for Bulgarians in the summer) there will be 2 trains - an
"Express" one (approx. 4-5 stops till Sofia) and a "Fast"/"Inter-city"
one (approx. 8-12 stops). She can buy on either of those:
1) a "sleeping car"/"couchet car" ticket;
- recommended not that much for the "convenience", but rather for the
fact that those cars are "less trashed"; there is a good chance of
getting into a "not so good" compartment in other types of cars;
- she will be able to secure the compartment she'll share with 2-3
more female travelers with a dead-bolt/chain-lock (I felt quite
insecure last summer traveling overnight in a "regular class"/"second
class" compartment with brocken locks, brocken doors, 90 % brocken
lights in an almost empty train carrying my international passport, US
visa documents, $100 cash, $300 travelers checks and my credit cards.
I didn't know what would have been better - to go into a compartment
with a lot of people and fall asleep or go into a dark compartment
alone);
- those compartments are kind of tight (always remind me of my army
boot-camp - 3-story bunk-beds, climbing to your bed on a ladder... :)
but they are clean at least) but she'll get at least some sleep so that
she can manage the rush next morning till she gets on the plane;
- no other people are allowed in these cars but only those who carry
tickets for them, in general you can't even pass from the rest of the
train to these cars after about 30 min after the train has left the
initial station;
- those tickets are hard to buy at the last moment!!! Especially at
the end of August when a lot of people return from their holiday at the
black Sea resorts; It is highly recommended that you arrange with
somebody to get that ticket bought at least 2 weeks in advance! If
she'll be staying in Bourgas or Sofia for a day or two any time between
a month to 2 weeks before August 21, she can go to a
"Travel Bureau"/Railway-Station-Advance-Purchase-Counter and buy the
ticket herself.
2) first class ticket - in the absense of "sleeping car" tickets this
is your next best alternative:
- 6 seats per compartment; wider seats, wider compartments, somewhat
adjustable seats as compared to "second class" cars where there are 8
seats in a smaller compartment and very often the seats are so worn and
uncomfortable you start to hurt after 2-3 hours.
- in general - cleaner cars,
- as the price of this ticket is much higher than "second class" and
people with second class tickets are not allowed to "stand" (see below)
in first class car - it is less crowded ergo - safer, less noise etc.
- due to the higher price of the ticket in general in these
compartments there is a better chance to travel in "more comfortable"
environment (educated people, people knowing some English, people who
wouldn't be "interested in changeing money" etc.). Your worst scenario
in this case is a family with a "crying baby" but even that is better
than what you might come upon sometimes in other cars.
General comments:
- I do not recommend "second class" car in her situation - you don't
want to play your chances: often during that time of the year and
especially on Sunday night trains there are so many people who want to
travel, that the entire train (excluding the sleeping cars) is full
(the coridors included, with standing people!!!) - It is a nightmare in
such a situation even if you are "experienced" in such a travel;
- despite what you might hear, trains are fairly on time! Last summer
I never had a case to be on a "late" train. Especially if it is an
"Express" - the railways always try to make those arrive at the
destination on time, usually about 10 min in advance;
- I would suggest she exercises some caution at Sofia Railway station,
especially when picking the taxi!!! On a Monday morning it is very,
very crowded place. I myself, despite being a Bulgarian, got "busted"
last summer arriving on a busy Monday morning with a friend-foreigner
and being in a hurry - a guy "caught" me at the main exit, asked me if
I need a taxi and I said "Yes" after which he lead me to an UNMARKED
car, which gave me a 20 mile trip to a place 7 miles away and charged
me on a tripple rate. All in all, we paid $7.00 (in BG Leva) and
that's nothing for anyone used to Boston, NY and Chicago cab-fares.
But... given that kind of "special treatment" you never know where
you'll end. I kept silent all the way despite seeing that I was lead
not through the shortest way - I didn't want to invite something worse
than the waisting of few bucks.
Varna and Burgas are close, but:
- transport between the two cities is convenient only if you own a car
- it will be more difficult to get a reliable transportation
Burgas-Varna, than Burgas-Sofia;
- A 7:00 a.m. flight Varna-Sofia is almost a guarantee she will miss
her 9:00 a.m. flight from Sofia: domestic flights are considered rather
as an "optional" fast and comfortable transportation, they have a
higher chance though of getting delayed than a train
- the international and domestic arrival/departure areas at Sofia
Airport are two separate buildings. Although they are very close (2-3
min. walk) that means she will have to wait for her luggage to clear
from the domestic line, take it and cross that distance to the
international arrivals. I don't thing Balkan does "final destination
baggage check" the way it is done in the West. I'm almost sure she'll
be late for her 9:00 a.m. flight check-in if she leaves on a 7:00 a.m.
flight from Varna (and we are even not talking about early morning fog
at Varna and possible delays because of it).
Unless your Balkan (BG Airlines) travel agent (I assume she is flying
BALKAN) guarantees that a 7:00 flight from Varna will connect to her
other BALKAN flight - just forget it! You don't want to risk even if
they promise! It's not your Western airline guarantee, unfortunately!
One last possibility:
There are domestic bus lines between the major cities and Sofia, run by
private companies. One of them is "GROUP". They are preffered by
business travellers on a day trip, from what I've heard and many people
recommended them to me when I traveled between my hometown and Sofia
last summer. The buses are comfortable, Western made, have minimal
conveniences like buying a soda and coffee on board, make stops on the
way. (the draw back on an overnight trip is that you have a very
uncomfortable sleep, but otherwise they seem to be very reliable).
My schedule (from last year) shows a trip leaving from Burgas at 16:00
(is that too early?) and arriving in Sofia 23:00 (there might be new
scheduled trips, including overnight ones, as this company seems to be
expanding really fast on the marlet). It might seem to you that it
arrives late in Sofia, but(!) the "Bus-Station" at Sofia, despite
looking more like a run down parking lot, is right behind (about 100
meters) one of the respectable hotels in Sofia - "Novotel Evropa". If
this works - she will be sure that she arrives in Sofia well in
advance, slips in the hotel right away, has a decent sleep and is
awaken in the morning, have a reliable taxi-cab called and taken on
time at the airport.
I have all the necessary phones of the offices of this Bus company both
in Sofia and Burgas. In Sofia they have even FAX number. If you can
have someone who speaks decent Bulgarian you could even arrange this by
calling and checking the options from Boston and leave to your daughter
just to arrive on time at the departure place in Burgas (Some place
outside the railway station, where every taxi will be able to take her
I guess) and pay her ticket upon boarding the bus. Or have her walk-in
at the Sofia office or drop by at the Burgas office at her convenience
to pay and receive the ticket.
Of course - if she can leave Burgas around that time - between 16:00
and 18:00 one could as well check about a train, which will arrive in
Sofia even faster and at approximatelly the same time and she could
stay at the same hotel as it is 500m from the railway station (<$1.00
taxi trip to its doors once she "clears" the walk through Sofia railway
station)
You/she will need to reserve a room at the hotel
One more thing - I just found the brochure of the Bulgarian franchise
of "EuropCar" - "InterBalkan Rent A Car", a rental car agency having
offices in Sofia and Burgas. Rates (compacts Nissan, Fiat, Reno) are
HIGH, higher than USA $23-$39 per day plus $0.23-$0.39 per km plus
$10-$15 CDW plus $3 medical/accident insurance - at 392 km listed
distance Burgas-Sofia total will be I guess $120-$180 (PLUS 18% VAT
taxes). There is no additional fee if she drops the car at EuroCar's
office at Sofia Airport. BUT the main problem is that highways in
Bulgaria are not for an unexperienced driver!!! I could compare night
driving there with driving through the Adirondacks (or US-419 through
the WV Appalachian Mountains - something I have done... :)). Unless
she is an experienced driver or has a reliable BG driver - I do not
recommend this!!!
"Balkan Holidays" - US representative of the (formerly) state tourist
organisation BalkanTourist claims in a broshure that cars can be rented
from "Hertz-BalkanTourist" '...WITH OR WITHOUT A DRIVER...'. Whether
that claim is "real" and how much that costs can be checked probably by
calling "Balkan Holidays" at their USA office.
Phones and FAXes:
All BG phone numbers require Intnl code -359-; the code for the city I
list here is preceded by a -0- when calling long distance within
Bulgaria.
(car rental, w/ w/out driver)
*************************************
"Balkan Holidays" - "Hertz-BalkanTourist"
USA:
New York: (212)-573-5530
Bulgaria:
Sofia-Airport: (2)-7-12-01
"Novotel Evropa" - (I don't have it, see the hotel's number)
*****************************
"EuropCar":
Sofia-Central Office: 8 Positano Str., Sofia,
phone (2)-83-50-49,
FAX: (2)-88-35-93, (2)-83-11-35
Sofia-Airport (Mon-Sun 8:00 am - 9:00 pm)
phone: (2)-72-01-57
Burgas - Hotel "Bulgaria" (Mon-Fri 8:00 am - 7:00 pm, Sat 8:30 am -
1:00 pm)
phone: (56)-4-21-47
************************************
(bus company)
"Group" - 85 Rakovski Str., Sofia
phones: (2)-83-14-54, (2)-83-12-15, (2)-83-24-69
FAX: (2)-83-24-26
"Group" - Burgas (outside railway station/at city bus station?!)
phone: (56)-3-25-88
(Railway ticket advance purchase)
- At special counter at the railway station of departure
Also:
Sofia: Central Ticket Office at the lower level of National Palace of
Culture ("NDK")
phones: (2)-59-31-06 (tickets for any line, any direction)
(2)-59-71-24 (tickets plus sleeping car tickets, any line,
any direction)
Burgas: there should be a ticket office in the center of the city but
I do not have info on it.
(Hotels)
"Novotel Evropa"(4-star, 597 rooms) - close to Central Railway
Station and "Group"-company Bus Station
131 Knyaginya Maria-Louisa Boulevard, Sofia
phone: (2)-3-12-61
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 5: EDUCATION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-1 The Bulgarian Educational System
(by Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission)
Education in Bulgaria is free at all levels and is supported by the state
through the Ministry of Education and Science. It is compulsory for children
from seven to sixteen years of age.
The Bulgarian educational system falls within the continental European
tradition. The main types of secondary schools in the country are: general
educational, vocational, language schools, and foreign schools. Private
schools are also being established and they are beginning to compete with
the state schools.
There are over forty Higher Education institutions in Bulgaria offering
degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level.
The academic year for Bulgarian universities begins on October 1 and consists
of fall and spring semesters. Full-time study programme takes 5 years, or 10
semesters. The academic year covers 30 calendar weeks.
University teaching is usually formally divided into lectures, seminars, and
practical training, but flexibility is increasing. Attendance of seminars and
practical training sessions is obligatory.
The teaching load, depending on academic rank, averages twelve hours per week
. Classes usually meet once a week for 75 minutes; some are double 45- minute
periods.
Bulgarian students are admitted after taking qualifying written exams for a
number of state-commissioned places. Each exam is highly competitive and
ensures a tuition waiver. Those who are not admitted in this way compete
for an additional number of places, but are expected to finance their
studies, either individually or by finding scholarships or grants.
The qualifying written exams are held each year on previously announced
dates.
After each semester students take exams (in accordance with the curriculum of
the respective program) in the course of the regular examination period. The
exam period is 3-4 weeks.
Many of the university students are a joy to teach. Bulgaria's specialized
secondary schools produce some very well educated 18- and 19-year olds.
Depending on the study program, students will be expected to take a graded
exam (written or oral), a pass/fail exam (p/f), to defend a term project or
paper. A six-grade system of marking is used, six being the highest and
two- the lowest score.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-2 Major cities and universities in Bulgaria
(by Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
Sofia, the capital, is the largest city with a population of 1.3 million and
a dominant position in the country's economic, political, and cultural life.
The St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia is the oldest university in
Bulgaria, having been granted its charter in 1909, and is the largest and most
advanced educational and research center in the country. Students can select
among fifty programs in the Humanities and Sciences, Social Sciences, and
Business Administration. More than 20,000 students were enrolled in the
sixteen faculties of the university during the 1992/1993 academic year.
The main building of the University, which is architecturally one of the
most remarkable buildings in Sofia, was designed by the French architect
Breanson.
The University Library plays an important part in the history of the St.
Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. The Library stock of books exceeds
1.5 mln volumes.
Among the other higher educational institutions of Sofia are: The
University of National and World Economics, The Higher Institute of
Architecture and Civil Engineering, The Medical Academy, The Academy of
Fine Arts, The Higher School of Drama and many more.
Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, is located in the Thracian
Plain in Southern Bulgaria. Plovdiv was built on seven hills along the
Maritsa River, and its ancient history and especially its picturesque old
town, lend the city a characteristic charm.
The University of Plovdiv was established in 1961. During the 30-year period
of its existence, the University of Plovdiv has grown into a presti- gious
institution of higher education offering a variety of majors combined with
teacher training.
Varna (ancient Odessos), is the third largest city and is often referred to
as the sea capital of Bulgaria. It is internationally famous for its seaside
resorts of Zlatni Pyassatsi (Golden Sands) and St. Constantine.
Varna is a university city as well, with the following major higher institu-
tions: The Higher Institute of Economics and The Varna Polytechnic.
Veliko Turnovo, the former medieval capital of Bulgaria, is a university
city in North-Central Bulgaria, also famous for its archaeological and
architectural heritage. The Sts. Cyril and Methodius University is the
second well-established University in Bulgaria with over 10,000 students.
Blagoevgrad, about 100 km south of Sofia, is known for the American
University in Bulgaria (AUBG), founded there in 1990 and the Bulgarian
South- Western University. At AUBG English is the language of instruction
and eva- luation procedures follow the US academic system. Most of the
faculty are American scholars.
The other higher educational institution in Blagoevgrad is the Southwestern
University where the emphasis is on the humanities and teacher training.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-3 Bulgarian University Degree Equivalency
(by gopher://rodent.cis.umn.edu:11131/00/Country_Sheets/Bulgaria)
BULGARIA
RECOMMENDATION
Look for an average of 5 or "very good" for admission. Class rank, if
available, would also be of assistance.
GRADING SYSTEM
6 = Excellent (otlichen)
5 = Very good (mnogo dob'r)
4 = Good (dob'r)
3 = Average (sreden)
2 = Poor (slab)
1 = Very Poor (losh)
OTHER INFORMATION
Requirement for Admission:
University degree (diploma of specialist) or professional title based on
curricula of four years or longer. The duration of the primary-secondary
program of education is usually 11 years.
Exceptional Institutions:
University of Sofia
Higher Medical Institute of Sofia
Higher Institute of Architecture and Construction in Sofia
Higher Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in Sofia
Diplomas from the above institutions are considered exceptionally good. There
are many other higher educational institutions, including mechanical,
electrical, civil and chemical engineering institutes, and institutes of
mining, forestry, economics, and education, as well as the University of
Plodiv and the University of "Cyril and Methodius."
Graduate Degrees:
Candidate of Science (kandidat na naukite) granted on basis of research and
thesis, usually requires three years beyond the undergraduate degree. Doctor
of Science (doktor na naukite) granted on basis of original and significant
scholarship. Both degrees are awarded by the Higher Commission for Diplomas.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-4 Educational Opportunities in Bulgaria
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
American University in Bulgaria
AUBG Campus
2700 Blagoevgrad
TEL: (359) 7 320 951
FAX: (359) 7 320 603
E-MAIL:
DATE FOUNDED: 1991
DIRECTOR: Dr. Julia Watkins
The American University in Bulgaria's academic partner in the USA
is the University of Maine, which provides accreditation,
curriculum development, and initial recruitment of faculty. 25 of
the 29 faculty members are American, and the university began
admitting American study abroad students in 1993. Courses of
study are offered in a wide range of disciplines. The university
radio station, opened in 1991, was the first privately licensed
radio station in Bulgaria.
Fulbright, IREX and USIS Information:
Fulbright Office
Ministry of Culture
17 Stambolisky Blvd.
1000 Sofia
TEL: (359) 2 884 517
FAX: (359) 2 884 517
E-MAIL:
USIS Office
18 Vitosha St.
Sofia
TEL: (359) 2 880 005 or 876 821
FAX: (359) 2 800 646
E-MAIL:
Sabre Partner Organizations:
Center for the Study of Democracy
1 Lazar Stanev St.
1113 Sofia
TEL: (359) 2 706 165
FAX: (359) 2 720 509
E-MAIL: cs...@bgcict.bitnet
DIRECTOR: Ognian Shentov
Open Society Fund
1 Bulgaria Square
NDK Office Bldg., 11th fl.
1463 Sofia
TEL: (359) 2 658 177 or 801 780
FAX: (359) 2 658 276
E-MAIL: os...@bgcict.bitnet
DIRECTOR: Boryana Savova
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-5 Schools in Bulgaria offering admission for foreigners
(by WorldWide Classroom), last updated: 10-Jun-1995
An incomplete list:
American Univ. in Bulgaria, Director Int'l Programs Lydia Grim
Blagoevgrad, 2700
Bourgas Free Univ., Director Int'l Programs
10 Alexandrovska Street, Bourgas, 8000
Foreign Students Faculty of the Technical University of Rousse, Chr. Foreign
Lang. Dept. Rada Karshakova
8 Stoudentska Str., Rousse, 7017
Higher Technical School Angel Kunchev Open Faculty, Director Int'l Programs
Tsonka Inanova
8 Studentska Street, Rousse, 7017
New Bulgarian Univ., Director Int'l Programs Mr. Julian Popov
22 Parchevich Street, Sofia, 1000
Plovdiv University PAISIY HILENDARSKY, Rector Prof. Ognyan Saparev
24 Tzar Assen Street, Plovdiv, 4000
Sofia University SAINT CLIMENT OHRIDSKY, Rector Prof. Ivan Lalov
15 Rusky Blv., Sofia, 1000
The Foreign Students Institute, Director Int'l Programs
27 Kosta Lulchev Street, Sofia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-6 Transferring degrees
(by John Bell), last updated: 12-Aug-1994
The comparison between US and BG higher education
began with a question of how BG educational records are
evaluated by US institutions. In my original answer I said
that there are private organizations that will prepare an
evaluation for a fee. Since that posting an intimate friend
gave me an advertisement for one such service. It is called
"World Educational Service" with an address at P.O. Box 745,
Old Chelsea Station, New York, N. Y. 10113-0745. It offers
to provide an evaluation of non-US educational credentials -
diplomas, certificates, transcripts - on an overall or
course by course basis for fees ranging from $75 to $125.
I don't know anything more about the organization
beyond what its ad says. I am not endorsing it, but passing
on the information for anyone who might be interested.
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 6: INFORMATION FOR BULGARIANS ABROAD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-1 Bulgarian Embassy in DC
(by Civic Education Project), last updated: 25-Jan-1995
Embassy of Bulgaria
HE Snezhana Botusharova, Ambassadress/Mr. Boris Ratchev, Economicf Counselor
1621 22nd. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 387-7969; Fax: 462-8051
fax (202) 234-7973
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-2 Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Toronto
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 23-Jun-1995
Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria
65 Overlea Blvd., Suite 406
Toronto, Ontario, M4H 1P1
phone: (416) 696 2420
fax: (416) 696 8019
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-3 Bulgarian Embassy in Sweden
(by Daniel Belovarsky), last updated: 07-Aug-1995
The Embassy has usually open Monday through Friday 10.00-12.00.
Tel: 08/ 790-59-42, 08/ 723-09-38
Fax: 08/ 21-45-03
Address:
Bulgariska ambassaden
Karlavägen 29
114 31 STOCKHOLM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-4 Archive for Bulgarians living abroad
(by the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington, DC), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
An Archive Center for the Bulgarians abroad has been founded with
the Sofia City Library at 4, Slaveykov Square. Being sponsored by
the Association for Promotion of the Bulgarian Culture (An United
States based organization) and OPEN SOCIETY FUND Sofia the
Archive Center is collecting books, documents, brochures ,
articles, photographs, film footage and posters which reflect all
aspects of the accomplishments of Bulgarians living abroad in the
sciences, in the arts and in public life.
The Sofia City Library hopes the Archive Center which functions
since 1992 might be a good opportunity for the Bulgarians abroad
to donate important archival books and materials as well as to
sponsor its numerous and broadening activities.
For additional information, please, contact:
Tatyana Kmetova
Sofia City Library
4, Slaveykov Square
1000 Sofia
Phones: (359 2) 864 239
(359 2) 874 854
Or:
EMBASSY OF THE
REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
1621 22nd Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20008
Phone: (202) 387-7969
Fax: (202) 234-7973
Boyan Papazov
Cultural Attache
E-mail (INTERNET): Bulg...@access.digex.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-5 Consular Office of the Embassy of the US in Bulgaria
(by Valentin Petrov), last updated: 20-Oct-1996
Address:
1 Kapitan Andreev St.
1421 Sofia
Bulgaria
Phones:
(+3592) 963-2022 (direkten)
(+3592) 980-5241 (telefonistkata na konsulstvoto)
Fax:
Contact Person -- Yova Todorova, consular assistant.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-6 Sending Money to Bulgaria
(by Ned Nikolov), last updated: 30-Jan-1997 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Az skoro prevedoh valuta na moi rodnina po bankov pyt i nyamah nikakvi
problemi. Parite byaha izpratehi do Bulbank i polucheni ot choveka v
originalna valuta. Uchudvashto, no celiya transfer be osqshtestven samo
za nyakolko dni.
Informacijata neobhodima za prevejdane na valuta v BG e slednata:
1. Trite imena na poluchatelya
2. Edinen grajdanski nomer na poluchatelya
3. Ime i adres na Bankata v BG (traybva da byde valutna banka!)
4. SWIFT kod na Bankata (mnogo e vajen!!)
Poluchatelyat NE e zadqljitelno za ima smetka v sqotvetnata banka.
Za tezi koito se interesuvat, koordinatite na Bulbank sa:
Bulgarian Foreign Trade Bank
7 Sveta Nedelya Sq.
1000 Sofia, BG
SWIFT: BFTBBGSF
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-7 Bulgarian Cafe in San Francisco
(by Dimitqr Bojanchev)
There is this restaurant in San Francisco called "Stoyanoff's
Cafe" on 9-th ave. and Linkoln. The owner speaks as clear Bulgarian
as one would do. I assumed that he is Bulgarian -- but than at
some point he interrupted me to tell me politely that he is
not Bulgarian, but a Macedonian from Tzarigrad (Istanbul). OK,
I accepted it but I must admit that I was confused ever after
about how to judge the local nationalities.
There is this barber named Dimitar Vulkanoff on Columbus
Street,right on the edge of the Financial district, a block
from China Town. Passing by his little barbershop that looks
not any less shabby than one back in the rural areas of the
homeland I hear him playing clarinet (actually, this is the
fifth barber/clarinetist I know from the Balkans!). To make
things even more extravagant it is a shabby little room just
with a picture of his family and grandfamily (circa 1920) on
the scratched wall and his business license. The barber chair
is vintage 1935 and the primary clientelle consists of
Chinese, several local Greeks, and other Balkan individuals.
Every once in a while an executive type will stop by and get a
haircut. This is all about 50 meters from the TransAmerica
pyramid (the symbol of SF) amidst ritzy looking boutiques and
vanity stores. I see him often entertaining native ChinaTown
residents whileplaying Daichovo horo on his clarinet in the
trademark Balkan 9/8 beat and they seem to nod in appreciation
(a lot of them don't even speak English). The surrealistic
picture gets even more when the executive types enter while he
stops and starts lecturing them with great excitement that
they shouldn't be listening to black rap music anymore (as if
anyone of them ever does??) but listen to Bulgarian music
instead. In the area of the political correctness he is
lagging behind as he doesn't hold back his views on women
(although that he has three daughters) -- but besides that
you feel that the guy has got a heart. Then he takes off
blowing the clarinet inPaidushko horo with its 5/8 beat.
Every time I stop by to get a haircut I feel that I
miraculously re-emerge back into the old world that I am so
familiar with in my guts. Although that he is Macedonian from
Bitola he has a great fondness towards Bulgaria and its music
and avoids ever making a statement about his nationality (I've
tried to trick him into it several times). He absolutely
refuses to venture into discussing Balkan politics and makes a
painfulgesture with his head when I bring up some of the
issues the Balkans face today. He holds no grudge against the
Greeks and told me that makes a lot of money playing at Greek
weddings. Of course, he plays everywhere cause I've seen him
at the Bulgarian gatherings and the Macedonian too. He also
likes to brag that he can read notes and even play Weber's
concerto's on a better day...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-8 What are some travel agencies that are related to Bulgaria
(by George Demirev and Bojidar Filipovich), last updated: 22-Jan-1997
Smart:
1-888-SMART02
Internet Tour:
1-310-204-3624
Dragomir R. Radev
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.06
URL: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 7: NEWS SOURCES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-1 On-line newspapers and magazines
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 19-Aug-1997
NEWSPAPERS:
Pari http://www.pari.bg
24 chasa http://194.141.8.200
Capital Press http://www-us.capital.bg
Kontinent http://www.tetracom.com/kontinent
OTHER SOURCES:
Bulgaria.com news service http://www.bulgaria.com/novini
Bulgaria.com news service http://www.bulgaria.com/vestnik-digest
U.S. Embassy in Sofia http://www.itaiep.doc.gov/eebic/cable.html
RFE/RL Bulgarian Service http://www.rferl.org/BD/BU/index.html
Bulgarian Radio on the Internet http://www.bulgaria.com/online
Ustoi http://www-pal.usc.edu/~penev/Ustoi
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-2 How to receive Bulgarian news by e-mail.
(by Jivko Kolchev), last updated: 05-Apr-1996 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Ima tri nachina za abonirane kqm ves...@bulgaria.com
1. e-mail
Izprashtate e-mail do ves...@bulgaria.com, kato za Subject: triabva
da napishete 'subscribe'. Niama nujda ot text v tialoto na sqobshtenieto.
2. http://www.bulgaria.com/vestnik-digest/
S pomosha na liubimia vi WWW browser popqlnete tazi blanka i s tova
vqprosa shte se prikliuchi. Samo vnimavaite, kogato popqlvate poleto
'e-mail'! Ako do niakolko chaas ne poluchite e-mail ot ves...@bulgaria.com
v uverenie na tova, che ste abonirani za lista - veroiatno ste dopusnali
greshka pri popqlvane na poleto 'E-mail'.
3. http://www.bulgaria.com/whoiswho.html
Tova e edna elektronna blanka, s popqlvaneto na koiato shte se dobavite kqm
'Who Is Who' spisqka, koeto moje da zaradva niakoi, koito tqrsi niakoia
srodna dusha po jicite ...
V tazi blanka ima opcia, koiato vi pozvoliava zaedno da izberete da se
abonirate za ves...@bulgaria.com.
I tuk, kakto i v (2) - ne pravete greshki v e-mail addressa si.
*. Ima i edin rezerven nachin
Prashtate e-mail do ji...@ijs.com i toi pravi, kakvoto e neobhodimo, no
ako opitate predi tova niakoi ot goreizbroenite nachini shte vi bqda
mnogo blagodaren :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-3 Magazine for Bulgarians abroad
(by Otvoreno Obshtestvo - Sofia), last updated: 01-Jan-1995 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Spisanie "Ek" e nasheto novo izdanie, prednaznacheno za bqlgarite
v chuzhbina i za vsichki prijateli na Bqlgarija, poznavachi na nejnata is-
torija i kulturni tradicii.
Vremeto, koeto otmina, ne mozha da zacherkne cennostite v nasheto
minalo; tjah "Ek" shte izdirva i podnasja na svoite chitateli bez premql-
chavane i bez retush. Nared s budnija pogled kqm staroto, kqm vsichki onezi
sqbitija i imena, napravili vqzmozhna sqprotivata na duhovnostta sreshtu
bezduhovnoto v godinite na totalitarnata dqrzhava, spisanieto shte osvedo-
mjava za aktualnite javlenija v obshtestvenija zhivot na Bqlgarija, v sfera-
ta na naukata, kulturata, socialnite otnoshenija, politikata, ikonomikata,
biznesa, religijata i t.n. Sqshtevremenno namerenieto na spisvashtite e da
predostavi tribuna na zaselnicite v chuzhbina i na vidni bqlgaristi za cho-
veshki i profesionalni kontakti, za tvorcheska izjava. Shte se radvame, ako
projavite interes kqm spisanieto. Tozi digest shte izliza v shest knizhki
godishno, bogato iljustriran. Zhelaeshtite da go poluchavat redovno mogat
da se abonirat za 1994. Cenata na abonamenta v US$ e: Severna i Juzhna Ame-
rika - $52, Afrika i Azija - $48, Evropa - $45, Avstralija - $58, kato ce-
nata vkljuchva i poshtenskite razhodi. Nomerqt na nashata bankova smetka e
621 422 060 300-1, BVTB (Bqlgarska vqnshnotqrgovska banka).
Adresqt na izdatelite:
Agency for Bulgarians Abroad
bul. Dondukov 2, Sofia 1000
BULGARIA
tel. (359 2) 800 955, 819 011
fax (359 2) 819 177
Dokolkoto uspjah da razbera, Agencijata polzva i E-mail, no ne razpolagam s
adresa; znam samo, che sa vqrzani za @sprint.com; ako njakoj mozhe da im
izdiri tochnija adres, njama da e zle.
Eto i sqdqrzhanieto na pqrvija broj:
Boris Hristov: spodeleni otkrovenija. (statija ot Georgi Danailov i
intervju s golemija bqlgarski operen pevec malko predi
smqrtta mu).
Milcho Leviev: dvuposochen bilet do Los Angeles. Avtor: Vladimir
Gadzhev. Statija za naj-izvestnija ni jazz-pianist.
Konstantin Shtqrkelov - carjat na akvarela. Avtor: Maksimilijan
Kirov.
Boris Dimovski: Svobodata se meri po dqlzhinata na usmivkata.
Izvestnijat nash karikaturist B. Dimovski pishe za sebe si
i za smeshnite aspekti na vremeto, v koeto zhiveem.
Ilinden v nacionalnata istorija na bqlgarite. Avtor: Hristo Siljanov
Solunskite sqzakljatnici. Avtor: Georgi Danailov
Misli na edin stoletnik - Hristo Obbov.
Bojan Penev - nezabravenijat. (Za literaturnija kritik ot 20-te B.
Penev.)
Djavolska karuca (razkaz) - Ljubomir Kanov (USA)
Apolonija '93. Avtor: Hristo Bucev. Pregled na festivala na iskust-
vata "Apolonija".
Intelektualecqt i politikata - interview s Vera Mutafchieva.
Rilskijat manastir prijuti cqrceto na Car Boris III. - snimki i
tekst ot okonchatelnoto pogrebenie na sqrceto na poslednija
bqlgarski monarh v Svetata Rilska obitel prez 1993.
Po sledite na stara Sofija. Avtor: Georgi Kanazirski. Spomeni ot
zhivota na sofijanci prez 30-te i 40-te.
Ako zazhalish njakoj den... (Stari gradski pesni).
Za slona, boata, i oshte neshto. (Statija za njakoi bqlgarski
obichai). Avtor: Cenka Jordanova.
Tanc s letva (za Stefka Kostadinova, svetovna shampionka na visok
skok)
Kulturni vesti.
Pravna konsultacija (Nedvizhima sobstvenost v Bqlgarija pri sto-
panska dejnost na bqlgari ot chuzhbina)
Politicheski pregled.
List za zapoznavane s chitatelite. (neshto kato anketa - dosta inte-
resna).
Sqshtestvuva oshte edno specializirano izdanie za bqlgarite v chuzhbina -
naricha se "Pismo ot Bqlgarija", izdava se ot fondacija "Otvoreno obshte-
stvo" (Open Society Fund - Sofia) i mozhete da go poluchite chrez e-mailski
request. Pishete do:
os...@bgcict.bitnet
Subject: "Pismo ot Bqlgarija"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-4 How to read Bulgarian newspapers in NYC
(by Dragomir R. Radev)
Columbia University Lehman Library receives regularly the
following newspapers: Demokraciya, Duma, (Zeleno) Zemedelsko Zname,
Svoboden Narod, and Vek 21.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-5 Bulgarian Language Radiostation in New York City
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
There is a Bulgarian Radio station in New York City.
It broadcasts at 91.5 MHz FM Mondays from 5:30 to 6:00 PM.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-6 Bulgarskata Radio Progama ALEKO
(by Silvana Dimitrov), last updated: 20-Mar-1996 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Bulgarskata Radio Progama "ALEKO" se izluchva veche 33 poredni sedmici,
vsiaka nedelia ot 16.00 do 17.00 po radiostancia WKTA 1330 AM v Chicago.
Priema se dobre dori v blizkite chasti na Indiana i Wisconsin, a
liubopitnoto e che poradi tehnicheskite osobennosti na izlqchvaneto,
signala e mnogo iasen chak ot drugata strana na ezeroto Michigan, t.e. v
shtata Michigan.
Programata sqdqrja novini, sport i muzika samo ot Bulgaria. Malko
reklami ot nashite US sponsori koito ni pomagat "to break even". Vsiako
sudeistvie i pomosht e dobre doshlo. Imame jelanie da vkliuchvame novini,
avtorski materiali i drugi ot bulgarite zad granica, ot nasheto
ejednevie tuka i izobshto neshta, koito sa actualni i zaintriguvashti.
Pristrastni sme kqm SDS.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-7 Bulgarian Radiostations
(by Alexander Kostadinov), last updated: 02-Apr-1996
To UTC Freq KHz Remarks
BULGARIAN
South America 0000-0100 9425 11660
North America 0000-0300 7480 9700
Balkans 0300-0400 1224
Russia 0300-0400 6035 7115
Balkans 1200-1500 1224 5890 6195
Middle East 1500-1600 11660
Central Asia 1500-1600 15635
Russia 1500-1800 7425 9775
Europe 1700-2000 9850 250 kW
Balkans 1800-1900 1224 5860 5890
Middle East 1800-1900 7375
ENGLISH
North America 0400-0500 9700 11720
Japan 1130-1230 13790
Asia 1230-1330 15620
Europe 1900-2000 9700 11720
Europe 2100-2200 9700 11720
North America 2300-2400 7480 9700
HORIZONT
Europe 0300-1700 9850 Bad reception (250 kW)
Europe 0600-0900 1224
Europe 0900-1200 1224
Listeners in Europe are advised to turn into 11720 KHz in the 25 m band or
9700 KHz in the 31 m band. They are regulary in use and have usually a good
reception. Also broadcasts targeting N.A can be heard at above frequencies.
An other interesting frequency is 7670 KHz (not officially in the schedule).
It relays Horizont. The transmitter is in Stolnik with 15 kW intended for
the home service.
If you are in Europe and have a car radio with you, you could also try
reaching the following stations at medium waves: 828 KHz (Christo Botev),
1161 KHz (Horizont) with 500 kW transmitter in Stara Zagora and 1224 KHz
(foreign service) with 500 kW from Vidin.
Radio Varna has also started its own broadcastings abroad. A possible
frequency is 7230 KHz on fridays only but is likely to be too weak for
reception.
Address:
Radio Bulgaria
4 Dragan Tsankov Blvd.
Sofia 1040
Bulgaria
Fax: 650 560; 871 061
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-8 BBC schedule in Bulgarian (April 1996- September 1996)
(by Rosa Hays), last updated: 06-Apr-1996
BBC IN BULGARIAN from London (April - September 1996)
SOFIA VHF/FM 91 mhz - BBC World Service (in Eng and Bulg)
on SHORTWAVE (see below) and local FM rebroadcasters
Time = local in Bulgaria (GMT plus 3 hours in Summer)
Programmes / FREQUENCIES
____
0630-0700 London Start
(M-F)
41 m 7325 khz
49 m 6050 khz
____
0900-0910 European Press Review
(M-F) 5 Minutes English
FM only
____
1100-1105 News
(M-F)
FM only
____
1300-1315 News; 5 Minutes English (M-F)
News; Weekend Programme Preview (Sat)
News; Religion and Faith (Sun)
25 m 12040 khz
31 m 9750 khz
____
1315-1330 Learn Business English (M-F)
Shortwave only
25 m 12040 khz
31 m 9750 khz
____
1315-1330 Feature (repeat of previous day 2000-2015)
(M-F)
m. Cultural Antenna
t. Life in Britain
w. History and Politics
th.Questions and Answers
f. Science, Business, Medicine
FM only
____
1500-1530 News; Press Review;
(Sat-Sun) Economics & Business; Pop-English (Sat)
News; Press Review;
The Week That Was; Learn English (Sun)
25 m 11680 khz
31 m 9750 khz
____
1700-1705 News
(M-F)
FM only
____
1900-1930 World in Action (current affairs) (M-F)
News; Weekly Sport Review (Sat)
News; Petar Uvaliev; Choice of the Week (Sun)
25 m 11905 khz
49 m 6015 khz
____
2200-2215 Feature: (repeated next day 1315-1330 FM only)
(M-F) m. Life in Britain
t. History and Politics
w. Questions and Answers
th.Science, Business, Medicine
f. Cultural Antenna
25 m 11780 khz
49 m 6050 khz
____
2200-2300 Pop Show (Sat)
(Sat-Sun) Mega-hour Youth Programme (Sun)
25 m 11780 khz
49 m 6050 khz
____
2400-0015 Midnight News; Sport
(M-F)
41 m 7275 khz
49 m 6125 khz
BBC WORLD SERVICE - 24 hours in English and BULGARIAN from
London by satellite - in SOFIA on 91 mhz VHF/FM
BBC news & features in Bulgarian can be heard on FM also
from a dozen LOCAL REBROADCASTER STATIONS in Bulgaria.
BBC World Service - Bulgarian Section
Bush House, Strand, London WC2B 4PH
Voice mail: +44-171- 257 2727
Fax: +44-171-379 7408
Send e-mail to: r.h...@bbcnc.org.uk (Mira Martin)
The BBC URL is: http://www.bbcnc.org.uk
BBC Centre in Sofia (books, audio, video, club & courses)
67, Knyaz Boris I str.
Tel: (02) 87 71 30
Fax: (02) 80 62 32
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 8: BULGARIAN INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-1 How to reach the Americal University in Bulgaria.
(by Karen Colburn and Gregory Gouzev), last updated: 01-Jan-1995
These two addresses are taken from a brochure on the
American University in Bulgaria, established 1991.
4 year Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Administration,
Applied Economics, Computer Science, History, English,
Political Science/International Relations,
Journalism/Mass Communications.
Accredited through the University of Maine,
TOEFL and SAT or ACT required.
American University in Bulgaria
Blagoevgrad 2700, Bulgaria
Tel.: (359) 73-23 652
(359) 73-20 968
Fax: (359) 73-25 218
American University in Bulgaria
Office of Development
3243 Sutton Place N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
Tel.: (202) 686-9890
Fax: (202) 686-4538
e-mail domain name : aubg.bg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-2 Bulgarian Banks
(by U.S. Department of Commerce), last updated: 01-Aug-1995
List of Banks with Full License for Activity in Bulgaria and
their Primary Corresponding U.S. Bank;
(Code: S=State; P=Private; CB=Corresponding U.S. Bank)
Balkan Bank (S)
18 Vitosha Blvd., Sofia
Chairman Mr. Ivan Mironov 80-22-33
Vice-Chairman Ms. Nadezhda Apostolova 80-05-40
CB= Bankers Trust, New York
Bank for Agricultural Credit (P)
55, Khristo Botev Blvd., Sofia
Chairman Mr. Planem Tilev 51-06-87
First Vice-Chairman Mr. Janko Janev 51-89-56
CB= American Express Bank, N.Y.
Credit Lyonnais, New York
Biochim (S)
1, Ivan Vazov Str., Sofia
Manager Mr. Boris Mitev 54-46-04
Vice-Manager Ms. Anna Subeva
CB= American Express Bank, New York
Bulgarian Foreign Trade Bank (S)
7, Sveta Nedelia Sq., Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Chavdar K. Kunchev 88-17-03, 84-91
Mr. Dimitur N. Atanasov 88-17-03, 84-91
CB= Credit Lyonnais, New York
Bulgarian Post Bank (S)
1, Bulgaria Square, Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Vladimir Vladimirov 65-67-80
Mr. Milcho Gurov 65-91-06
Ms. Vania Vasileva 65-92-14
CB= American Express Bank, New York
Express Bank (S)
6, Shipka Str., Varna
Chairman, Mr. Ivan Konstantinov (052) 23-18-64
Vice-Chairman, Ms. Maria Dobreva (052) 24-50-79
Chief Accountant, Ms. Rositsa Kamburova (052) 24-51-87
CB= American Express Bank, New York
First East International Bank (P)
15, Lege Str., Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Goran Goranov 87-31-22
Mr. Stanislav Derlipansky 54-24-81
CB= Bankers' Trust, New York
Swiss Bank Corp., New York
First Private Bank (P)
2A, Suborna Str., Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Ventsislav Josifov 65-93-88
Mr. Michael Stefanov 65-93-88
Mr. Milian Krumov Dimitrov 65-71-10
CB= American Express Bank, New York
Hebros Bank (S)
37 Vazrazdhane, Plovdiv
Chairman, Juli Popov (032) 23-18-76
Executive Director, Alexander Grozdanov (032) 22-88-70
Executive Director, Stoyan Markov
CB= American Express Bank, New York
Credit Lyonnais, New York
International Bank for Investment and Development (P)
10, Graf Ignatiev Str., Sofia
Executive Vice-President, Mr. Lew Staples 66-59-24
Managing Director, Mr. Bozhidar Bozhinov 88-34-82
CB= Schroeder Bank, New York
Mineral Bank (S)
17, Lege Str., Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Vladimir Tashkov 80-20-80
Mr. Asen Zapranov 80-20-70
Mr. Rumen Kasabov 80-27-27
CB= American Express Bank, N.Y.
Sofia Bank (S)
25, Janko Sukozov Blvd., Sofia
Executive Directors
Ms. Maria Koteva 44-18-18
Ms. Zhivko Stoimenov 44-18-15
Mr. Katya Ivanova 44-18-18
CB= Bankers' Trust
Swiss Bank Corp., New York
Banco Commercial Italiana, New York
Stopanska Banka (Economic Bank) (S)
8, Slavianska Str., Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Tsvetan Petkov 80-35-24
Mr. Alexandur Novakov 88-53-06
Mr. Radko Radovsky 52-20-39
CB= American Express Bank, New York
United Bulgarian Bank (S)
70, Maria Luiza Blvd., Sofia
Executive Directors
Mr. Dimitur Dimitrov 31-92-90
Mr. Oleg Nedialkov 31-81-20
CB= American Express Bank, New York
CitiBank, New York
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-3 Info on the Bulgarian Medical Association, USA
(by Simeon Boyadjiev), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
It is my plesure to announce the establishment of a new professional
organization - BULGARIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IN THE USA (BMA/USA).
This idea of ours and the initial work done by Dr Yanko Yankov
and Dr Simeon Boyadjiev resulted in the first meeting in New York on
April 28,93. For current chairman was elected Dr Lubomir Kanov and
for assistant-coordinator Mrs. Didi Arissian.
The organization is open to everyone in the field of the medicine,
biological sciences and medical technology, regardless of origin, sex,
political or religious believes. No fees, no obligations. Our goals are:
1. To establish contacts among the bulgarian professionals in the USA
for easier communications, mitual help and better professional realization .
2. Exchange of information in order to assist the accomplishment of the
scientific projects with benefit for Bulgarian Health Care.
3. To establish contacts with the universities, organizations, companies
and representatives of US health care system that would provide educational,
technological and financial help for better health care in Bulgaria.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN BMA/USA. For more information and
suggestions contact Dr Simeon Boyadjiev (SBO...@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU),
Dept. of Medical Genetics, IUSM, Indianapolis, IN 46202 or Mrs. Didi
Arissian, Box 298, 1230 York Ave, Rockefeller University New York, NY
10021, Fax: (212) 327-8343.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-4 Bulgarian Studies Association
(by John Bell), last updated: 21-Nov-1995
The Bulgarian Studies Association of North America was
founded in 1971 by a group of American and Canadian scholars
concerned with Bulgarian subjects. Its purpose is to encourage
academic investigation of Bulgaria, exchange information, and
develop relations with Bulgarian scholars. The BSA organized the
first joint meeting of North American and Bulgarian scholars at
Madison, Wisconsin in 1973. This was followed by meetings in
Varna, Boston, Smolyan and, most recently, Pittsburgh (May,
1994.) The Association also holds an annual meeting in
conjunction with the convention of the American Association
for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS).
The BSA publishes a newsletter, appearing about four times
each year, with information on the activities of the organization
and its individual members. Membership is open to anyone with an
interest in Bulgarian studies. Dues are $15.00 per year.
Requests for membership should be sent to its secretary: Martha
Forsyth, 51 Davis Avenue, West Newton, MA 02165-1925.
The current president of the BSA is Prof. Katia McClain
e-mail: kmcc...@humanitas.ucsb.edu
Its vice-president is Prof. Grace Fielder
e-mail: gfie...@ccit.arizona.edu
For further information by email, contact
be...@umbc2.umbc.edu (John Bell)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-5 AAPBC (American Association for the Promotion of Bulgarian Culture)
(by Mincho Tsankov)
A A P B C
American Association for the Promotion of BULGARIAN CULTURE
The American Association for the promotion of Bulgarian Culture (AAPBC)
is an American non-profit organization, founded in Washington, D.C., with
international membership, which shall foster the culture of Bulgaria to take
a deserved place among the cultures of the world. It shall be guided by the
following principles:
1. AAPBC shall invariably serve as a reliable source of information
concerning the culture of Bulgaria.
2. AAPBC shall facilitate the explanation and interpretation of the
evolution of the culture of Bulgaria.
3. AAPBC shall support the creation of valuable works of culture and the
advancement and dissemination of the culture of Bulgaria in all its aspects.
4. AAPBC shall make impartial efforts toward the preservation of all
Bulgarian cultural treasures.
* * *
The AAPBC is incorporated under the IRS code and has tax-exempt status
(IRS 501-C-3). All contributions to AAPBC are tax deductable.
Address:
AAPBC
1229 "O" Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel. Petrov (202) 232-4072
G O A L S
- AAPBC endeavors to be a catalyst for promoting long-range projects (e.g.
sending books to the library of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the City
Library of Sofia, regional libraries in the provinces) and ad hoc projects
(e.g. co-sponsoring an exhibit of modern Bulgaria art at the prestigious
Corcoran Gallery in Washington, publishing of the anthology of translations
of Bulgarian poets by Richard Harteis and William Meredith).
- AAPBC seeks the cooperation of all persons interested in Bulgarian culture
regardless of origin, citizenship, or political persuation, for long-range or
ad hoc initiatives they wish to propose.
- AAPBC serves as a data bank in that regard and as a point of contact with
the appropriate institutions and persons in Sofia through its representatives
there.
- AAPBC solicits participation in its existing committees and working groups
(as well as members wishing to propose and form new ones).
C O M M I T T E E S
The AAPBC Committees are:
1. Fund-raising
a. Solocitation of membership at $10 annual dues.
b. Large donations (AAPBC is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization (IRS-
501-C-3). Current range up to $500.
2. Subscriptions of U.S. periodicals for Bulgarian libraries (members can
submit their choice of periodical(s) and library(ies) for coordination by the
committee.
3. Donations of books for Bulgarian libraries in books or funds for purchasing what is needed. Most needed are American reference tools, such as encyclopedias
dictionaries, who's whos, bibliographies by subject, etc.
4. Publication of the Newsletter at least every six months, with functions to
collect news items and assist in editing it.
5. Membership solicitation. All current members (according to mailing list)
are asked to submit names and addresses of persons interested in Bulgarian
culture and the goals of the AAPBC.
6. Relations with other Bulgarian-oriented organizations with the aim of
establishing a Federation of such organizations for coordination of efforts
and activities.
7. Support of Bulgarian cultural events in and out of Bulgaria (art exhibits,
performances, poetry readings, Western cultural initiatives in Bulgaria, etc.).
8. Support of Bulgarian students outside Bulgaria by soliciting members to
"adopt" a student for the duration of his or her studies.
A A P B C
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Founding Chairman:
Marin Pundeff
Professor, California State University
Honorary Chairmen:
Raymond Garthoff
Ambassador, Brooking Institution
Eric Hemp
Professor, University of Chicago
Irwin T. Sanders
Professor Emeritus, Boston University
Honorary members:
Robert Conquest
Historian
Simeon Saks-Koburg-Gotski
Businessman
Executive Bureau:
Marshall L. Miller, Co-Chairman
Attorney
Christo M. Popoff, Co-chairman
Artist
Atanas Slavov, Co-chairman
Writer
Ilya Talev
Newsletter Editor
Vassil Petrov
Secretary
Pamela Perry Mitova
Treasurer
M E M B E R S
O F T H E B O A R D
Milka T. Bliznakov
Professor, Virginia Tech
Krustan Diankov
Translator
James S. Dimitroff
Businessman
Micaela S. Iovine
Fulbright Program
Edward Kasinec
New York Public Library
Milcho Leviev
Composer Musician
Jack R. Perry, Ambassador
Professor, Davidson College
Sol Polansky, Ambassador
Citizens Democracy Corps
Errest A. Scatton
Professor, SUNY
Philip A. Shellhaas
Corporate Director, IBM
Mihail Simeonov
Sculptor
Heinrich A. Stammler
Professor, University of Kansas
Blagoy P. Trenev
Professor, University of Wisconsin
Ted Zang
Attorney
* * *
Legal Counsel:
Mihail V. Pundeff, Esq.
Laura B. Sherman, Esq.
J O I N A A P B C
and be part of an international network of people dedicated to the promotion
and advancement of Bulgaria culture in all its aspects, wherever it exists in
the world.
You can work through the existing working groups and committees
listed here, or propose new projects. You will receive AAPBC Newsletter issued
periodically to report on projects completed or underway, new initiatives,
organizations in and out of Bulgaria concerned with Bulgarian culture, and
AAPBC relations with them.
* * *
AAPBC representation in Bulgaria
Krustan Diankov
noted translator of American Literature
and president of the society of
Friends of USA in Bulgaria
Office:
Stolichna Biblioteka
Pl. Slaveikov, 4; Room 113
1557 Sofia, Bulgaria
..............................................................................
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
(Please print) Date:...................
Name:.................................................................
Address:..............................................................
Telephones: Residence:...................Office:.....................
Please make check payable to AAPBC in the amount of US $10 as annual dues and
sent to
Pamela Perry Mitova, 1229 "O" Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005
Please indicate here the aspects of Bulgarian culture you are interested in and the way in which you wish to be active in AAPBC ...............................
...............................................................................
Signature.........................
*******************************************************************************
Best regards:
Mincho Tsankov (min...@lamar.ColoState.EDU)
Department of Physics
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
phone (303) 491-5033
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-6 Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce
(by Vasko Delev), last updated: 30-Oct-1995
Here is the address of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce:
Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce
Saborna Str. 11 A
Sofia 1000
Bulgaria
Tel: +359 2 87-26-31
Fax: +359 2 87-32-09
Cable: 22374
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-7 Bulgarian Foundations
(by Yulian Donchev), last updated: 09-Oct-1995 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Sajuz na balgarskite fondatsii,
ul. Oborishte 44
Sofia 1505
Mezhdunarodna fondatsija "Sv. sv. Kiril i Metodii",
ul. Oborishte 19
Sofia 1504
Fondatsija "Otvoreno obshtestvo"-Sofia
pl. Slaveikov 4
Stolichna biblioteka
Sofia 1000
Blagoevgrad 2700
Studentski klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
Amerikanski Universitet v Bulgaria
Burgas 8000
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
Burgaski svoboden universitet,
st. 125
Varna 9000
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
bul. L. Karavelov 19A, 65, et.4, ap.8
Velingrad 4600
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
tel. (0390) 2-31-70
Pleven 5800
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
bul. Skobelev 20, bl.2, vh.B
Plovdiv 4000
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
Narodna biblioteka "Ivan Vazov"
ul. Avksentii Velishki 17
Ruse 7000
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
Gradska biblioteka "Ljuben Karavelov"
ul Dondukov-Korsakov 1
Sliven 8800
Klub "Otvoreno obshtestvo"
pl. Al. Stamboliiski 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-8 What is the address of the Fulbright Commission in Sofia
(by Dragomir R. Radev)
17, Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd.
1000 Sofia
(The Commission's office is centrally located at the above address in the
building of the Ministry of Culture, 3rd floor. It is opposite the Ministry
of Education and Science and within walking distance of the American Embassy
and the American Cultural Center).
Office hours - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Phone and Fax of the Fulbright Commission: 88-45-17
The Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange was
established in February 1993 following the signing of a binational agreement
between the United States of America and the Republic of Bulgaria in
November 1992. Although the youngest in Europe, the Commission will base
its policy regarding planning, selection, and administration of the Ful-
bright program on the experience of educational exchange between the U.S.
and Bulgaria accumulated during the last 25 years and the needs of the
dynamic present. The principles we have adopted are fully in tune with the
spirit of the Fulbright initiative.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-9 Mensa in Bulgaria
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 23-Aug-1995
MENSA BULGARIA
George Chavdarov, Chairman, Blvd Tsar Osvoboditel 29a, 1504 Sofia,
Bulgaria, 359 2 437 448
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8-10 Vestnik Pari na WWW
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 03-Jan-1997
Vestnik Pari e dostqpen na WWW na adres http://www.pari.bg
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 9: BUSINESS CONTACTS AND FUNDING SOURCES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9-1 BULGARIA: U.S. and Country Contacts
(by U.S. Department of Commerce), last updated: 01-Aug-1995
Washington, D.C. Based USG Country Contacts
Brian Toohey, Bulgaria Desk Officer
International Trade Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th & Constitution Aves.
Washington, D.C. 20230
Tel: (202) 482-4915
Fax: (202) 482-4505
East European Business Information Center
address same as above
Tel: (202) 482-2645
Fax: (202) 482-4473
Mr. Gordon Nicks
Acting Area Officer for Eastern Europe
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Foreign Agricultural Service, Room 5080s
US Department of Agriculture
14th and Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 720-3080
Fax: (202) 720-6063
U.S.-Based Multipliers Relevant for Country
Michaela D. Platzer
Director
International Division
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20062-2000
Tel: (202) 463-5480
Fax: (202) 463-3114
Commercial Attache
Embassy of Bulgaria
1621 22nd St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 387-7969
Fax: (202) 462-8051
Bulgariain Government Agencies
Country Telephone Code is (359)
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Prime Minister Ljuben Berov 88-56-20
Dep. Prime Minister Evgeni Matinchev 887-27-50/88-30-65
Dep. Prime Minister Kiril Tsochev 887-20-86
Advisors Valentin Georgiev 887-20-69/87-43-94
World Bank Advisor Gerhard Reis 87-08-80
Trandafil Dimitrov 80-22-45
Special Advisor Evgeni Milchev 80-22-40
Special Advisor Atanas Kupribashiev 87-44-11/887-27-48
MINISTRIES
Ministry of Agriculture
55 Khristo Botev Blvd.
1000 Sofia
Minister Georgy Tanev 88-55-57
Head of Min.Office Maria Lazarova 88-17-90
Protocol Deninska 51-89-45
Deputy Minister Juri Petrov 87-75-64
Deputy Minister Ventseslav Stoyanov 88-36-39
Deputy Minister Roumen Hristov 88-31-88
Land Priv. Office Dimitur Dinkov 51-06-74
Ministry of Environment
67 William Gladstone Str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Valentin Bosevsky 88-25-77
Deputy Minister Branimir Natov 88-14-46
Deputy Minister Venko Beshkov 54-30-84
Chief Secretary Ivan Filipov 83-23-89
Water Resources Georgi Karagjozov 87-89-51
Int'l Relations Kliment Dilianov 81-00-87
Protocol 87-61-51
Int'l Dept Office Zheko Spiridonov 87-61-51
Ministry of Finance
102 Rakovsky Str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Stoyan Alexandrov 869-211/870-622
Deputy Minister Svetoslav Gavriisky 869-335
Deputy Minister Dimitur Radev 869-295/867-848
Deputy Minister Dimitur Kostov 869-381
Head of Tax Dept. Biser Slavkov 803-247
General Secretary Stamen Tassev 869-317/803-498
Protocol 869-574
Director Int'l Rel. Plamen Gogov 869-219/870-945
Expert Int'l Rel Mariana Touhchieva 869-395/869-223
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2 Al. Zhendov Str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Stanislav Daskalov
Minister's Office 7143-217
Protocol 87-09-36
First Dep. Minister Valentin Gatzinsky 80-37-37
Deputy Minister Todor Churov 7143-244/80-38-07
Desk Officer for
USA, Canada Ivan Danchev 70-32-68
Counsellor Vesselin Petrov 70-34-94
Chief of Protocol Dimitur Dimitrov 7143-353
Ministry of Health
2 Sveta Nedelia Square
1000 Sofia
Minister Tancho Gugalov 87-50-51
Chief Dep. Minister Semerdjiev 88-40-64
Deputy Minister Gerginsky 87-50-53
Deputy Minister Kumanov 87-83-79
Head Int'l Rel. Dr. Kurtev 88-08-01
Int'l Rel. Expert Petur Stoyanov 87-53-19
Ministry of Housing & Construction
17 Kiril and Methodius Str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Khristo Totev 80-39-69
Deputy Minister Petko Evrev 88-20-20
Deputy Minister Daniel Leviev 88-18-49
Int'l Relations Stoyanov 83-53-29
Privatizations Mollov 87-69-61
Ministry of Industry
8 Slavianska Str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Plamen Bikov 80-10-06
Deputy Minister Racho Petrov 88-32-20
Deputy Minister 88-52-46
Deputy Minister Matei Mateev 87-20-27
Deputy Minister Grigorii Vazov 88-01-62
Privatization Office 87-80-26
Head Int'l Rel. Titorenko 89-99-23
Int'l Relations Buzov 87-88-85
Protocol 88-55-33
Head Privat. Dept. Emil Vanchev 87-25-37
Int'l Integration &
Coordination Dept. Vera Khristova 87-88-85
Ministry of Justice
2 Dondukov Str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Petur Kornadjev
87-55-20/87-40-58
Deputy Minister Petur Stoyanov 88-33-69
Int'l Law Coop. Dept. Vasil Velev 867-32-09
Ministry of Labor
2 Triaditsa St.
1000 Sofia
Minister Evgeni Matinchev 87-65-08
Deputy Minister Jordan Hristoskov 80-35-78
Deputy Minister Dimitur Shopov 867-24-59
Deputy Minister Dukhomir Minev 87-65-67
Int'l Relations Stoimen Velev 83-37-12
Int'l Relations Ilian Ignatov 89-78-54
Protocol 867-27-37
Ministry of Trade
12 Battenberg str.
1000 Sofia
Minister Kiril Tsochev 87-03-87
Deputy Minister Ivan Kolev 88-41-90
Deputy Minister Stanimir Burzashky 87-12-87
Deputy Minister Kiril Velev 87-45-82
Chief Secretary Ivan Dochev 87-42-62
Advisor on Ext. Rel. Marin Todorov 88-20-11
Head of Priv Dept. Assen Petrov 88-06-45
Country Trade Associations/Chambers of Commerce:
Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Bojidar Bojinov, President
Maria Petrunova, U.S. Desk Officer
11-a, Al. Stamboliiski Blvd.
Sofia 1000
Tel: (359 2) 872-528
Fax: (359 2) 873-209
Bulgarian Industrial Association
Bojidar Danev , Chairmam
16-20 Alabin Str.
Sofia 1000
Tel: (359 2) 545-066
Fax: (359 2) 872 604
Union for Private Economic Enterprise
Petjo Bluskov, Chairman
2a Suborna Str.
Sofia 1000
Tel: (359 2) 659-371
Fax: (359 2) 659-411
Country Market Research Firms
Advertising International Network Ltd.
36, Dragan Tzankov Blvd., suite 613 B
Tel:(359 2) 703-328
Fax: (359 2) 704-577
Continental Information
Mr. Philip Bay
32 Skobelev Blvd.
Tel: (359 2) 511-84
Fax: (359 2) 541-284
Expocenter
37, Ekzarch Jossif
1000 Sofia
Tel: (359 2) 803-603
Fax: (359 3) 801 201
Institute for Marketing and Research MBMD
26 A, Sabi Dimitrov St.
Sofia 1111
Tel/Fax: (359 2) 739-919
Trade Institute
165 3A Street
Liv. Quarter "Izgreva"
1797 Sofia
Tel: (359 2) 700-100
Fax: (359 2) 700-346
Snelling & Snelling
Amy Gorin
23 V, San Stefano Str. Suite 34
Tel: (359 2) 466-057
Fax: (359 2) 443-404
4. U.S. Embassy Trade Personnel:
U.S. Embassy Sofia
No. 1 Suborna St.
Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel.: (359) (2) 88-48-01
Fax : (359) (2) 80-19-77
Commercial Attache
U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
U.S. Embassy Sofia
Tel: (359) (2) 65-94-64, 65-02-64
Fax: (359) (2) 80-38-50, or Embassy Fax
APO Mailing Address:
U.S. Embassy Sofia
Unit 1335, APO AE 09213-1335
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9-2 U.S. Information Sources On Bulgaria
(by US Department of Commerce, Eastern Europe Business Bulletin, and Dennis McConnell)
<DEFINE IMPORTANCE 4>
Bulgarian Embassy Commercial Office
Boris Ratchev, Commercial Attache
1621 22nd Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202-332-6609
Fax: 202-462-8051
Telex: 21-15-61
Eastern Europe Business Information Center
Room 7412
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 202-482-2645
Fax: 202-482-4473
U.S. Department of Commerce
Jeremy Keller, Lynn Fabrizio
Bulgaria Desk Officers
Room 3413
14th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 202-482-4915
Fax: 202-482-4505
Bulgaria-U.S. Trade & Economic Council
Kay Larcom, Executive Director
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20062
Tel: 202-463-5482
Fax: 202-463-3114
Bulgarian-American Enterprise Fund
333 West Wacker Drive, Suite 2080
Chicago, Illinois 60606
President and CEO: Frank L. Bauer
Tel: 312.629.2500 Fax 312.629.2929
Address in Bulgaria:
3 Shipka Street
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: [359-2] 44.18.62 Fax: [359-2] 44.30.18
Managing Director, Bulgaria: L. Searl Vetter
For Consular Services Only (visas, consular law, etc.)
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
Georgi Peychinov, Consular Officer
1621 22nd Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202-483-5885
Fax: 202-234-7973
Consular Office hours:
10:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m.
Monday-Friday
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9-3 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(by Holger Zscheyge), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
Try to contact the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
They are probably the best address for jobs with a focus on
FSU/Eastern Europe. Even if they cannot offer you a job they know
thousands of companies in the respective countries.
The EBRD can be reached by mail:
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2EH
England
Tel.: +4471-3386435
Fax: +44713386486
As far as I know the US have an liason officer there. Hope this helps.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9-4 Finding Sources
(by Jim Cashel), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
SOURCES FOR FUNDING COMPILED BY WORLD LEARNING INC.
Drago's note: these sources are primarily intended for the NIS (Newly
Independent States - xUSSR). I have kept these addresses which I thought
might be relevant to Bulgaria as well.
The PVO/NIS Project realizes there are a lot of worthy projects still unfunded.
Therefore, we would like to present a partial list of alternative funding
sources. It is important to keep in mind that such data is meant to serve as a
point of departure for your own research and is evolving and always subject to
change.
The sources of funding for activities in the NIS are many and varied. Unless
you know where to look and precisely what you are looking for it can be
confusing. In fact, in an ever-changing NIS environment, it is hard to know
where funding is with any precision. There are many PVOs looking to tap into
funds in the sectors of health, the private sector, democratic reform, exchanges
and training, and women's health. INTERACTION, an association of U.S. PVOs, is
seeking to coordinate and concentrate funding priorities for the NGO community
in these sectors. The following provides an overview of some of these groups,
their activities, and where available the $ amount of grants they may be
distributing.
PRIVATE
The National Endowment for Democracy
1101 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 293-9072 phone
(202) 223-6042 fax
Cross-Sectoral
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Public Information Office
5520 N. Magnolia Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640-1307
(312) 728-6996 phone
(312) 728-6886 fax
Soros Foundation
888 7th Avenue, Ste 1901
New York, NY 10106
(212) 757-2323 phone
(212) 974-0367 fax
and education
The Ford Foundation
320 E. 43rd Street
New York, NY 10017
(212) 573-5000 phone
(212) 599-4584 fax
Rockefeller Foundation
1133 Ave. of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
(212) 869-8500 phone
Civil Society Building
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
1200 Mott
Foundation Bldg.
Flint, MI 48502-1851
(313) 238-5651 phone
Rockefeller Bros. Fund
1290 Avenue of Americas
New York, NY 10104
(212) 373-4200 phone
(212) 315-0996 fax
Small Business Development
The Fund for Democracy and Development
2033 M St., NW Ste. 506
Washington, DC 20036
Human Rights
Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation
218 East 18th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 475-1137 phone
Advocacy
Smith Richardson Foundation
60 Jessup Street
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 222-6222 phone
(203) 222-6282 fax
John Merck Fund
11 Beacon Street
Suite 1230
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 723-2932 phone
Environment
ISAR (formerly the Institute for Soviet-American Relations)
1601 Connecticut, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 387-3034 phone
(202) 667-3291 fax
Women's Rights
Global Fund for Women
2480 Sand Hill Rd.,
Suite 100
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(415) 854-0420 phone
(415) 854-8050 fax
Economy Building
The World Bank Group
Room H 2007
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
(202) 473-8261 phone
Attn: Mr. Westen
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
(44) 71-338-6569 phone
(44) 71-338-6487 fax
US Government
Privatization
U.S. Dept. of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT)
Room 3413
Washington, DC 20230
(202) 482-0073 phone
(202) 482-2443 fax
ALSO Consortia of American Businesses in the NIS (CABNIS)
200 Daingerfield Road
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-1080 phone
(301) 652-0141 phone
U.S. Small Business Administration
Office of International Trade, Room 6114
409 3rd Street, SW
Washington, DC 20416
800 827-5722 phone
(202) 205-7064 fax
Economy Building
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
1100 New York Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20527 (202) 336-8799 phone
800-424-6742 phone
(202) 408-9589 fax
Export Import Bank
ExImbank of the US
811 Vermont Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20571
(202) 535-9664 phone
(202) 566-7524 fax (Insurance)
(202) 566-8208 phone
(202) 566-7524 fax (Guarantees and loans)
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
SA-16, Rm. 309
Washington, DC 20523 (703) 875-4357 phone
(703) 875-4009 fax
Civil Society/ Democracy/ Media Relations
U.S. Information Agency
USIA, Rm. 751
301 4th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20547
(202) 619-5057 phone
(202) 619-5958 fax
National Endowment for the Arts, International Activities Office
1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Rm 528
Washington, DC 20506
(202) 682-5422 phone
(202) 682-5602 fax
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
Rm 4079 SUSDA/FAS/EC
Washington, DC 20250
(202) 720-4274 phone
(202) 690-0727 fax
U.S. Dept. of Defense
(202) 783-3238 (CBD for contracts announcements)
U.S. Agency for International Development
A.I.D./NIS Task Force
320 21st Street NW
Washington, DC 20523
(202) 647-9950 phone
USAID NIS TASK FORCE PROJECTS/ OFFICES FOR 1994
Office of Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance (A.I.D.)
Don Eller (202) 736-6481
Alan Silva (202) 647-7614
Office of Energy, Environment, and Technology (A.I.D.)
Energy $254 million Contact: Edvard Markset (202) 736-4405
Environment $73 million Contact: James Bever (202) 736-4407, Energy-
Environment, Commodity Import Program $125 million
Office of Economic Restructuring (A.I.D.)
Economic Restructuring $50 million, Contact: Jane Barden (202)
647-2808
Housing $190 million
Trade and Investment $365 million, Contact: Raghawendra Dwivdey (202)
647-2809
Office of Private Sector Initiatives (A.I.D.)
Private Sector $425 million Contact: Greg Huger (202) 736-4410
Privatization $125 million Hans Shrader (202) 736-4806
Enterprise Fund $250 million, Contact: Jean Hacken (202) 736-4414
Office of Democratic Initiatives, Health, and Human Resources(A.I.D.)
Special Initiatives $151 million, Contacts: Regina Coleman, (202)
647-5876 Bryant George (202)736-4264
Health $109 million
Women's Health Initiative $10 million, Contact: Lee Hougen (202)
736-7760
Democratic Reform $82 million, Contact: Kris Loken (202) 736-4267
Exchanges and Training (A.I.D.) $225 million Contact: Thomas Chapman
(202) 647-7751
Food Systems (A.I.D.) $48 million Contact: Loretta Williams (202)
736-4418
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For foundations contact: the Citizens Democracy Corps (CDC), (202)
872-0933 or 1-800-394-1945; or The Foundation Center, (202) 331-1400
(DC), (212) 620-4230 (NY)
The BISNIS hot line for those interested in area business developments
(202) 482-4655. Bids and contracts advertised in Commerce Business
Daily (CBD) (202) 783-3238
This information was compiled by Scott Altmann and Margot Mininni who
drew on many resources, among them: The CDC Compendium, the Business
Information Service for the NIS (BISNIS) of the U.S. Department of
Commerce, USAID, and information sent to World Learning's NIS office.
Dragomir R. Radev
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.06
URL: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 10: ELECTRONIC CONNECTIVITY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10-1 Major World-Wide Web Sites about Bulgaria
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 30-Oct-1995
1. The Bulgarian Home Page (at Rockefeller University)
http://pisa.rockefeller.edu:8080/Bulgaria
The first home page about Bulgaria. Maintained by Penyo Penev. Contains
pointers to a variety of other sites. Also contains the USTOI on-line
newspaper.
2. All About Bulgaria (at Columbia University)
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/bulgaria
Includes a hypertext version of the FAQ, an archive of
soc.culture.bulgaria and a hierarchical directory of all pointers on the
Web related to Bulgaria. Maintained by Dragomir R. Radev.
3. Bulgaria-related Electronic Resources (at Arizona State University)
http://enws121.eas.asu.edu/places/Bulgaria/
Pretty well designed and maintained site with miscellaneous
pointers. Contains a map-based interface to Internet servers in
Bulgaria. The site contains also a news archive. Maintained by Plamen
Bliznakov.
4. Bulgarian page (at bulgaria.com)
A startup page with a few pointers. Maintained by Jivko Kolchev.
5. Pointers on Bulgaria (at yahoo.com)
http://www.yahoo.com/Regional_Information/Countries/Bulgaria
A short and incomplete listing of pointers related to Bulgaria.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10-2 Bulgarian Chat Servers
(by Jivko Kolchev), last updated: 03-Jan-1997 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Ne znam kolko ot vas si spomnia magdanoza, no v posledno vreme toi
savsem pozasqhna i e na pqt da bqde chastichno pensioniran. Za
kompensacia obache se poiaviava nov server chat.bulgaria.com, koito e
po-lesen za poddqrjane i s poveche vqzmojnosti bi triabvalo da e dostoen
zamestnik na magdanoza.
Za tezi koito ne znaiat kakvo e magdanoz, mogat da razberat polzvaiki
slednia URL: http://magdanoz.bulgaria.com
Eto kak mojete da se svarjete s novia server i da uchastvate v
konferencii:
Ako pritejavate Java enabled browser ili niamate nishto protiv da
instalirate Plug-in za Netscape
http://chat.bulgaria.com:4080
Ako predpochitate da polzvate telnet :
telnet chat.bulgaria.com 4080
Ako predpochiate da polzvate IRC:
irc do chat.bulgaria.com port 8067
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10-3 How to join the #bulgaria channel on IRC
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 30-Oct-1995
There is a possibility to talk to other Bulgarians in the channel
#bulgaria on irc. If you don't know what irc is, read below:
1. It is possible that you have the irc software already installed on
your system. Then type "irc" from your prompt and go to step 5.
2. If you don't have irc installed, there are two alternatives for you:
a) install your own irc client software (it takes some memory though)
- read step 3.
b) telnet to some publicly accessible irc server - read step 4.
3. Two possibilities: ftp or automatic.
a) ftp should work for many different computers (IBM-PC, Macintosh, VAX, IBM
3270, Unix, etc.). You have to do anonymous ftp to csa.bu.edu and look for
the directory irc. Copy the README file in the directory clients/... where
... is the type of computer you have (e.g. VAX). Then follow the instructions
in that README file.
b) automatic (works only if you have a UNIX system). Type the following:
telnet sci.dixie.edu 1 | sh
(be careful to type all characters on the previous line including the "| sh"
This should install an irc client in your directory. Note that it will be
configured in a way to directly connect you to the undernet (you don't need
to know what that is - simply proceed with this algorithm).
if either a) or b) worked, then go to step 5.
4. To telnet to some publicly accessible irc server, read this:
Scott Yanoff's "Special Internet Connections" (aka internet-services list)
lists the following telnetable IRC clients:
-IRC telnet server telnet wbrt.wb.psu.edu or 146.186.78.131
telnet irc.demon.co.uk or 158.152.1.74
+telnet sci.dixie.edu 6668 or telnet 144.38.16.2 6668
offers: Internet Relay Chat via telnet. (Login: irc)
5. Now you shold already be on some irc/undernet server. If you are on
the undernet (i.e. you followed step 3b) you must type the following:
/server irc.netsys.com
At this point, you should be on a genuine irc server. go to step 6.
6. type the following:
/join #bulgaria
and if there is someone else you will be able to talk. For more info about
how to use irc, read the FAQ list on irc in the news.answers newsgroup.
Have fun!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10-4 Internet providers in Bulgaria
(by mi...@cit.bg), last updated: 09-Aug-1995
CIT Ltd. - postm...@cit.bg
EUnet Bulgaria / Digital Systems - in...@Bulgaria.EU.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10-5 How to play 'tabla' (backgammon) against human players on the Internet
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 30-Oct-1995
Telnet to
205.149.189.55 4321
or
fibs.com 4321
and then follow the instructions
Note: If you are on a VAX, you might have to type:
telnet/port=4321 205.149.189.55 instead of the command above
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 11: BULGARIAN LANGUAGE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-1 How to pronounce Bulgarian
(by Dragomir R. Radev)
Bulgarian uses the Cyrillic alphabet.
There are 30 letters. I will show them using a graphical description of
the capital letter (in a 7X7 bitmap).
01 01 [a]
O
O O
O O
OOOOOOO
O O
O O
O O
02 02 [b]
OOOOOOO
O
O
OOOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOOO
03 03 [v]
OOOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOOO
04 04 [g]
OOOOOOO
O
O
O
O
O
O
05 05 [d]
OOO
O O
O O
O O
O O
OOOOOOO
O O
06 06 [e]
OOOOOOO
O
O
OOOOO
O
O
OOOOOOO
07 07 [3] (as in 'vision')
O O O
O O O
OOO
O
OOO
O O O
O O O
08 08 [z] (as in 'zeal')
OOOOO
O O
O
OOO
O
O O
OOOOO
09 09 [i]
O O
O OO
O O O
O O O
O O O
OO O
O O
10 10 [y]
OOO
O O
O OO
O O O
OO O
O O
11 11 [k]
O O
O O
O O
OOOO
O O
O O
O O
12 12 [l-] superimposed hyphen on [l]:
O (IPA symbol for a sound
O O closer to [w] than to [l])
O O
O O
O O
O O
O O
13 13 [m]
O O
OO OO
O O O O
O O O
O O
O O
O O
14 14 [n]
O O
O O
O O
OOOOOOO
O O
O O
O O
15 15 [o]
OOOOO
O O
O O
O O
O O
O O
OOOOO
16 16 [p]
OOOOOOO
O O
O O
O O
O O
O O
O O
17 17 [r]
OOOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOOO
O
O
O
18 18 [s]
OOOOO
O O
O
O
O
O O
OOOOO
19 19 [t]
OOOOOOO
O
O
O
O
O
O
20 20 [u]
O O
O O
O O
OOOOOO
O
O O
OOOOO
21 21 [f]
O
OOOOO
O O O
O O O
O O O
OOOOO
O
22 22 [h]
O O
O O
O O
O
O O
O O
O O
23 23 [ts]
O O
O O
O O
O O
O O
OOOOOOO
O
V
24 24 [ts] (this corresponds to the
O O English 'ch' as in 'chat'
O O
O O
OOOOOOO
O
O
O
V
25 25 [s] English 'sh' as in 'show'
O O O
O O O
O O O
O O O
O O O
O O O
OOOOOOO
V
26 26 [st] English 'sht' as in
O O O 'fresh tea'
O O O
O O O
O O O
O O O
OOOOOO
O
27 27 [^] lower-mid back unrounded
OO vowel: you can get an idea
O from the English 'cut'
O
OOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOO
28 28 [y]
O
O
O
OOOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOOO
29 29 [yu]
O OOO
O O O
O O O
OOO O
O O O
O O O
O OOO
30 30 [ya]
OOOOOO
O O
O O
OOOOOO
O O
O O
O O
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-2 How to count in Bulgarian
(by Dragomir R. Radev)
1 - edno (ed-NOH)
2 - dve (DVAY)
3 - tri (TREE)
4 - chetiri (CHAY-tee-ree)
5 - pet (PET)
6 - shest (SHEST)
7 - sedem (SAY-dem)
8 - osem (AW-sem)
9 - devet (DAY-vet)
10 - deset (DAY-set)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-3 Modern Bulgarian Language courses
(by Kitty Kagay, Ken Grau, Prashant Dave, and Dragomir R. Radev)
In response to Dennis Godfrey's 20th January message regarding the U.S. State
Department's Foreign Service Institute's language course.
It may be of interest that there is another complete set of Bulgarian course
materials available through Slavica Press of Ohio. This course also assumes no
previous knowledge of Bulgarian or any other Slavic language. The course has
supplementary materials which are designed specifically for self-study.
The core-text, titled: A Course in Modern Bulgarian (by Milka Hubernova, Ana
Dzhumadanova & Milka Marinova, Columbus, Ohio: Slavica Publishing, 1983;
Library of Congress number: PG 835 K48x 1983) comes in two parts of about 300
pages each. The two parts consists of 62 lessons with about 60 pages of
additional readings. There is enough material in the two volumes for a 2-3
year university course sequence. Best of all, each volume ends with a 40 page
Bulgarian-English glossary consisting of vocabulary from both volumes. This
glossary is a student's dream supplying accents, plurals, verb conjugations
and aspect, and various irregulars. This feature alone is worth the price of
the book. Note that the two volumes are available separately.
The six-volume supplemental workbooks for self-study for so-called
"Individualized Instruction". The materials are divided into workbooks
titled: Elementary Bulgarian 1, Elementary Bulgarian 2, Intermediate Bulgarian
1, Intermediate Bulgarian 2, Advanced Bulgarian 1, and Advanced Bulgarian 2.
Intermediate Bulgarian 2 is by Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble and Catherine
Rudin and the other five volumes are by Charles E. Gribble and Lyubomira
Parpulova-Gribble. In addition, each volume has a Teacher's Manual containing
tests, transcriptions of material on the tapes, etc. There is also a set of
tapes. The workbooks, Teacher's Manual, and tapes are available from:
Center for Slavic and Eastern European Studies
Ohio State University
Dulles Hall
230 West 17th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Telephone: 614-292-8770
The first three workbooks cover the material in part one of the Hubenova text
and the last three workbooks part two of the Hubenova text. These materials
add more exercises, give additional grammatical explanations, add cultural
notes, provide additional reading materials, etc. In addition, these offer
two major features: supplementary note to the core text explaining points
which the Bulgarian authors have overlooked because of their native speakers'
"blind spot" and an answer key to the exercises. The workbooks are available
singly with each covering several (10?) lessons.
Finally, a set of audio cassette tapes is available for volume one of the core
text (lessons 1-26). These tapes include a reading of the text from each
chapter, some drills and exercises, plus a few additional readings of some
short texts.
The textbook and workbooks are all softbound and inexpensive. I don't know
the price of the tapes as a set since the tapes I used were obtained by my
university. I have read through parts of the State Department's text but it
is the Hubenova text that our class worked through systematically. Comparing
the two, I think each has significant shortcomings as well as strengths. My
opinion is that there is no definitive text for the study of Bulgarian (as of
now). Incidentally, I found the State Department's text in my local library
which may be an option for those who like to browse before buying (Bulgarian
Basic Courses, United State Foreign Service Institute. Dewey call number: 491
U58)
For those interested in the Hubenova text, the company is Slavica Publishers.
From the publishers written statement in an 1987 book of theirs:
"Slavica publishes a wide variety of textbooks and scholarly books on the
languages, peoples, literatures, cultures, history, etc. of the USSR and
Eastern Europe. For a complete catalog of books and journals from Slavica,
with prices and ordering information, write to:
Slavica Publishers, Inc.
P O Box 14388
Columbus, Ohio 43214 - 0388
Phone: 614 - 268 - 4002
Here is a short bibliography (from "Bulgarian" by Charles A. Moser, the
George Washington University).
TEXTBOOKS
1. Charles A. Moser. Bulgarian (The George Washington University:
Washington, DC 1991)
2. Albert Bates Lord. Beginning Bulgarian (The Hague: Mouton, 1962)
3. Milka Hubenova, Ana Dzhumadanova. A Course in Modern Bulgarian 1,2.
Slavica Publishers: Columbus, Ohio, 1983)
Part 1, viii + 303 p. 1983 ( ISBN:0-89357-104-0), $ 16.95
Part 2, ix + 303 p., 1983 (ISBN: 0-89357-105-9), $ 16.95.
4. Charles Gribble and Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble. Elementary Bulgarian 1,2.
Bulgarian Individualized Instruction (Ohio State University: Columbus,
Ohio, 1984)
5. Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble and Charles Gribble. Advanced Bulgarian 1,2.
Bulgarian Individualized Instruction (Ohio State University: Columbus,
Ohio, 1987)
6. James Augerot & Nikolay Popov. Bqlgarski ezik: A University Course in the
Bulgarian Language (Seattle, 1987)
GRAMMARS
1. Leon Beaulieux. Grammaire de la langue bulgare (Institut d'etudes slaves:
Paris, 1950)
2. Ernest Scatton. A Reference Grammar of Modern Bulgarian (Slavica Publishers:
Columbus, Ohio, 1984)
SPECIFIC TOPICS
1. Ernest Scatton. Bulgarian Phonology (Slavica Publishers: Cambridge, Massa-
chusetts, 1975)
2. Charles Gribble. Reading Bulgarian Through Russian (Slavica Publishers:
Columbus, Ohio, 1987)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-4 More Bulgarian Textbooks
(by Kjetil Ra Hauge), last updated: 26-Jan-1995
Michael Holman and Mira Kovatcheva (1993): Teach Yourself Bulgarian
(coursebook and cassette), Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN 0 340 56177 7, GBP
16.99
George D. Papantchev (1994): Colloquial Bulgarian (coursebook and two
cassettes), Routledge, ISBN 0 415 07965 9
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-5 More Bulgarian Textbooks
(by Kjetil Ra Hauge), last updated: 02-96-1938
Papantchev, George D.: Colloquial Bulgarian. A Complete Language Course
[with 2 60-min cassettes]. Routledge, 29 West 35th Street, New York NY
10001, ISBN 0-415-07965-9.
Holman, Michael and Mira KovachevA: Teach Yourself Bulgarian. A Complete
Course for Beginners. [With one 85-minute cassette] Hodder & Stoughton,
London. ISBN 0-340-56176-9.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-6 Teach Yourself Bulgarian (Tape)
(by Graham Crowder)
There is a book/cassette combination in the Teach Yourself
series entitled
Teach Yourself Bulgarian
A complete course for beginners
by Michael Holman and Mira Kovatcheva.
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton.
This came out just a year or two back. There is an older
title "A Course in Modern Bulgarian parts 1/2" published
by Slavica Publishers, Inc (Columbus, Ohio).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-7 Bulgarian and English dictionaries
(by Kamen Penev), last updated: 21-Nov-1994
Record #8 of 130
BRS Number: 000945202
Author: Tchomakov, Ivan.
Title: Bulgarian-English, English-Bulgarian dictionary / Ivan
Tchomakov.
Impr/Ed: New York : Hippocrene Books, c1992.
Edition: Hippocrene Books ed.
Phys Desc: 323 p. ; 18 cm.
Subjects: Bulgarian language -- Dictionaries -- English.
English language -- Dictionaries -- Bulgarian.
Series Title: Hippocrene practical dictionary
Language: eng
ISBN: 0870521454 (pbk.)
Record #57 of 130
BRS Number: 000599608
Author: Khubenova, Milka Gucheva.
Title: A course in modern Bulgarian / Milka Hubenova, Ana
Dzhumadanova, Milka Marinova.
Impr/Ed: Columbus, Ohio : Slavica Publishers, 1983.
Phys Desc: 2 v. : ill., music ; 23 cm.
Subjects: Bulgarian language -- Grammar.
Other Author: Dzhumadanova, Ana Stefanova.
Marinova, Milka Petrova.
Notes: Reprint. Originally published: Bulgarski ezik. Sofia :
Narodna Prosveta, 1964-1968. With corrections.
English or Bulgarian.
Language: eng
ISBN: 0893571040 (v. 1) 0893571059 (v. 2)
Record #77 of 130
BRS Number: 000419906
Author: Lord, Albert Bates.
Title: Beginning Bulgarian.
Impr/Ed: 's-Gravenhage, Mouton, 1962.
Phys Desc: 165 p. 23 cm.
Subjects: Bulgarian language -- Grammar.
Language: eng
LCCN: 65035287
GRSN: 00424693
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-8 Kakvo e "Dvoyno E"?
(by Iliya Talev), last updated: 27-Jul-1995 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
V sluchaya s dvoymoto E i shirokoto Q ("nosovkata") sqshtestvuvat
dve strani na vqprosa: ezikovedcheska i politicheska. Vqtre v
ezikovedcheskite sporove, pokray chisto lingvistichnite
sqobajeniya, chesto se injektirat social-politicheski
stanovishta, koeto pqk razdelya ezikovedite na "progresivni" i
"reakcionni".
Pochti nevqzmojno e da se nameri pqlen i obektiven pregled na
pravopisnite "borbi", koito nesqmneno sa svqrzani s borbite po
oformyaneto na bqlgarskiya knijoven ezik prez minaloto stoletie.
Kakto znaete, pobediha "rusofilite". Tyahnata pobeda moje da se
obyasni, obshto vzeto, sqs slednite faktori:
1. Ogromnoto vliyanie na Ruskata pravoslavna cqrkva v duhovnoto
ptobujdane na bqlgarite ot vrorata polovina na XVIII do kraya na
XIX vek. Osnova na bqlgarskiya cqrkoven ezik stava kqsnata ruska
redakciya na Cqrkovno-slavyanski. Pokray ruskoto proiznoshenie na
cqrkovniya ezik, v Bqlgariya pristigat drugi ruski inovacii ot
leksikalno-semantichen harakter (kato administrativnata cqrkovna
terminologiya naprimer) posredstvom trebnici, slujebnici,
Chti-Minei, jitiya na pravoslavni svetci i t.n. Prez tozi period
Ruskata cqrkva investira golemi sredstva na Balkanite s
razprostranyavane na cqrkovna literatura, obuchenie na
sveshtenici i chastichno, s pomoshti pri stroeneto na hramove.
Zabelejitelno v sluchaya e, che neynite investicii v Sqrbiya
pqrvonachalno sa po-golemi, otkolkoto v Bqlgariya, no srqbskoto
vqzrajdane, pod vliyanie na hqrvatite, trqgna na pqt za ograjdane
ot rusko vliyanie.
( V tozi kontekst, sqsho taka e interesno, che Rumqnskata cqrkva,
koyato izpolzva po tova vreme Sredno-bqlgarska redakciya na
Cqrkovno-slavyanskiya ezik, silno ogranichava ruskoto vliyanie v
cqrkovniya ezik.
Misiyata na Rusiya na Balkanite, pokray chisto hristiyansko
misionerstvo, se diktkuva i ot dqrjavno-cqrkovnata doktrina za
"Tretiya Rim" (t.e., sled padaneto na Carigrad - "Vtoriya Rim",
Moskovskata patriarhiya poema funkciite na sedalishte i
tqlkovatel na pravata vyara).
2. Sqznanieto na mnogo bqlgarski vqzrojdenci, che bez pomosht
otvqn, Bqlgariya ne shte moje da se osvobodi. Tyahnata nadejda
lelji vqrhu Rusiya; te rabotyat deyno za doblijavane na noviya
bqlgarski kqm ruskiya.
3. Uchastieto vqv vqzrojdenskite procesi na mnozina energichni
bqlgari, nyakoi ot tyah s pari, koito sa zvqrzani emocionalno ili
finansovo s Rusiya. Povecheto ot tyah idvat ot podbalkanskite
gradcheta, trevnensko i gabrovsko. Spomnete si za Vasil Aprilov:
toy se sqglasyava da pomaga finansovo na bqlgarskata kultura pri
edno uslovie: che ezikqt. makar gramaticheski da e osnovan na
trevnenskoto narechie, shte vklyuchi cherti na gabrovskite govori
kato "me, te, se" vmesto "mq, tq, sq" ("vidyah te", ne "vidyah
tq"), ili generaliziraniya imenitelen/vinitelen padej za jenski
rod ("glava" a ne "glavq") i t.n.
Po tazi tochka sa zabelejitelni dve yavleniya: pqrvoto e, che
nashite sqnarodnici ot Makedoniya se otnasyat hladno kqm rannata
rusifikaciya na ezika. Tova e po-skoro grqcko, otkolkoto srqbsko
kulturno vliyanie. Te sa na mnenie, che bqlgarskite, a ne ruskite
cqrkovni knigi tryabva da se izpolzvat kato iztochnik na
slovotvorchestvo, i che folklorqt tryabva da bqde moshten
iztochnik pri oformyaneto na ezika. Spomnete si za bratyata
Miladinovci i tyahnoto delo. Vtoroto yavlenie mojem uslovno da
narechem "Dyado Petko Rachov Slaveykov". Grupa bqlgari v Carigrad
rabotyat nad prevoda na protestantskata bibliya. Te tqrsyat
iztochnik za oformyaneto na ezika v narodnata novobqlgarska
literatura, glavno "damaskinite", i derivacionnite sposobi na
razlichni bqlgarski dialekti. Kolko jalko, che tozi imenno -
spored mene - pravilen podhod ne stana dominirasht.
Poslednata golyama pobeda v rusifikatorite na bqlgarskiya ezik
idva prez nyakolkoto godini na ruskata administraciya na
osvobodena Bqlgariya. Chrez uchilishtnata i
dqrjavno-administrativnata sistema te uspyavat za mnogo kratqk
srok da rusificirat leksicheski i semantichno, do neuznavaemost,
knijovniya bqlgarski ezik. V tazi oblast naprimer nishto ne e
pisano za vliyanieto na mitnicheskata slujba v leksikalnoto
oformyane na ezika (samo u Aleko: "dayte mi mene Solunskata
mitnica...!"). Eto primer: pristiga ot Avstro-Ungariya pratka s
"pironi", no mitnicharyat, po instrukciya otgore, pishe
"gvozdei". Mnogo ot rusizmite, vlezli po onova vreme v
bqlgarski, sa izcheznali, ili izchezvat, v ruski: "rasilen"
("baycho") ot "raz-syl'nyi", t.e. chovek, koyto se razprashta po
drebni zadachi, kurier; "lepya" (ottam, na bqlgarska osnova -
dumata "lepilo") i t.n.
Tazi dqlga, no mnogo shematichna ekskurziya za osnovata na
sqvremenniya nash knijoven ezik, beshe nujna, za da razberem i
prichinite za ustanovyavaneto na stariya pravopis sqs E-dvoynoto,
shirokoto Q, i ER-golyam i ER-malqk v kraya na dumite.
Pravopisqt, ustanoven ot ruskata shkola v Bqlgariya sledva mnogo,
mnogo tyasno oficialniya ruski pravopis ot onova vreme.
Izklyucheniyata sa malko, bukvata "yota" (spomnete si "Ivancho
Yotata"); ima sqshto izklyucheniya v tretiraneto na predstavkite
i sufiksite.
Sreshtu principite, na koito e osnovan stariyat ruski pravipis,
NE vqzrazyavat i pochti nikoi nashi vqzrojdenci ot makedonskite
zemi. Tezi principi sa ujasno udobni za obedinyavaneto na VSICHKI
bqlgarski dialekti v knijovniya ni ezik. Prosti primeri: za
E-dvoyno, "bel-beli", "byal-beli", "byal-byali". Ili oshte
poveshe za "shirokoto Q" i ER-ovete v kraya na dumite: "pQt'-"
(apostrofqt oznachava "ER-malqk") se proiznasya v dialektite kato
"pqt", "pat", "pot" i daje "put", a malkiyat ER v kraya na dumata
pokazva palatalizaviyata v "pQt'-qt" i staroto dvoystveno chislo
vqv formata "kolko pQt-i".
No bqlgarskata uchebna sistema izpitva zatrudnieniya, oshte ot
samoto nachalo, s tozi pravopis. Negovoto ovladyavane iziskva
po-shiroka lingvistichna kultura (ili poznaniya na nyakolko
dialekta, ili na Cqrkovno-slavyanski, ili na ruski). Moje bi
glavnata prichina za tova e NE-nastoyavaneto za uednakven
pravogovor na knijovniya bqlgarski, t.e., pishi "bEl", a
proiznasyay ili "byal", ili "bel". Za lipsata na pqrvonachalni
normi na izgovaryane po onova vreme, kogato oshte nyama radio i
TV, ima seriozni osnovaniya - zapadnite i yujnite bqlgarski
dialekti.
I zatova oshte ot nachaloto na bqlgaristikata zapochvat sporovete
mejdu "progresivnite", glavno ot Severo-iztochna Bqlgariya, i
"reakcionerite", glavno ot Zapadna Bqlgariya, trakiyskite i
makedonskite zemi. "Progresivnite" tvqrdyat, che bqlgarskiyat
pravopis, ako se napravi "fonetichen" kato srqbskiya, shtyal da
stane dostqpen do vsichki (neshto kato Rab-Fak). "Reakcionerite",
koito sa rugani kato "elitisti", "konservatori", "otkqsnati ot
naroda", "stroeshti kuli ot slonova kost" i t.n. nablyagat na
chetiri momenta: 1) obedinyavashtite cherti na pravopisa za
vsichki bez izklyuchenie bqlgarski dialekti; 2) priemstvenostta
i posledovatelnostta v bqlgarskata nacionalna kultura prez
vekovete; 3) problemite s tqy narechenite "fonetichni principi" -
kqde spirame s "fonetichniya, naroden" pravopis - "hlyab",
"lyab", hleb", "leb" "hlyap", "lep" i t.n?: i 4-to - no mnogo
vajno: poznavatelnite cherti na pravopisa (kogato edna duma ne
meni graficheskiya si oblik v razlichni gramaticheski formi, tya
se vqzpriema po-bqrzo i s po-malko usiliya ot uma na
chetyashtiya, ili s drugi dumi - tekstove s
etimologichno-morfologicheski pravopisi se chetat i vqzpriemat
po-bqrzo i lesno ot tekstove s fonetichni pravopisi.
Zemedelcite na Stamboliyski napraviha pqrviya kratkotraen, i to
mnogo nespoluchliv opit, da reformirat pravopisa. Osven
narodnyashkite im tvqrdeniya, te yavno imaha predvid doblijavane
na bqlgarskoto pismo do srqbskoto s ogled na edna eventualna
Yugoslavska federaciya.
Komunisticheskata reforma imashe chisto ideologicheski harakter i
beshe absolyutno nepodgotvena v lingvistichno otnoshenie. Tya
predi vsichko beshe motivirana kato podrajanie na bolshevishkata
pravopisna reforma (nali pomnite dumite v Internacionala, shte
razrushim tozi svyat napqlno). Posledstvieto ottuk tryabvashe da
bqde grafichesko priblijavane na ruski i bqlgarski.
Tova, koeto veche se spomena sa pisheshtite mashini, ne e shega -
bqlgarskite komunisti gotveha da izolirat Bqlgariya napqlno ot
Zapada, i sledovatelno tehnicheskata baza tryabvashe da se gradi
na sqvetskata promishlenost - pisheshti mashini i pechatarski
inventar.
Imashe oshte edna cel - da se prekqsne kulturnata vrqzka na
novite pokoleniya sqs starite bqlgarski knigi. Psihologicheski,
kniga sqs "star" pravopis tryabva da sqzdava u "homo sovieticus"
emocionalna bariera pri vqzpriemaneto na teksta: "tova e neshto
chujdo", "stranno", "ustaryalo", s drugi dumi, ne si zaslujava
vnimanieto i usiliyata da vnikna v tezi "stari" idei.
Ne na posledno myasto (makar i ne kato postavena cel), beshe
efektqt na smyanata na pravopisa - nashite polu-gramotni drugari
mojeha da opravdavat grubite si pravopisni greshki i lipsata na
elementarna ezikova kultura s noviya pravopis, koyto "ne bili
uchili v uchilishte".
Sega, tolkova godini sled komunisticheskata pravopisna reforma,
bqlgarite obshto vzeto ne znayat oficialniya pravopis na
stranata. Ot opit moga da kaja, che povechete bqlgaristi, koito
nyamat specialnata podgotovka na korektori, pravyat grubi
pravopisni greshki. Osven tova tozi "oprosten" pravopis dovede do
vseobsht kulturen nihilizqm - kolko bqlgari postoyanno se
konsultirat s rechnici, bilo to pravopisni ili tqlkovni? A
principite, izkovani nabqrzo sled Deveti septemvri, na koito se
gradi segashniyat pravopis, sa tolkova protivorechivi, che ne bez
osnovanie daje bqlgaristite ne znayat pravopisa.
Ima li izhod ot tova polojenie?
Az ne vyarvam, che restavraciya na stariya pravopis e
prakticheski vqzmojna, makar che lichno bih ya podkrepil sqs
vsichki sili. Vqzstanovyavane na do-komunisticheskiya pravopis, s
nyakoi neznachitelni izmeneniya i utochneniya po liniyata na
predlaganite promeni ot pokoyniya Stefan Mladenov, shte napravyat
bqlgarskiya pravopis otnovo instrument v okulturyavane na
naciyata. A psihologicheski, toy shte kazva na bqdnite
pokoleniya, che vrqzkata s do-komunisticheskata kultura e
vqzsatovena, dokato povecheto ot tova, koeto e pisano na
"komunisticheski, naroden" pravopis, e staro, nevyarno i chujdo
(da izpolzvame tyahnoto orqjie).
Edin drug faktor e, che dneshnoto pokolenie bqlgarski ezikovedi
sa zaangajirani s tozi pravopis, i mnogo malko ot tyah
chistosqrdechno shte se sastqpvat za restavraciya na stariya.
Az mislya, ce po-skoro, pravopisqt shte se doutochnyava i
doizkusuryava, kakto e praveno prez poslednite pet desetiletiya.
Tova, koeto obache ne e praveno, a tryabva da se pravi, e
nablyagane v obrazovatelnata sistema na seriozno izuchavane na
pravopisa. V Bqlgariya prez tezi desetiletiya e praveno mnogo
malko za rafinirane na ezikovata kultura na decata. A pravopisqt,
poneje nikoga ne moje da e sqvqrshen, tryabva da stane chrez
mnogo usiliya chast ot kulturata na choveka. Kolkoto po-dobre
chovek znae pravopisa, tolkova po-bqrzo i lesno chete (a ne si
mqrda ustnite, dokato chete, kato babite i dyadovcite po selata).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-9 Words in English that originate from Bulgarian
(by Julian Dontchev), last updated: 26-Mar-1996
1. bugger - comes from the word Bulgarian, a name given to a sect
of heretics who came from Bulgaria in the 11th c., afterwards to
other `heretics' (to whom abominable practices were ascribed),
also to usurers.
2. bourge - OF. boulgre a `Bulgarian', a heretic: late L.
Bulgarus an inhabitant of Bulgaria.
3. Bulgar
4. Gamza
5. lev
6. stotinka
7. okrug
8. Pomak
9. rakia
10. sharka ! (used only for pox of plums)
There are other words of course that are not just Bulgarian, for
example moussaka, tsar, vampire... but the ones listed above are used
only in Bulgarian.
From: Oxford University Press, The Oxford English Dictionary
(Second Edition) On Compact Disc
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-10 How to translate "million", and "billion" in Bulgarian?
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 17-Mar-1997 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Na bqlgarski dumata "bilion" oznachava "miliard". Sqshto taka, na bqlgarski
dumata za "hilyada miliarda" e "trilion", po sqshtiya nachin kakto e i v
amerikanskiya angliyski. (Na britanski angliyski ponyakoga se izpolzuva
"miliard" za "hilyada miliona", dokato "bilion" oznachava "hilyada
miliarda" ili "edin milion miliona", a pqk "trilion" oznachava "edin milion
biliona".)
V matematicheski format, eto kak izglejda gornoto:
bqlgarski amerikanski britanski
10^6 1,000,000 milion million million
10^9 1,000,000,000 miliard billion one thousand million
10^12 1,000,000,000,000 trilion trillion billion
10^15 1,000,000,000,000,000 kvadrilion quadrillion one thousand billion
10^18 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 kvintilion quintillion trillion
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-11 Chess terms in Bulgarian
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 09-Jan-1997
pawn - PESHKA (the word is derived from "PESHAK" = "infantry soldier")
bishop - OFITSER ("officer")
knight - KON ("horse")
queen - DAMA ("lady") or TSARITSA ("queen")
king - TSAR ("tsar/king")
rook - TOP ("cannon")
mate - MAT
stalemate - PAT
draw - REMI
Dragomir R. Radev
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.06
URL: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/cgi-bin/bgfaq.cgi
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 12: ART AND CULTURE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12-1 Bulgarian Cinema
(by Val Todorov)
THE BULGARIAN CINEMA - CONSTANTS AND VARIABLES
Copyright (c) 1993 by Val Todorov, all rights
reserved. This text may be freely shared among
individuals, but it may not be republished in any
medium without express written consent from the author.
"The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
This Mark Twain quotation, which in the given context refers to the new
Bulgarian cinema as a whole, opens a review on one of the most recent films
released in the country. It is symptomatic that the movie is a debut. It is
also symptomatic that this is a debut by a professional with more than 20
years experience in the industry. "Shrove Sunday" (Sirna nedelja) is
written and directed by Radoslav Spassov, a veteran in the cameramen's
guild. However, before examining particular trees in the changing film
flora of the new political, cultural and economic climate, let's throw a
quick glance at the whole wood.
. Death?
Rumors of the death of the Bulgarian cinema, although exaggerated, are not
groundless at all. After the fall of the socialist rule in November 1989
and the first free elections in June 1990, not only was Georgi Dimitrov's
mummy taken out of his Stalinist Mausoleum and burned to ashes, but the
whole film industry -- with its totalitarian structure based exclusively on
the state support and control -- virtually collapsed. It did not happen in
a day. The process was long and painful, as if in slow motion, and its last
shot of total distraction was taken somewhere in the beginning of 1992,
although other chain-reactions of disintegration still linger on. After the
clouds of dust settled, the aftermath was found to be a rather mournful and
devastating sight.
Ten years ago Ronald Holloway in his book "The Bulgarian Cinema"
wrote: "The Boyana Studios at the foot of Mount Vitosha turn out a feature
film a week for cinemas or television. The annual breakdown is about equal:
twenty-five for movie screens and the same for the TV tube. This is in
addition to another twenty-five animated films, and over two hundred shorts
and documentaries."
Now: In the last year only five feature films were released. In total, the
films produced in 1992 are 12.8 times less than in 1987.
Ten years ago: "There are approximately thirty-six hundred cinemas in
the country."
Now: There are 319 cinemas in the country. Over the last five years,
the number of the cinemas has decreased 8.6 times, which is particularly
tragic in the villages and small towns where the decrease is up to 29 times.
Even in the capital Sofia only 18 cinemas remain open.
Ten years ago: "Each moviegoer is reckoned to attend the movies on an
average of ten to thirteen times a year."
Now: For the last five years, the attendance has been reduced 4.2 times --
each moviegoer attended an average of nine movies in 1987, and only two in
1992.
Ten years ago: "A sprawling complex, the Boyana Studios are referred to as
"film city" by the local population. Nearly all of the technical facilities
are housed under one roof, the staff including over nine thousand qualified
employees."
Now: "In the transitional period the staff has been reduced to 250 compared
with the 1,500 who were formerly employed," says Mikhail Kirkov. "The
result of our financial reconstruction, from a government institution to a
private company, is still unknown."
Ten years ago: "When one considers that as late as 1953 only one feature
film was produced a year, the growth of the Bulgarian film industry is
astonishing, to say the least." Especially, keeping in mind that this is a
country smaller than Pennsylvania with a population less than nine
million.
Now: When one considers that as recent as 1988 seventy-two full-length
films (20 features, 26 for TV and 26 documentaries), fifty-seven animated
and more than four hundred other shorts were produced, the collapse of the
Bulgarian film industry is astonishing, to say the least. When I was trying
to do a research for this paper, the answer to my question, what was the
current situation of the Bulgarian cinema, more often than not was, "What
Bulgarian cinema?" This answer was given by ordinary moviegoers, film buffs
and even some professionals. Total apathy and disinterested pessimism to
the subject abounded. The first and probably the largest video distributor
on the country, ironically called "Bulgarian Video", does not hold any
Bulgarian title produced since the fall of the socialist rule. It is
practically impossible to find a video copy of any recent Bulgarian film.
Although in 1992 one hundred fifty-nine new films opened in the cinemas
around the country, and five of them were Bulgarian (compared with 99 films
from the USA and 53 from Europe), it seemed that most of the people did not
notice them. Paradoxically, it seemed that most of the people, consciously
or not, accepted the notion that the Bulgarian cinema was some kind of
by-product of the socialist cultural practice, which therefore naturally
disappeared with this ideology for good.
. NFC
In such circumstances, the question about the mere existence of the subject
of this paper is absolutely legitimate. What then was the moderate optimism
of the critic quoting Mark Twain based on? If one could answer in only
three letters, the answer would be NFC. The National Film Center was
founded on June 6, 1991, but it gathered momentum in the first half of 1992
when the National Commissions started their work. "Cinema was the first
part of Bulgarian culture to adjust to the new market economy, so obviously
we confronted some big problems," says Dimiter Dereliev, the managing
director of the Center. "From a state monopoly we had to create a private
business, and to support both production and distribution. Before the
political changes there were no independent producers, so we had to
initiate a whole profession -- people who were willing to take personal
initiatives, as well as responsibilities. At the same time we wanted to
establish a subsidy system where the NFC, unlike the Organization of
Bulgarian Cinematography, should not make the decisions about where to
place production money." On the highly politicized landscape of the
Bulgarian society, it was predictable that the question of power would be
crucial to the structures and modus operandi of the new Film Center. In a
way, the architects of the new legislation, which made the Center possible,
mimicked the metastructures of the state power and its separation --
legislative body, executive authority and judiciary control. The panic fear
of eventual recurrence of any totalitarian forms of monopoly or centralized
control put the emphasis on the separation of powers in the Center
itself. "The most important thing that had and have to be done is
separating the powers and imposing the free market principles," says Georgi
Cholakov from the NFC. The power differentiation has been achieved by
founding the National Commissions for feature movies, documentaries and
animated films. They play the role of legislative bodies of the national
film production, determining which of the film projects will receive state
subsidy, and the amount. Each commission for allocation of state subsidy
includes nine members who are elected by the Union of the Bulgarian
Filmmakers, the Ministry of Culture, the Producers' Association, the
Distributors' Association and the Ministry of the Finances.
The National Film Center itself plays the role of an executive body: it
contracts with the producers of the projects, chosen by the commissions,
and secures every particular funding. Usually, the Center provides half of
the budget of the approved production, which might sound like a generous
percentage, but bear in mind that even a national hit can not cover more
than 10% of its production and distribution costs. This is also the main
reason why the founders of the Center based their concept on the French
model of partial state subsidy rather than on the principles of total free
market regulations. No national film industry in Europe could survive even
a year without some financial state support. And this is even more true for
such a small country as Bulgaria.
Finally, the Minister of Culture, who controls the activities of the NFC
and the commissions, plays the role of a supervising body in the system of
film funding, producing and distributing. In such a way, the separation of
power is secured, at least on paper, and the threatening phantom of a near
totalitarian past has been exorcised out of the Bulgarian film industry. At
least the enthusiasts who stand behind the NFC believe this is so. However,
the more important questions remain: Does the new system really work?
What are its achievements until now? What are its new projects? Are there
any alternatives to it?
. Alternatives
Yes, there were, and there are, attempts for film productions outside of
the Center's aegis. For example, Sergei Komitski's "A Bullet for Paradise"
(Kurshum za raja), produced by the director's brother, opened on May 1,
1992. It was the first independent film after a forty-five year wide hiatus
in the private producers' business, and was entirely funded with Roumen
Komitski's own investments.
The story of a young shepherd, who accidentally becomes involved in
the struggle for national liberation at the turn of the century, does not
limit itself to the popular formulas of the "Eastern", but also tries to
analyze the mechanisms of the power and to revise some ethnopsychological
myths of the region. Although the movie received favorable critical reviews
and relatively positive viewers' response, it turned out to be a financial
disaster for its producer. The reason was stated above: it is virtually
impossible to cover the production costs only from the national
distribution.
Another example is "The Alchemist's Dream" (Mechtata na alhimika) by
Rangel Vulchanov who did refuse state subsidy from the Center and turned
the project into an entirely French production. In fact, the system of
European co-productions, with more or less foreign money involved, is the
only reasonable alternative to the NFC system of support. Although the
Center contributed to the production of eight new features with public
money last year, it is more than willing to encourage international funds
for Bulgarian projects. As a result, at least three recent movies are
French co-productions.
Considering the fact that its own budget is very limited, the Center worked
hard and managed to make Bulgaria the third East European member of
Eurimages after Poland and Hungary. Eurimages is an all-European fund that
financially supports co-productions between its members. In the first three
years of its existence, the Fund supported one hundred and one European
co-productions, providing 12% of their funding. "A very important part of
our job is to secure Bulgaria a role in the international film society,"
says Dereliev. "Now we also hope to get access to the MEDIA program." MEDIA
is a financial program of the European Community and its goal is encoded in
the abbreviation itself: Measures to Encourage the Development of the
Industry of Audiovisual Production. A year ago, the EC experts counted
Bulgaria as a surprising sleeper where the processes of restructuring of
the film industry were running at a faster pace compared with the other
East European countries.
The National Film Center tries to support not only the ninety-three new
private producers as an undoubted demiurge of their current occupation, but
to assist the Boyana Studios in its painful transformation and reconstruction,
as well. For now, it seems that the only way for the Balkans' largest studio
complex to escape extinction is to set up joint ventures with foreign
companies. And indeed, last year no fewer than eleven foreign companies
commissioned the Boyana to produce bigger or smaller parts of their new
films. Primary European productions were sent to Bulgaria, but the
American doyen of B-movies, Roger Corman, said in 1990 that he would
consider shooting all of his films in Bulgaria. His first two movies shot
in the country were "Death Stalker IV" and "Queen of the Barbarians III".
"The average budget for a film in Bulgaria is five to six million levs
(currently, $1=28 levs), but with official salaries as low as twelve hundred
levs per month, it can cover a lot of labor. Most important, though, is that
we deliver work of a quality that matches international standards. This is
confirmed by the foreign directors, such as Steven Spielberg, who have shot
here or sent for, say, Bulgarian animators." To these words of Mikhail
Kirkov, chief of Cadence Animation, which is part of the Boyana Studios, I
may add only that the actual salaries of film professionals are rather
several times higher.
. New Releases
Last year 26 million levs of state subsidy was contributed by the NCF,
while this year approximately 50 million levs of government money will be
allocated for production. Last year, with only five films released, was the
transitional year for the national film industry. First there were Ivan
Balevski's "Palpitation" (Aritmija) and Georgi Popvassilev's "Bad Boy"
(Losho momche), two debuts and probably the last films produced within the
old structures, followed by the totally independent "Bullet for Paradise",
mentioned above. Then the first premiere nursed by the Center came on
September 21, 1992, and it was "Vampires and Spooks" (Vampiri, talasymi) by
Ivan Andonov -- a veteran director, actor and animator, whose previous
films are famous for their record box-office takings. In his last work, the
director strives once again to respond to the popular demands and the mores
of the day, like he did many times before with his "Dreamers" (Mechtateli,
1986), a period piece about the founders of the Bulgarian Socialist Party
at the turn of the century; "Yesterday" (Vchera, 1987), a nostalgic trip
with an angry young man and his conformist fellows in the heat of the
Beatle-mania; and "Adios Rio" (Adio Rio, 1989), a bitter satire on the new
middle-class and its moral decay in the age of perestroika. Now Ivan
Andonov sends us back to 1945 in a small town where the communists have
already seized the power and start establishing the "new order". That time
of chaos turns into a grotesque carnival of tragedy and slapstick, terror
and folly, desperate souls and ghosts from the past, searching the answer
of one and the same question: "When will the communists be gone?" The film,
which is about a faded actress who tries to survive by all possible means
including a faked photograph of her with... Georgi Dimitrov's dog in order
to pass for a communist activist, explores the moral dilemmas of dignity
and betrayal, the twisted relationship between artist and power.
The next two projects supported financially by the NFC were Peter
Popzlatev's second effort "Something in the Air" (Neshto vyv vyzduha), a
co-production with Arion Production, France, and Radoslav Spassov's "Shrove
Sunday, a Day of Forgiveness" (Sirna nedelja), which opened on February 26,
1993. The theme of the film is explicated in its title -- do we have the
right of absolution after all? And the sin to be forgiven is the same one
as in "Vampires and Spooks" -- the sin of compromise.
The story of Angel, a typical man of circumstances, ragamuffin and
conformist, gambler and coward, dreamer and pragmatist, is set in the 50s,
during the Personality Cult. The protagonist is constantly torn between
good intentions and inevitable betrayals. The film is designed to point out
and explore all the political taboos of the period -- the forcible
nationalization, the youth-brigade movement, the Secret services, the
gulags -- but the critic Karin Yanakieva suggests the film is in danger of
falling victim to its own urge to deliver answers, as these answers verge
on being predictable. In his directorial debut, Radoslav Spassov appears to
be mostly influenced by Georgi Djulgerov -- a master of the Bulgarian
cinema he worked for as a director of photography for more than twenty
years.
The next films to be released this year are Ilian Simeonov's and Hristian
Nochev's "Frontier" (Granica), Rumyana Petkova's "Burn, Burn Little Fire"
(Gori, gori ogynche) and Rangel Vulchanov's "The Alchemist's Dream"
(Mechtata na alhimika). The first two probe in the same painful problems of
the near past -- guilt, compromise, betrayed ideals. "Frontier" depicts
life in a distant frontier post, so close to the barbered-wire fences on
the border, too far away from the freedom of choice; life that is valued
and measured in days on furlough. A film about a lost generation and their
burnt out romantic ideals is the last work of Rumyana Petkova, a prominent
feminist director. "Burn, Burn Little Fire" takes place in a small Muslim
town in the Rhodope Mountains in the 60's. It feels as if the town is sealed
up, so in the carbon dioxide of hatred and prejudice men can hardly breathe
and little flames of hope are almost choked out.
On the other hand, Rangel Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Federico Fellini, in
another French production delivers a new tale in his trade-mark style of
political allegories and magical trips, which gave the name to the whole
first period of the Bulgarian cinema -- the cinema of poetics. "The
Alchemist's Dream" is the small world of Monsieur Michael who tries with his
hairdresser's magic to help the dwellers of that Balkan Macondo entangled
in provincial intrigues of love and envy. Almost a quarter of century after
Vulchanov made his "Aesop" (1970) and despite the fact that now the
Aesopic language is not the only possible syntax to declare one's vision,
the film easily falls in this same metaphorical and didactic trend, a trend
which the director maintains in the last ten years with "Last Wishes"
(Posledni zhelanija, 1983), "Where Are You Going?" (Zakyde pytuvate, 1986),
"Where Do We Go" (A sega nakyde?, 1988) and "Love is a Willful Bird"
(Nemirnata ptica ljubov, 1990).
Four full-length documentaries were also released this year: Henri
Koulev's "Sea in the Middle of the Earth" (More v sredata na Zemjata),
which was initially produced as TV series about the Mediterranean, "The
Doomed" (Obrechenite), "Citadel" (Citadelata) and "Tales of Assassins"
(Razkazi za ubijci).
Currently in Production. And there are several other feature films
currently in production: Dimiter Petkov's "Jehovah Ire (God Shall Decide)"
(Jehova-ire) is a period piece about the construction of the first railroad
in Bulgaria, but also about the eternal myth of the tyrant, the sin and
God's retribution set in an unknown small town. Krassimir Kroumov's "The
Forbidden Fruit" (Zabranenijat plod) is also rooted deeply in a
mythological plot of betrayal, revenge and patricide, while Kiran Kolarov's
"The Golden Chain" (Zlatnata veriga) spins a contemporary love story with
an unusual protagonist -- a sergeant from the Red berets. Ivan Nichev's
"Love Dreams" (Ljubovni synishta) is a rite of passage film based on
several Stefan Zweig's novelettes, and Georgi Djulgerov's "Magdalena"
(Magdalena) attempts to speak openly about the problems of the Gypsies'
minority in Bulgaria. Two other projects are set in the eighteenth century:
Docho Bodjakov's epic period saga "Vendetta" (Otmyshtenieto) and Nikolai
Volev's remake of the most successful Bulgarian film ever "The Goat Horn"
(Kozijat rog). And finally, Nidal Algafari's "La Donna e Mobile" about two
disabled girls is a melodrama with half-humorous, half-serious ambitions
for an Oscar in the spring of 1994.
Place on the Map.
The Bulgarian producers and directors' almost desperate and often
tragicomic urge for international recognition deserves some respect rather
than taunt. This urge is not provoked by an inferiority complex or
provincial megalomania; it comes with the scary knowledge that finding a
place on the map of the world cinema is not only a question of prestige but
of survival. The economic situation in the country and the logic of the
free market mechanisms condemn to extinction films and directors who could
not gain international producers, critics, distributors and moviegoers'
interest. Paradoxically, on the other hand, such eventual international
attention would induce the home audiences to attend these new Bulgarian
films, boosting them on a rather skeptical and cynical national market.
. Historical Context
For it is important to know not only the spatial but also the temporal
coordinates of the subject in order to project its future trajectory, at
least a simplified historical reference system should be provided. Although
films have been produced in Bulgaria since 1915, Rangel Vulchanov's "On the
Small Island" (Na malkija ostrov, 1958) may be selected as a point of
reference -- the first Bulgarian film that received international
recognition. Green Years. Ronald Holloway labels that first period of
astonishing growth as the "Green years". The Bulgarian film revival was the
age of "poetic realism" and continued until the early 70's, although it
reached its zenith in the middle 60's. The decline of that "new wave" was
predetermined by the chilling after the short "thaw" of the Khrushchev era,
and initiated by putting Binka Zhelyazkova's "The Attached Balloon"
(Privyrzanijat balon, 1967) and three other films on the shelf.
The last significant film from this period was Todor Dinov and Hristo
Hristov's "Iconostasis" (Ikonostasyt, 1969). Set in the nineteenth century
during the Bulgarian Renaissance under the Turks, the film follows the
woodcarver Rafe through the same agonies of decision that charged Andrei
Tarkovsky's film biography of a Russian icon painter, "Andrei Rublev". "An
allegory on the times, the story itself sketched in broad terms the dilemma
facing the committed film artist, whose projects have to be approved by
bureaucrats committed to the staid formula of socialist realism in the
scenario." The visually strongest moment is "when the discouraged icon-
painter enters the Bachkovo Monastery to receive inspiration from the
frescoes painted on the refectory walls back in 1606," Ronald Holloway
writes, revealing his fascination.
During this first period of the Bulgarian cinema of poetics, the first
generation of directors made their debuts and often their most important
films. Their biographies can be found in the second chapter of Holloway's
book; here, just for the record, is a list of the names of a few, arguably
the most notable ones.
First Generation:
Borislav Sharaliev (1922); Zako Heskia (1922); Vulo Radev (1923);
Binka Zhelyazkova (1923); Hristo Ganev (1924); Nikola Korabov
(1926);
Hristo Hristov (1926); Hristo Piskov (1927); Rangel Vulchanov (1928)
Red years. The second period (1971-1983) can be called the "Red
years" of Bulgarian cinema, a term which is emotionally charged and yet
symbolic enough to be perceived just as a signifier outside of its
contextual definition. Holloway himself uses the term "the Pissarev years",
referring to Pavel Pissarev, who was general director of the Organization
of Bulgarian Cinematography in the 70's -- a typical bias, for this
otherwise accurate author, towards the overestimating of the role of
higher socialist aparatchiks, such as Pavel Pissarev and Lyudmila Zhivkova,
in the artistic developments of Bulgarian cinema. Strangely, it resembles
the approach of royal or party historians who interpreted national history
as the personal history of the monarchs or party leaders whom they were
serving. Unfortunately, this inclination has been literally replicated by
other scholars who did not have opportunity or personal interest for
research on their own. This period of maturity has two high points. The
first one is 1972 when Metodi Andonov completed "The Goat Horn" (Kozijat
rog). The film, made in the style of ancient tragedy, explores the problem
of gender identity and has brought one third of the whole Bulgarian
population into the theaters. Set in the eighteenth century, it is a story
of a girl who, after her mother's rape and death, is raised as a boy by her
father and becomes a haiduk -- an avenger and defender of the villagers in
the mountain. However, the genuine breakthrough of Bulgarian cinema on the
world film stage occurred in 1977-79: Binka Zhelyazkova's "The Swimming
Pool" (Basejnyt) won a Gold Medal at the Moscow Film Festival in 1977,
Georgi Djulgerov's "Advantage" (Avantazh), about a con man and pickpocket
during the age of the Personality Cult, won the Silver Bear for direction
at the Berlin Film Festival in 1978, and Rangel Vulchanov's masterpiece
"The Uknown Soldier's Patent Leather Shoes" (Lachenite obuvki na neznajnija
voin), "a lyrical poem in an autobiographical vein on a fading peasant
culture and the irretrievable past", opened the London Film Festival in
1979 and then won a Grand Prix at New Delhi.
The last recognition of Bulgarian cinema was at the Venice festival in
1983 with Vesselin Branev's "Hotel Central" (Hotel central), about an
innocent young girl from the provinces, who is mistakenly arrested, during
a period of political paranoia after the coup d'etat in 1934, and brought
to a hotel to serve as a chambermaid -- to be used and abused as the town
prostitute for all in power. She manages, however, to survive morally and
unmask the corruption of those about her.
After that the Bulgarian cinema had been buried under the dinosaurs'
corpses of several epic mega-spectacles, produced to mark the thirteen-
hundredth anniversary of Bulgaria as a state. One of them, Lyudmil
Staikov's three-part epic extravaganza "Khan Asparukh" (Han Asparuh) -- a
shortened English version "681 A.D.--The Glory of Khan" (1984) was
released by Warner Brothers -- was memorable only because it was the
most expensive film in the national film history with its cast of
thousands, its elaborate costumes and massive scenes, and because it
somehow managed to gather eleven million viewers (!!) in a country with a
total population of nine million. Ironically, this world record in per
capita attendance put an end to the second period of Bulgarian cinema and
threw it into a decade of lingering crisis.
With the same reservations stated above, here is a list of the second
generation of film directors:
Second Generation:
Metodi Andonov (1932); Lyudmil Kirkov (1933); Ivan Terziev (1934);
Ivan Andonov (1934); Lyudmil Staikov (1937); Edward Zahariev (1938);
Georgi Stoyanov (1939); Mariana Evstatieva (1939); Nikola Rudarov;
Ivan Nichev (1940); Georgi Djulgerov (1943); Ivanka Grubcheva
(1946)
Black Years. Continuing the ritual of color codification, one may paint
the sad mask of the last decade black. "Why the bottom should have
suddenly fallen out of Bulgarian cinema at a time when it had definitely
reached maturity is solely a matter of speculation," writes Ronald Holloway.
Putting aside his somewhat naive speculations, but also refusing to go into
lengthy analyses, let it simply be proposed that the ultimate reason which
led Bulgarian cinema to its slow decadence is the same that later brought
the whole socialist system to collapse in the country, and all over Eastern
Europe, rather than some personal changes in the corridors of power.
Although "even the better films seemed 'old hat' in comparison to those
produced during the previous decade", this period is important for the
emergence of a third generation of directors. This is the first generation
of film directors who graduated from the Sofia Film and Theater Academy
(VITIS); Nikolai Volev, an internationally recognized documentarist
graduated in London, and Henri Koulev, a controversial animator graduated
in Moscow. Another is Peter Popzlatev, who graduated in Paris. All are
counted here because their major feature works were produced in the 80's.
Third Generation:
Nikolai Volev (1946); Kiran Kolarov (1946); Ivan Pavlov (1947);
Henri Koulev (1949); Evgeni Mihailov; Peter Popzlatev (1953);
Iskra Yossifova (1954); Rumyana Petkova; Lyudmil Todorov (1955);
Krassimir Kroumov (1955); Docho Bodjakov (1956)
Some of the more memorable films of the decade are the debuts or
second works of these young directors: Rumyana Petkova's "Coming Down
to Earth" (Prizemjavane, 1985) and Iskra Yossifova's "Love Therapy"
(Ljubovna terapija, 1987) -- two genuine feminist works; Chaim Cohen's
"Protect the Small Animals" (Zashtitete drebnite zhivotni, 1988); Ivan
Rossenov's "Stop for Strangers" (Spirka za nepoznati, 1989) -- an entry in
the New School Cinema in Transition Festival in New York 1993; Peter
Popzlatev's "I, The Countess" (Az, Grafinjata, 1989) -- a chronicle of a
junkie's life that won at least five international awards; Lyudmil
Todorov's "Running Dogs" (Bjagashti kucheta, 1989) and "The Love Summer of
a Schmo" (Ljubovnoto ljato na edin ljohman, 1990) -- a charming reunion film,
full of nostalgia and recollections about a missing friend who committed
suicide; Krassimir Kroumov's "Exitus" (Ekzitus, 1989) and "Waste"
(Mylchanieto, 1991) -- two somber political and moral allegories which mark
a bright new talent's rise on the Bulgarian film horizon; Docho Bodjakov's
"Thou Which Art in Heaven" (Ti, kojto si na nebeto; 1990) and "The Well"
(Kladenecyt, 1991) -- another entry in the New School Cinema in Transition
Festival, and another hot name on the list of the most significant
Bulgarian filmmakers.
These third genaration directors and some of their older colleagues --
Nikolai Volev, Georgi Djulgerov, Ivan Andonov, Rangel Vulchanov -- who
appear to be revitalized by the new challenges the Bulgarian film artist is
facing, are nourishing the hope that the "White years" are almost here.
Periods of Bulgarian cinema:
I. Green years (1958-1970)
II. Red years (1971-1983)
III. Black years (1984-?)
IV. White years ?
. Character and Soul
What are, however, the essential characteristics of the Bulgarian
cinema, which could help it get closer to, or, on the contrary, further
away from the European limelight, after decades of life in the basements
and the sterile studies of a Balkan totalitarianism? What is the "history
of the disease" which has brought the national film industry to its painful
mutations? And can the x-rays of its new body verify the existence of soul
and free will for new life?
Theatricality. Ronald Holloway refers to the Bulgarian Literary
Revival of the past century, trying to explain why "the theatrical narrative
dominates over visual expression for the Bulgarian film artist." It is not
necessary to dig so deep into the past to see that the film industry of the
country was built as a superstructure of a strong theatrical tradition.
Because of the late, in fact repeated, start of the national film
production in the fifties, the first directors, actors and writers came
directly from the theater. The same situation can be seen once again on the
academic level in the second period of the Bulgarian cinema, when the Film
School was founded and attached to the Sofia Academy of Dramatic Art in
1973. The first graduates of the school made their debuts in the early
eighties. Several other factors contributed to this orientation of
Bulgarian cinema. Three very influential writers -- Angel Wagenstein,
Valeri Petrov and Yordan Radichkov -- put an emphasis on the narrative
rather than on the visual style of the films in that initial
period. Finally, the social and political imperatives of the day determined
a greater concern with the text of the script, which was the explicit
bearer of the ideological message. From the point of view of the ultimate
film producer, the State, it was much easier to comprehend, control and
eventually censor the narrative than to deal with a much more complex and
ambiguous cinematic language. As in the Hollywood studio system during that
time, the director was not an artist, but rather an artisan, while the
producer was the quintessential author of the final product, be it
propaganda or mere entertainment. Nowadays, in the end of the third major
period of Bulgarian cinema, it is ridiculous to insist that theatricality
is one of its dominant distinctions, though the birth-marks of a pathetic
loquacity and some theatrical structural and temporal peculiarities -- for
example, a notably slower pace -- can still be spotted now and then.
Allegorical Expressionism. Ironically, this second and most
significant attribute of the subject was developed as a reaction to the
first one and the mechanisms which stood behind it. The most talented
directors of the first generation -- Rangel Vulchanov, Binka Zhelyazkova,
Hristo Ganev and Hristo Piskov -- partially influenced by la politique des
auteurs, partially trying to create their own way of expression not easily
susceptible to censorship, defined with their early works a "cinema of
poetics", a poetic realism which was compared with Italian neo-realism,
with the Polish School of Andrzej Wajda and Andrzej Munk, and with the
Hungarian films of Zoltan Fabri. The milestones of that Bulgarian School
were: On the Small Island (1958), We Were Young (1961), Sun and Shadow
(1962), The Peach Thief (1964), The Attached Balloon (1967) and Iconostasis
(1969). Later on, in the seventies, in the age of political cynicism and
disillusionment, the language of the Bulgarian cinema of poetics
deteriorated from its lyrical stance to much a more allegorical and ironic
one. The philosophic and moral parables, political allegories and bitter
satires proved to be the most durable genre in the last two decades. The
Hare Census (1973), Cricket in the Ear (1976), Cyclops (1976), The Swimming
Pool (1977), Panteley (1978), With Love and Tenderness (1978), The Roof
(1978), Short Sun (1979), Barrier (1979), Illusion (1980), The Big Night
Bathe (1980), White Magic (1982), Last Wishes (1983), Where Are You Going?
(1986), Exitus (1989) and Thou Which Art in Heaven (1990) are just a few
examples of this steady trend, while some of the most acclaimed works of
the seventies -- The Advantage (1977) and The Unknown Soldier's Patent
Leather Shoes (1979) -- were late bloomers of the classical poetic realism
from the first period.
Ethnicity. An assiduous explorer of the Bulgarian cultural terrain
should acknowledge, however, that the most important aspect of allegorical
expressionism is its ability to determine not only the past but also the
future of the national film identity. Some critics have made the assumption
that the moral, philosophic and political allegories were just Aesopic
tools for climbing up the totalitarian censorship and, therefore, after its
death they themselves would vanish into thin air; but this assumption is a
projection which is not rooted in the specific cultural realities of the
region. "Indeed, most of Bulgarian cinema only makes sense in juxtaposition
with its vast cultural and national heritage," writes Ronald Holloway. Then
he quotes Vernon Young: "All art is a game played by ethnic rules." The
Bulgarian cinema is no exception. Its allegorical expressionism originates in
the Bulgarian ethno-psychology and folklore, national literature and arts, in
the Eastern Orthodoxy and pagan rites, and in the mythological
Weltansicht, mirrored in a language that employs one and the same word
for "story" and "history".
Some of the negative consequences of the ethnicity, as a significant
characteristic of Bulgarian cinema, were: isolation, nationalism and
provincialism. "The provincial attitudes and values of the overall cultural
atmosphere kept giving renewed support to the convention of schematism
and the mechanism of auto-censorship," wrote Liehm and Liehm two
decades ago. Hopefully, things have since changed for good.
On thematic level this attribute of Bulgarian cinema brought the series
of migration and folkways films from the seventies: A Boy Becomes a Man
(1972), Men without Work (1973), A Tree without Roots (1974), The
Last Summer (1974), Peasant on a Bicycle (1974), Villa Zone (1975),
Strong Water (1975), Matriarchate (1977) and Manly Times (1977). It
gave birth to Georgi Djulgerov's masterpiece Measure for Measure (1981),
but also to a heap of nationalistic historical epics, produced on a
gargantuan scale in the early eighties, which almost suffocated the
Bulgarian cinema, and threw it into its third period of stagnation and
lingering crisis. As a positive effect of the ethnicity of Bulgarian
cinema, one could expect some kind of fascinating artistic uniqueness with
much a broader appeal that eventually would transform the allegorical
expressionism in a trade-mark of excellence. A role model for such a
positive shift may be the Latin American magic realism.
Cosmopolitanism. "She was both a cosmopolitan and a cultural
nationalist," writes Bruce R. S. Litte about Lyudmila Zhivkova in a rather
dubious context, but the phrase is interesting because in some way it
reflects a dominant force in the Bulgarian culture and cinema respectively
-- the tension between ethnicity and cosmopolitanism.
Bulgaria, as a small country, was always exposed to alien cultural
influences. In the first half of the century it was the French and German
poetry, art and philosophy, then the Russian literature, cinema and ideology,
later on the Italian neo-realism, French New Wave and the East European
Schools, and now the American blockbusters. (The American share of the
theatrical market was estimated at 95 per cent last year). "It is ironic that
theater schedules in Sofia offer a third of the repertoire to foreign
dramatists, in order to acquaint home audiences with O'Neill and Albee,"
wrote Ronald Holloway ten years ago, "yet American and English audiences
are quite ignorant of the dramas penned by Nikolai Haitov, Valeri Petrov,
and Yordan Radichkov, for the simple reason that no one has even bothered
to translate them into English."
And the next quotation may well be the most accurate observation in
the whole Ronald Holloway's book: "Bulgaria is often reffered to as 'the
Prussia of the Balkans.' It is a land of culture and traditions. As a
country on the crossroads between Europe and Asia, it tends to absorb and
reflect rather than promote or flaunt its own unique national character."
Cosmopolitanism emerges as a reaction of the frustrated Bulgarian artist
against isolationism and provincialism. At its worst, it introduces more or
less successful replicas of famous foreign film and genre samples. At its
best, it leads to unique works of more or less universal significance. This
cosmopolitan quest for eternal human values and issues also stems from the
deep roots of allegorical expressionism. Not surprisingly, most of the
films listed above as moral, philosophic or political allegories abound
with elements of well-known universal myths. Ironically, after forty years
floating in the ideological space of socialist myths, the Bulgarian film
artist remains a modern mythmaker rather than a postmodern mythoclast.
Self-reflexivity. It was well known that the significant works in East
Europe were produced by auteurs with distinguished personal style and
vision -- Tarkovsky, Jancso, Zanussi, etc. However, it seemed that the age
of perestroika with its disillusionment, apathy, double moral, distrust in
the official ideology and crisis of faith, which marked the beginning of
the economic, ecological, ethnic and ethical collapse of the socialist
system, did trigger a chain process of disintegration in the high-modernity
paradigm of socialist realism and, on the other hand, of semi-dissident
visionary authorship. In Russia, in the past few years, more and more works
of post-modern sensibility started popping up. Not in Bulgaria, though.
The author's persona remains the most significant factor determining
not only the whole production process, but also the thematic content, form
and style of the new Bulgarian cinema. This auteur figure often tends to
expose the subject of film depiction through self-reflexive projections of
his or her own existential obsessions.
A good example may be Krassimir Kroumov, one of the most promising
directors of the third generation, "a young genius of film directing who
unifies his entirely individual style with the achievements of the New
German cinema of the 60's and 70's," according to the critic Hans
Schurman from "Bonner General - Anzeiger". His last film "The Waste"
(Mylchanieto, 1991) is about a psychiatrist who recognizes in a patient's
dead body his own father, who he has thought missing since the communist
atrocities of 1949 and who he himself has confined to an asylum. In the
film there is also a Vergilian figure, the Historian, who serves as
author's alter-ego, a commentator implemented in the text that he is
supposed to comment and a false witness who gives false evidence on what he
has seen. "Wittgenstein asserted that the crisis of philosophy is a crisis
of language, and I think that our very existence up to now has been a
fake. In the beginning the Historian talks too much, and then he utters
ever less words until he reaches the final silence where he hears time. It
is a trip back, to the spring of words, to their nakedness and ultimate
freedom," says the director.
Didacticism. In Krassimir Kroumov's works "one can sense the
same spiritual intensity, the same moral ideal and almost religious passion
in the exploration of human suffering as in Tarkovsky's films." But one can
also sense a smack of another crucial and immutable characteristic of
Bulgarian cinema -- messianic didacticism; and the reference to the Russian
director Tarkovsky is not accidental at all. The roots of that didacticism,
which suited the communist ideology and propaganda so well, are much
deeper and can be traced back to the common ground of Eastern Orthodoxy
-- be it Russian, Bulgarian, Greek or Georgian -- and its unique cultural
heritage. For a longer excursion in the Bulgarian past, one can read the
first chapter "Art and History" of Ronald Holloway's "The Bulgarian
Cinema", but for the purpose of this paper it is sufficient to mention that
being an artist in the Eastern Orthodox tradition was considered similar to
being a priest -- a status charged with the greatest moral
responsibilities; the artist was treated as a God's servant rather than as
a traveling comedian, as a preacher rather than as a clown. And a
far-reaching consequence of it is the indisputable assumption that art and
entertainment could never be synonymous.
How to defeat this sacred but obsolete notion as a moral imperative for
creativity? This would eventually be the Bulgarian auteurs' toughest
challenge. It is quite obvious, though, that it should be done in order to
survive, at least physically, in a pervasive reality professing a rather
converse creed.
Randomness. The last essential characteristic of Bulgarian cinema I
would like to state is the extreme difficulty one can face trying to pin
down the essential characteristics of Bulgarian cinema; and it is not a pun
or a joke. "A glance at its development shows a certain degree of
randomness and heterogeneousness," write Liehm and Liehm. This
heterogeneousness and lack of well defined thematic continuity is
determined again by the specific historical and cultural realities of the
Bulgarian film industry. First, for such a small country, it is a very
expensive and comparatively new art medium, which in its three fruitful
decades was in a position of underdog on the international arena, and even
on the home scene, competing with the traditionally very strong theatrical,
literary and musical forms for its own cultural niche. It appears that the
Bulgarian film artist, so overwhelmed with catching up with foreign vogues
and trends, genre and personal achievements, and with rapidly changing home
cultural, social and ideological needs, has simply not had enough time to
develop his or her own distinguished style, constant thematic pattern or
school of followers. Second, despite the high professionalism of the
Bulgarian film artists, it is not an industry in terms of Hollywood film
production line with its stiff regulations, staunch hierarchical structure
and narrow specialization, but rather a national cultural institution. The
best Bulgarian filmmakers are rather Renaissance figures with a broad range
of cultural interests and professional abilities, so that significant
fluctuations of talents in the film guild used to be and still are typical.
Here are just few examples, starting from the first generation: Bulgaria's
pre-eminent director Rangel Vulchanov started as an actor, established the
Bulgarian cinema of poetics with his directorial debut, experimented with
various genres from the avant-garde through film noir to the musical,
worked abroad, at one point gave up feature filmmaking to work on
documentaries, then came back and still is one of the most controversial
figures in the field; Valery Petrov, trained as a physician, recognized as
a major national poet, acclaimed as a translator of Shakespeare into
Bulgarian, who gave to the Bulgarian "new wave" the most important scripts,
worked also in the theater, then came back making distinguished
contributions to children's films.
>From the second generation: Georgi Djulgerov, one of the most
internationally acclaimed Bulgarian directors, after his magnum opus
"Measure for Measure", gave up film production to work in the theater, then
made several documentaries and a musical to return finally to feature
filmmaking in the beginning of the 90's; Russi Chanev who made Djulgerov's
best films possible, both acting and collaborating as a script-writer; Ivan
Andonov, a prolific and very active director, who started his carrier as a
popular film and stage actor, also made notable and prize-winning animated
films in the 60's; Edward Zahariev who was equally successful in his
documentaries and feature films.
From the third generation: Nikolai Volev, a popular national film
director, who is best known abroad because of his documentary masterpiece
"House No 8"; Henri Koulev, arguably the most talented and controversial
author of animated films and cartoons for adults, who made several jazz
documentaries, contributed with two avant-garde features "Death of the
Hare" and "The Father of the Egg"; Radoslav Spassov, who grew up to his
script-writing and directorial debut after two decades as a cameraman; and
Krassimir Kroumov, the most promising new auteur, who comes in the film
industry as a dramatist, novelist and writer with theoretical
accomplishments.
Obscurity. As a Bulgarian, I could hope that this notorious
heterogeneousness of Bulgarian cinema is the main reason for the amazing
disinterest and ignorance to the subject in the English language critical
literature and scholarship (though it is really hard to be so naive to
really believe it). Ronald Holloway seems to be the only Bulgarian film
scholar writing in English, who at least knows the subject at first hand,
while the very few other critical attempts are either occasional film
reviews or second hand "accounts, drawn from the limited recent scholarship
and reviews, of this neglected film culture." Bruce R. S. Litte complains
that "Bulgarian films are not available to film students, to say nothing of
average viewers; nor have they become available on video", but he does not
specify whether this is the cause or the effect of this almost total
disinterest to a whole national cinema.
. Coda
The new Bulgarian cinema. What are its characteristics? Does it really
exist? Is it strong enough to survive in the post-communist environment?
Why does it remain one of the few white spots on the map of the East
European cinema?
These were some of the questions that this paper was trying to answer,
focusing on the last five years, but also tracing back the more durable
tendencies in the previous decades. It was an attempt to determine the
variables but also the constants which stand in the complex equation of
contemporary Bulgarian cinema, with a full knowledge, however, of how
little could be done in such a short form dealing with such a broad subject
-- a whole national film industry.
The following are just some of the topics which have not been
mentioned at all because of length limitation: Bulgarian documentaries and
animated cartoons which, ironically, enjoy much greater international
recognition than their heavy-weight feature brothers ("Conserve-world" was
even nominated for an Oscar), Bulgarian children films, the feminist trend,
the genre movies, the national specifics of acting, cinematography and
montage as essential characteristics of Bulgarian film expressiveness (more
often than not, directing turns out to be the weakest link in many
particular film efforts), the new tendency of film professionals draining
into the TV, the political role of the filmmakers (the third generation
director Evgeni Mihailov with his documentary footage was the prime reason
for the last communist president Peter Mladenov's resignation), the
theoretical, formal and critical presumptions which stand behind Bulgarian
film artists' creative motivation, etc. Unfortunately, even those topics
that have been discussed are pointed out rather than thoroughly analyzed,
but it could not be otherwise. My main concern remains to acknowledge the
mere existence of the subject matter before approaching it
phenomenologically. "My approach to the material is journalistic, rather
than academic," writes Ronald Holloway. This is an approach of an outsider
who was on a field trip to expand his terrain of research. My approach is
that of an insider who is for a while outside of his cultural reality in
order to gain a better perspective on it. If a Western scholar's goal is
to understand and explain, then mine is to reflect and translate. This text
derives its mode of expression directly from its subject, and as a
derivative, not surprisingly, it shares all of the attributes of its
argument: self-reflexivity, heterogeneousness, loquacity, allegorical and
didactic expressiveness, mythological and folklore Weltansicht, uniqueness
and of course. The subject alone determines the syntax in which its tale to
be told -- a syntax that does not distinguish "story" from "history".
.....................
FILMOGRAPHY
The whole PART II of Ronald Holloway's "The Bulgarian Cinema" is an
extensive filmography of Bulgarian cinema from 1915 to 1985. This list here
shoud be considered as an up-to-date appendix, though not comprehensive
by any means.
1986
All for Love - Nikolai Volev (Da obichash na inat)
A Cry for Help - Nikola Roudarov (Vik za pomosht)
Reference - Hristo Hristov (Harakteristika)
My Darling, My Darling - Edward Zahariev (Skypa moja, skypi moj)
Where Are You Going? - Rangel Vulchanov (Zakyde pytuvate)
The Transports of Death - Borislav Pounchev (Eshalonite na smyrtta)
13th Bride of the Prince - Ivanka Grubcheva (13ata godenica na princa)
Dreamers - Ivan Andonov (Mechtateli)
The Judge - Plamen Maslarov (Sydijata)
Steppe People - Yanoush Vazov (Stepni hora)
The Girls and Their Neshka (doc.) - Georgi Djulgerov (Momichetata i
tjahnata Neshka)
1987
House No 8 (doc.) - Nikolai Volev (Dom nomer 8)
Friday Night - Lyudmil Kirkov (Petyk vecher)
Coming Down to Earth - Rumyana Petkova (Prizemjavane)
Eve on the Third Floor - Ivanka Grubcheva (Eva na tretija etazh)
Someone at the Door - Milen Nikolov
Yesterday - Ivan Andonov (Vchera)
Love Therapy - Iskra Yossifova (Ljubovna terapija)
1988
1. Nights on the Roofs - Binka Zhelyazkova (Noshtem po pokrivite)
2. - 3. Time of Violence - Lyudmil Staikov (Vreme razdelno)
4. Where Do We Go - Rangel Vulchanov (A sega nakyde?)
5. Protect the Small Animals - Chaim Cohen (Zashtitete drebnite zhivotni)
6. The Neighbor - Adela Peeva (Sysedkata)
7. Uncle Godfather - Stefan Dimitrov (Chicho Krystnik)
8. Forget If You Can - Nikolai Bossilkov (Ako mozhesh zabravi)
9. The Report - Milen Nikolov (Izlozhenieto)
10. Blind Saturday - Panayot Panayotov (Sljapa sybota)
11. AcaDaMus- Georgi Djulgerov (Akatamus)
Stairway to Heaven (doc) - (Stylba kym nebeto)
The Prosecutor - Lyubomir Sharlandjiev (Prokuroryt) (1968)
The Life Flows Silently - Binka Zhelyazkova (ZHivotyt si teche tiho)
(1957)
1989
1. No Damage - Zako Heskia (Bez draskotina)
2. Stop for Strangers - Ivan Rossenov (Spirka za nepoznati)
3. Father - Detelin Benchev (Bashta)
4. Ivan and Alexandra - Ivan Nichev (Ivan i Aleksandra)
5. Running Dogs - Lyudmil Todorov (Bjagashti kucheta)
6. Fragmented Love - Ivan Cherkelov (Parcheta ljubov)
7. Adios Rio - Ivan Andonov (Adio, Rio)
8. The Threat - Milen Nikolov (Zaplahata)
9. Exitus - Krassimir Kroumov (Ekzitus)
10. Right of Choice - Emil Tsanev (Pravo na izbor)
11. Zone 2-V - Chavdar Gagov (Zona V-2)
12. Judas' Silver - Svetoslav Ovcharov (JUdino zheljazo)
13. Marital Jokes - (comp.) (Brachni shegi)
14. Divorces, Divorces - (comp.) (Razvodi, razvodi)
15. Test'88 - Hristo Hristov (Test'88)
16. Maggie - Peter Donev (Megi)
17. Margarit and Margarita - Nikolai Volev (Margarit i Margarita)
18. I, The Countess - Peter Popzlatev (Az, Grafinjata)
19. Coming Back - Yanush Vazov, Lada Boyadjieva (Zavryshtane)
1990
1. The Carnaval - Ivanka Grubcheva (Karnavalyt)
2. My Nephew is a Foreigner - Mariana Evstatieva (Plemenikyt
chuzhdenec)
3. Tale of the White Wind - Nikola Korabov (Poverie za belija vjatyr)
4. Thou Which Art in Heaven - Docho Bodjakov (Ti, kojto si na nebeto)
5. 8 % of Love - Vladimir Kraev (8% ljubov)
6. Shortage - Chaim Cohen (Deficit)
7. Mayor, Mayor - Plamen Maslarov (Kmete, kmete)
8. Musical Moment - Nikolai Bossilkov (Muzikalen moment)
9. The Camp - Georgi Djulgerov (Lageryt)
10. Cruel and Innocent - Iskra Yossifova (ZHestok i nevinen)
11. The Love Summer of a Schmo - Lyudmil Todorov (Ljubovnoto ljato na
edin ljohman)
12. Anthrax - Stanislava Kalcheva (Antraks)
The Attached Baloon - Binka Zhelyazkova (Privyrzanija balon) (1967)
13. I Still Put off Forgetting You - Stefan Gurdev (Vse otlagam da te
zabravja)
14. Walks with the Angel - Ivan Pavlov (Razxodki s angela)
15. Sofia Story - Nadya Staneva (Sofijska istorija)
16. Love is a Willful Bird - Rangel Vulchanov (Nemirnata ptica ljubov)
17. The Drummer and His Wife - Panayot Panayotov (Barabanchikyt i
negovata zhena barabanchica)
The Survivers (doc.) - Atanas Kiryakov (Ocelelite)
1991
Salvador Dali - (Spain/Bulgaria) (Salvador Dali)
1. Silence - Dimiter Petkov (Tishina)
2. The Bronze Fox - Nikola Roudarov (Bronzovata lisica)
3. Indian Games - Ivan Andonov (Indianski igri)
4. That Thing - Georgi Stoyanov (Onova neshto)
5. Nature Reserve - Edward Zahariev (Rezervat)
6. Material Evidence - Borislav Pounchev (Veshtestveno dokazatelstvo)
7. Madame Bovary form Sliven - Emil Tsanev (Madam Bovari ot Sliven)
8. O, Lord, Where Are You - Krassimir Spassov (O, Gospodi, kyde si?)
9. Tony - Dimiter Petrov (Toni)
10. The Well - Docho Bodjakov (Kladenecyt)
11. Bay Ganyo Goes to Europe - Ivan Nichev (Baj Ganjo trygva po
Evropa)
12. Gentle Killings - Lyubomir Hristov; Valentin Nedyalkov (Nezhni
ubijstva)
13. The Father of the Egg - Henri Koulev (Bashtata na jajceto)
14. Plyontek - Borislav Sharaliev (Pljontek)
15. Waste - Krassimir Kroumov (Mylchanieto)
16. I Want America - Kiran Kolarov (Iskam Amerika)
1992
1. Palpitation - Ivan Balevski (Aritmija)
2. Bullet for Paradise - Sergei Komitski (Kurshum za raja)
3. Vampires, Spooks - Ivan Andonov (Vampiri, talasymi)
4. Bad Boy - Georgi Popvassilev (Losho momche)
5. Something in the Air - Peter Popzlatev (Neshto vyv vyzduha)
Sea in the Middle of the Earth (doc.) - Henri Koulev (More v sredata na
Zemjata)
1993
The Doomed (doc.) - (Obrechenite)
1. Day of Forgiveness - Radoslav Spassov (Sirna Nedelja)
Citadel (doc.) - (Citadelata)
Tales of Assassins (doc.) - (Razkazi za ubijci)
2. Frontier - Ilian Simeonov; Hristian Nochev (Granica)
--- In production:
3. Burn, Burn Little Fire - Rumyana Petkova (Gori, gori ogynche)
4. La Donna e Mobile - Nidal Algafari
5. Jehovah Ire (God Shall Decide) - Dimiter Petkov (Jehova-ire)
6. The Alchemist's Dream - Rangel Vulchanov (Mechtata na alhimika)
7. The Forbidden Fruit - Krassimir Kroumov (Zabranenijat plod)
8. Love Dreams - Ivan Nichev (Ljubovni synishta)
9. Magdalena - Georgi Djulgerov (Magdalena)
10. The Golden Chain - Kiran Kolarov (Zlatnata veriga)
11. The Revenge - Docho Bodjakov (Otmyshtenieto)
12. The Goat Horn - Nikolai Volev (Kozijat rog)
-----------------------
THIRD GENERATION.
Since one can not find much information about these third generation
directors in scholarly or popular film literature in English, at least their
filmography is provided here:
Third Generation:
Nikolai Volev (1946): The Double (Dvojnikyt, 1980); King for a Day
(Gospodin za edin den, 1983); All for Love (Da obichash na inat, 1986);
House No 8 (doc.) (Dom nomer 8, 1987); Margarit and Margarita
(Margarit i Margarita, 1989); The Goat Horn (Kozijat rog, 1993) (in
production)
Kiran Kolarov (1946): Status: Orderly (Sluzhebno polozhenie: ordinarec,
1978); The Airman (Vyzdushnijat chovek, 1980); Case No. 205/1913 (Delo
#205/1913 g., 1985); I Want America (Iskam Amerika, 1991); The
Golden Chain (Zlatnata veriga, 1993) (in production)
Ivan Pavlov (1947): Mass Miracle (Masovo chudo, 1981); Black and
White (TV) (Cherno i bjalo, 1983); Walks with the Angel (Razxodki s
angela, 1990)
Henri Koulev (1949): Death of the Hare (Smyrtta na zaeka, 1981); The
Father of the Egg (Bashtata na jajceto, 1991); Sea in the Middle of the
Earth (TV doc.) (More v sredata na Zemjata, 1992)
Evgeni Mihailov: Home for Lonely Souls (Dom za samotni dushi,
1981); Death Can Wait a While (Smyrtta mozhe da pochaka; 1985)
Peter Popzlatev (1953): I, The Countess (Az, Grafinjata, 1989);
Something in the Air (Neshto vyv vyzduha, 1992)
Iskra Yossifova (1954): Love Therapy (Ljubovna terapija, 1987); Cruel
and Innocent (ZHestok i nevinen, 1990)
Rumyana Petkova: Reflections (Otrazhenija, 1982); Coming Down to
Earth (Prizemjavane, 1985); Burn, Burn Little Flame (Gori, gori
ogynche,1993)
Lyudmil Todorov (1955): Running Dogs (Bjagashti kucheta, 1989); The
Love Summer of a Schmo (Ljubovnoto ljato na edin ljohman, 1990)
Dimiter Petkov: Silence (Tishina, 1991); Jehovah Ire (God Shall
Decide) (Jehova-ire, 1993) (in production)
Krassimir Kroumov (1955): Exitus (Ekzitus, 1989); Waste
(Mylchanieto, 1991); The Forbidden Fruit (Zabranenijat plod, 1993) (in
production)
Docho Bodjakov (1956): Memory (Pamet, 1985); Thou Which Art in
Heaven (Ti, kojto si na nebeto; 1990); The Well (Kladenecyt, 1991);
Vendetta (Otmyshtenieto, 1993) (in production)
-----------------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Holloway, Ronald. The Bulgarian Cinema. Rutherford, N.J.: Fairleigh
Dickinson University Press, 1986
Holloway, Ronald. "Bulgaria: The Cinema of Poetics." Post New Wave
Cinema in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Edited by Daniel J.
Goulding. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988
Bruce R. S, Litte. "Bulgaria." Handbook of Soviet and East European
Films and Filmmakers. Edited by Thomas J. Slater. N.Y.: Greenwood
Press, 1992
Liehm, Mira, and Antonin J. Liehm. The Most Important Art: Soviet
and East European Film After 1945. Berkeley: University of California,
1977
Stoil, Michael Jon. Cinema Beyond Danube. Metuchen, N.J.:
Scarecrow, 1974
Stoyanovich, Ivan, "Bulgaria." Annually in International Film Guide.
Edited by Peter Cowie, 1965-1991
Jorn Rossing Jensen. "Bulgaria." Moving Pictures. Cannes 19 may
1993
Katharine F. Cornell. "After the Wall." Cineaste, Vol.XIX #4, March
1993
.....
spisanie Kino, organ na Syjuza na bylgarskite filmovi dejci. 1992-1993
Bylgarsko kino, bjuletin na Nacionalnija filmov centyr. 1992-1993
Kino - maj/92 - "Kurshum za raja" 16 str.; "Aritmija" 52 str.; NFC 41
str.; Media'92 38 str.
Kino - dek/92 - "Vampiri, talasymi" 10 str.; " Privyrzanija balon" 50 str.
Kino - 1/93 - NFC 10 str.; "Granica" 14 str.; E. Zaharaiev 42 str.
Kino - 2/93 - "Sirna nedelja" 23 str.; TV antena 50 str.
Kino 3/93 - G. Djulgerov - dok. 3 str.; B. ZHeljazkova 21 str.;
Ungarija 32 str.
Pari 21/5/93 - "Hramyt na izkustvata pustee"
Bylgarsko kino -dek/92 - Analiz 92
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12-2 Bulgarian films celebrated at the Cannes Festival
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 03-Jul-1996 (This entry is in French)
1985 Jenitba Slav Bakalov, Roumen Petkov Bulgaria Palme d'or - CM
1959 Sterne Konrad Wolf Bulgaria/GDR Prix Special du Jury: K. Wolf
1955 Geroite na Shipka Sergey Vasiliev Bulgaria Prix de la mise en scene
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12-3 Bulgarian sayings
(by Plamen Stefanov), last updated: 31-Jul-1994
"No matter how little they pay us, they can never pay as little as we
will work for them".
"All diseases are caused by not drinking regularly".
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 13: MUSIC AND DANCE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-1 Bulgarian music on CD's
(by Brian Sutin)
Stambolovo '88 Balkanton 060101
Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares Explorer 9 79165-2
Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, Vol. 2 Explorer 9 79201-2
Villiage Music of Bulgaria / Bulgarian Folk Music Explorer 9 79195-2
Music of Bulgaria / Ensemble of the Bulgarian Republic Explorer 9 72011-2
The Severnyashki Folk Ensemble Round The World Gega GD 103
The Greatest Bulgarian Folk Dances Gega GD 106
Balkana / The Music of Bulgaria Hannibal CD-1335
The Forest is Crying / The Trio Bulgarka Hannibal CD-1342
Two Girls Started to Sing... Rounder CD-1055
Bulgarian Polyphony Vol. 2 / The National Folk Ensemble Victor VDP-1462
Balkan -- Mysterious Voices of Bulgaria Virgin 2-91368
"Two Girls..." is very poor -- don't buy it. "Balkan" is the soundtrack
to a documentary. "Stambolovo" is modern wedding band music. "Bulgarian
Polyphony" #1 and #2 are both out of print (they are Japanese). Many
of these CDs can be ordered my mail from Elderly Instruments, a company
in East Lansing, Michigan (call information for the number). They have
a catalogue they will send to you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-2 Bulgarian musical instruments
(by Brian Sutin)
The traditional musical instruments of Bulgaria are:
THE KAVAL
The kaval is a wooden flute which is played by blowing across the end.
It has a very interesting woody sound. The name kaval is found for
similar musical instruments from Rumania all the way to India, but the
Bulgarian kaval is probably the most beautiful sounding version. The kaval
was the chosen instrument of shepherds, who needed some way to entertain
themselves while grazing sheep on the high pastures. Unfortunately the
number of Bulgarians who play the kaval well has dropped due to the fewer
number of shepherds.
THE GADULKA
The gadulka is a bowed instrument similar to a violin, but only three
strings are bowed, while the rest are sympathetic; ie, these strings
vibrate on a harmonic, giving a very rich texture, but are not fingered.
The gadulka held by a sling around the neck, much like a saxaphone, and
the fingerboard is up by the players neck. Of all the traditional
Bulgarian instruments, the gadulka has declined in popularity the most,
and is rarely heard, even on folk music recordings.
THE GAIDA
The gaida is a bagpipe with one drone. The bag is usually made out of
goat hide, although the very large Macedonian kaba gaida is often made
from sheep hide. The gaida sounds quite different from the more common
Scottish bagpipe.
THE TUPAN
The tupan is a large drum which is played with a big drumstick on one
side and a very thin drumstick on the other. Any person who has ever
learned to play any kind of drum for "western" music (ie, R&R), please
spare all of us and do not try to pick up Bulgarian tupan. Bulgarian
rhythms consist of short beats of two counts and long beats of three
counts, and westerners invariably split the long beats incorrectly.
Other instruments which are common are the dumbek, a small lap drum,
the zurna, an incredibly loud reed instrument, and the tamburitsa,
a plucked string instrument similar to a bouzouki, but these are also
common in Turkey, Greece, and other countries are are not solely Bulgarian.
Originally these instruments were used mostly for village dancing, and
only one or occasionally two instruments would be played at a time.
People would dance to one of the melody instruments, sometimes accompanied
by a tupan. The zurna and tupan is still a popular combination in
Macedonia. In this century, bands became popular which had one or more
of each instrument, say, for instance, a kaval, a gadulka, a gaida, a
tamburitsa, and a tupan. Later, instruments such as the accordeon and
clarinet became popular. Nowadays, the "traditional" Bulgarian wedding
band might have clarinets, electric guitars, and so on.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-3 Bulgarian folk dance
(by Jim Garrett)
I'm a member of a relatively small community of
folk-dancers that especially treasures Bulgarian dancing.
I know many people here in Minneapolis/St. Paul who would love
to see Bulgarian dancers, but I can't help you directly with a
producer. Perhaps the Ethnic Dance Theater based in Minneapolis
would be a good contact. Their number is (612) 872-0024.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-4 Bulgarian Folk Dance Club in Buffalo, NY, USA
(by Barbara Dintcheff) (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Zdravai ot Buffalo, New York!
Ako doidite v Buffalo, New York, ilati da igraite narodni hora i
rachenitsi. Nie se sabranie vseki Petek ot 8 vecherta na Universitet
na Buffalo. Nie znaem starite Bqlgari i mnogoto novite Bqlgari
okolo Buffalo. Tuka e oshte informatsia:
We are the International Folk Dance Club
At the University at Buffalo
Main Street (South) Campus
Diefendorf Hall - Ground Floor, usually Room 2
Fridays 8:00 to 11:00 p.m.
8 - 9 = Teaching 9 - 11 = Request Dancing
Free Admission
Last Meeting of 1993: 12/17/93
Next Meeting: 1/7/94
Contact: Barbara Dintcheff (H) 716-675-0203
(W) 716-887-2520
dint...@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-5 Bulgarian records
(by Paul Amblard)
4 records I have at home, 2 of them were recently reviewed in the french
journal TELERAMA.
In the shop I also found a lot of others.
references :
Bulgarian folk ensembles and songs Balkanton 060053
Vocal traditions of Bulgaria Say-disc (UK company) CD-SDL-396
Musics and musicians of the world. Bulgaria. AUVIDIS (French company) UNESCO
collection D 8019
Rhodopa family GEGA GD124
the fourth is the best for my pleasure but other opinions are welcome !!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-6 Bulgarian music : 20th Century
(by Luben Boyanov)
During the first years of the 20th century, the Bulgarians listened to
the works of the first 'famous' Bulgarian composer of classical (not
to be mixed with the definition of L. Bernstein) music - Maestro Atanasoff.
Amongst his famous works are "Kossara", "Borislav" and "Atzek" (opera).
During the same time, 2 brothers - Luben and Pancho Vladigerovi
were sent to study in Europe (? Germany?). Pancho Vladigerov became
the most prominent figure of the Bulgarian classical music. His
most famous work "Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar" is still the best known and
loved Bulgarian classical composition. Pancho Vladigerov is also the author
of piano concertoes and other works. Pancho Vladigerov is the teacher of
of one of the most famous world pianists - Alexis Weisenberg (living in Paris
at present). Weisenberg left Bulgaria while being a child and came back
only during the early 80-ies enjoying enormous success amongst the Bulgarian
audience. Another world famous pianist and student of Pancho Vladigerov is
Milcho Leviev (who lives in LA) - who also returned with great success in
Bulgaria after years being separated from his country (living in the USA.
The former was/is one of the leading world classical piano playes, the later
is one of the top jazz-piano players. Both are jazz composers.
"Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar" is composed using Bulgarian folk motives, and so
is another very famous Bulgarian classic music piece - "Thracian Dances" -
by Petko Stainov.
Another famous Bulgarian composer is Parashkev Hadjiev. He had many piano
compositions, songs and operas ("Leto 1893", "Maria Desislava", "Lud
Gidia").
From the younger generation Bulgarian classical music composers are
Krasimir Kyurkchiiski (the ballet "Kosyat Rog") and Stefan Dragostinov
(with the "F. Kutev" ensemble, and also he - Dragostinov - is a composer of
symphony music).
The Bulgarian classical music generation of the 50-ies, 60-ies is
known with the piano composers Emil Naumov (student of Nadia Boulanger)
and Boyan Vodenicharov.
Written without references - according to memory only - sorry if I missed
(or messed) somebody.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-7 Addresses of Bulgarian musical companies
(by Luben Boyanov)
Some contact addresses in Bulgaria of companies/distributors of music:
Impressario and Publishing House "Rod"
134 Vasil Levski Bulv, 2nd floor
1504 Sofia
Bulgaria
tel: 359 2 77 03 10
fax: 359 2 43 10 42
Balkanton
6 Haidoushka Polyana Str.
1612 Sofia
Bulgaria
tel: 359 2 52 54 51
fax: 359 2 54 27 44
telex: BALKTON BG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13-8 Bulgarian Rock'n'Roll
(by Peter Yovchev), last updated: 31-Jul-1994 (This entry is in Bulgarian)
Bqlgarskiyat rok
Naposledqka mi se sluchi da si govorya s nay-razlichni hora po mrtejata
i nyakaksi spontanno se zarodi ideyata da se opitam da izloja v organiziran
vid , tova , koeto znam za bqlgarskiya rok. Tazi istoriya nyama da se zanimava
s izvestnite nam ot socialistichesko minalo bqlgarski rok muzikanti, kato
FSB, SHturcite, Tangra , Signal i Diana Ekspres, a shte se opita da vklyuchi
dosta vajniya spored men fenomen na zarajzdaneto , razvitieto, apogeya i
upadqka na neformalniya, ulichniya bqlgarski rok.
Az sqm jiv svidetel na po-golyamata chast ot izlojenite sqbitiya kakto
i uchastnik v nyakoi ot tyah i zatova shte
si pozvolya da pisha v izyavitelno naklonenie. I taka:
Nastoyashtata istoriya razglejda perioda ot nachaloto na 80-tte godini do
dnes.
Prez 80-tte ili daje oshte po-rano se poyaviha v Sofiya pqrvite pqnkari.
Do togava se e svirila muzika , povecheto Beatles i Acid rock, v sredite
na taka narechenite hipari, zakqsnyalata reakciya na hipi-dvijenieto, chiito
sedalishta byaha Monteto i Stenata v Parka. Pqnkarite sa edna
grupichka puberiteti ot mahalata, koito slushat heavy metal i punk i reshavat,
che e vreme da si poleyat kosite s bira i da zabodat bezopasnite igli. Pqrvite
predstaviteli na dvijenieto byaha dvama - trima yunaci , poznati i na drugi
uchastnici v diskusiite - nebezizvestniyte Kuni i Motopeya, Karlo, Dani,
Bobi (Ramones), bratya Dinevi (Shemeta i Fashista) i oshte nikomu neizvestniya
Kolyo Ciganina ili izvesten oshte pod imeto Kolyo Gilqna. Estestveno imashe
oshte 10-tina yunaci chiito imena sqm zabravil, a fizionomiite im ne pomnya.
Grupichkata se sqbirashe v gradinkata zad Ruskata cherkva i tam se organizi-
raha i sqotvetno vednaga sled tova se razpadaha pqrvite underground punk
i hard rock grupi. Imenno tam izgrya zvezdata na edna ot nay-starite ni
"mladi" grupi - TNT, preimenuvana po-kqsno v "Trotil", koyato sqshtestvuva i
do dnes. Po tova vreme imashe mnogo malko drugi rok grupi. Shte se spra samo na
dve ot tyah , koito po-kqsno zahraniha rodniya rock s mnogo i dobri muzikanti.
Pqrvata ot tyah beshe nebezizvestnata grupa "Apokalipsis" v sqstav :
Niki Kacharov - kitara i vokal
Bobi Gradinarski - kitara
Svetlyo Daskalov - bas i
Ivo Popov - barabani
Grupata beshe jestoka, Niki vqrteshe jica sled jica, muzikata beshe tvqrda,
daje mnogo tvqrda. Shte vidim po-kqsno , che gornite muzikanti shte se
poyavyat v drugi formacii.
Drugata 'stara' grupa beshe "Analgin", ot chiyto sqstav sui spomnyam dvama
dushi - Richie - kitara i nebezizvestniya Zvezdi - vokal. Tam svireshe kato
kitarist i edin Mitko ot frenskata gimnaziya po edno vreme.
Po tova vreme zapochnaha po chitalishta i uchilishta da se sqzdavat grupi
ot uchenici, mladi, neopitni, no nahqseni i uporiti, smeli i optimisti.
Tryabva da vi kaja , che samo vqv Frenskata gimnaziya imashe osven
"Apokalipsis" i 'Trotil" oshte 3 grupi. Ednata beshe grupata 'NLO',
s Boreto Daskalov, chieto ime po-kqsno beshe otkradnato ot trimata shutove,
izvestni ni dnes pod gornoto ime. Drugata grupa beshe sqzdadenata ot moya
milost grupa "Nirvana" , sqshto mnogoizpatilo ime , otkradnato po-kqsno
ot momchetata ot muzikalnoto, a sled tova i ot west beach rocker-ite, koito
go napraviha svetovnoizvestno. Tretata grupa, moje bi nay-kupondjiyskata
i nay-priyatna beshe "Krater", s Muvi, Joro i Sashko Kratera. "Krater" daje
imaha i koncertni izyavi i mnogo publika i pochitatelki.
V Nemskata gimnaziya imashe grupa 'Izgrev', koyato vklyuchvashe Toni kato
kitarist i Yavor Petrov , kato barabanist. Po kqsno Toni sqzdade "Testament"
a Yavor sviri v dosta grupi i do den dneshen ne se e otkazal ot roka.
Dokolkoto si spomnyam i v Angliyskata gimnaziya se opitvaha da pravyat
rok, no ne sqm mnogo siguren dokolko uspeshno e bilo, tam vqzlovata figura
beshe Bogi Milchev, ako ne se lqja. Estestveno, nay-dobrite v profesionalno
otnoshenie byaha momchetata i momichetata ot muzikalnoto (Niki Arabadjiev,
Ogi, po-kqsno i grupata 'Nirvana' v koyato svireshe Misho, po-setneshen
pianist v Nova Generaciya i nastoyash emigrant v Kanada, kakto i Orlin,
po-setneshen barabanist na 'Impuls'). Ot muzikalnoto idva i Milena Slavova,
izvestna poveche kato Milena. V Matematicheskata gimnaziya sqshto imashe
dobri muzikanti Vaso Gyurov (po setne basist na Milena), Tomi (po-setne
keyboard na "Testament" ili kakto se prekrqsti "Milenium") i drugi.
Sqshtestvuvaha i neutralni grupi, koito svireha po chitalishta, mazeta
i tavani. Grupa , za koyato se seshtam v momenta beshe 'Tornado", s Juji
- bas, Ivan Peshev - barabani i Galin Popov - kitara. Postepenno muzikantite
pochnaha da se sqbirat na 'Kravay" i po-kqsno na Sinyoto kafe. Krqchmarskite
muzikanti pqk, mejdu koito imashe mnogo kadqrnni momcheta , koito po-kqsno
se 'vqrnaha' v roka , se sqbiraha na 'Kristal'.
Kqm sredata na 80-tte po starite muzikanti zapochnaha da vlizat v kazarmata
i beshe prekqsnat procesqt na 'vtasvane' na tova bogato testo ot koeto
vposledstvie se rodiha 'novite' bqlgarski rok grupi.
Po tova vreme se poyavi i izvestnata country grupa 'Atlas', s pevica
Rosica Kirilova i kitarist Pepi Pisarski. Podvizavaha se i edinichni dobri
i talantlivi muzikanti, kato Niki Tankov, Bojo Glavev, Pavkata Vasev,
Joro Donkov i mnogo drugi.
Estestveno gornite fakti sa dosta razpokqsani i veroyatno dosta netochni,
zashtoto baya voda izteche ot tezi vremena i spomenite postepenno izblednyavat.
Izvinyavam se za eventualnite netochnosti i molya ako ima zabelejki,
utochneniya i dopqlneniya, da bqdat izlojeni.
V sledvashta publikaciya shte razgledam perioda mejdu sredata na 80-tte i
nachaloto na 90-tte, nay-plodotvorniya period za nashata rok-muzika.
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13-9 Bulgarian Music
(by Zdravena Maldjieva)
The professional development of Bulgarian Music started relatively
late, compared to other European cultures - around 1860. The first
artists working in that field organised groups, performing their own
arrangements of folk melodies, usually for an a'cappella choir. The
most significant contributions to Bulgarian music began after 1900.
Although disputable, the following classification is the most used by
musicologists today: first generation (till 1944), second generation
-approximately till 1970, third generation - after 1970. There are
three basic types of musicians representative of the Bulgarian culture:
composers, performers and folk musicians ( usually they are combining
the creation and the reproducement of original music, based on folk
melodies ).
The first major figure among the composers in the first generation
is the "Patriarch (title of an important position in the Ortodox Church,
equivalent of the Pope in Roman Catholic Church) of Music" Dobri Chris
tov. He was also the first theorist of the Bulgarian Musicology. As all
major musicians from the first generation he was educated abroad.
Although he was a student of French composer Paul Duka, he didn't adopt
his relatively contemporary techniques and musical language, but mostly
worked in arranging folk tunes for choirs with more or less "classic"
harmony and structure. Despite the simplicity of his art, he was a very
influential teacher for younger musicians. Around 1920 - 40 there
were some composers, who created more sophisticated art as Veselin and
Andrei Stoyanov, Pancho Vladigerov, Lubomir Pipkov and others. The
brothers V. and A. Stoyanov worked in a folk-like style, using irregular
meters, typical melodic configurations and quart-quint harmonies.
Andrei Stoyanov was mostly occupied with piano literature, while Veselin
worked in all major genres. A very important figure was Dimitar Nenov,
a composer and a virtuoso piano player (like Andrei Stoyanov), who was
accused of formalism and bad influence on young communist musicians after
1944. Unlike the other major composers of this time Pancho Vladigerov
didn't use any original folk melodies and rarely used folk-type tunes.
A Bulgarian Jew, born and educated in Switzerland, he adopted the impres-
sionist style, typical for a significant part of the Western European
music. He was the most internationally recognised Bulgarian composer,
for example Herbert von Karajan performed Vladigerov's third piano
concerto on his graduation recital.
That period was productive and successful for performers as well.
With the support and financial help from the monarchist institution and
specially Tsar (king) Boris III many opera houses were established.
The opera art became really popular and Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna were
cities with internationally famous opera houses and opera stars. In the
bigger cities were gathered first professional orchestras with very high
quality of the participants. People enjoyed performances by worldly
famous virtuosi like Sasha Popov and Nikola Kozarev.
The folk music in that period didn't involve professional musicians
and was performed in smaller places mainly, but it never lost its po-
pularity.
The beginning of the second period (second generation) was the
Soviet invasion and the so-called "revolution" in Bulgaria. The new
government quickly established their new ideology, which was believed
to be progressive and basically was denying everything, achieved before,
because of its connection with the monarchy. Very harmful for all
musicians, that period was crucial for composers. Some genres were cla
imed to be retrogressive, while others (like oratorio) to be new and
purifying for people. The best composers remain silent for the first decade
of that period. There are some exceptions. For example, Lubomir Pipkov
who was a talented and educated musician was "oriented" quickly and star
ted the foundation of the socialistic realism music. He worked mainly
in vocal music, operas and oratorios with text, suitable for the new
authorities. For other composers, who weren't that adaptive, began a
hard period. The communist party, following the example of Russian
Communist party, started to determine the rules for "good, valuable"
art and labeled with formalism everything more contemporary, than it
was believed to match the new soul of people ( In Russia - the opera
"Lady Macbeth from Mtsenskaia Gubernia" from Schostakovich). In
Bulgaria started a real autodafe for the "enemies" of the people. The
scores and records from the Sofia Radio were burned and many other
library collections were destroyed. Priceless works like D.Nenov's
"Spring" and Lazar Nikolov's Second Symphony are lost forever. Nenov
was fired from the Music Academy and died soon after that. Nikolov
was forbidden to be performed, Vladigerov and V.Stoyanov didn't create
anything of global importance any more. New composers started to work
and to write hymns for the party, all new holidays and communist Cong-
resses. In the same time, composers like Parashkev Hadjiev and Vasil
Kazandjiev tried to keep as neutral as possible and wrote music based
on ancient legends or old Bulgarian history.
Performers from that period were mostly working abroad. Very
talanted singers - Boris Christov, Nikolai Ghiaurov, Christina Morfova
and many others transferred to major European theaters and performed
only occasionally in Bulgaria, which was a reason for the decline
of the opera houses. Some virtuosi piano players like Vaisenberg and
Milcho Leviev also left the country. Major conductors like Dobrin
Petkov were neglected for other (faithful to the party conductors) like
K. Iliev.
Folk music was believed to be close to the real virtues of the
communists, unlike the expressionistic or minimalistic art. Folk ensembles
were in development. One of the most important musicians working in
arranging of folk melodies was Philip Kutev. This groups had a big
importance for the acceptance of the Bulgarian culture abroad. Still
they are among the most popular Bulgarian artists in Europe and America.
Around 1970 and later was born a new generation of Bulgarian musici
ans. People got tired of being ruled in their art views and some
composers like Tsenko Minkin and Stefan Dragostinov started to create
a more liberated and free art, close to the modern Western European
tendencies. Both composers won international prizes for their works.
Recently after the collapse of the communist party, the composers felt
free to experiment with the modern musical means.
Some young performers like Aleksandrina Pendanchanska, Josif Radi-
onov, Angel Stankov, Emil Naumov and others gained the recognition of
the audience.
The folk music continued to spread abroad and now cd's like "The
Mystery of Bulgarian Voices" are in the top charts of many record
companies.
The new period was also the establishment and development of Bulga
rian Pop music. Now there are artists working in many styles, like
hard rock, heavy metal, rap, funk and other.
The overall tendency is of development and progress again, after
big decline through the communist era in all genres and styles.
===============================================================================
CHAPTER 14: LITERATURE
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14-1 Bulgarian Literary Archive
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 03-Jan-1997
The Bulgarian Literary archive contains about 200 poems and other literary
materials. It is accessible from
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/faq/poetry/
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14-2 Address of Hemus Publishing Co.
(by Teodora Davidova), last updated: 01-Jan-1994
You can send a fax with your questions concerning Bulgarian books and peridicals about folk Music and Bulgarian culture to:
Bulgaria
Sofia 1000
1b "Raiko Daskalov" Sq.
HEMUS Co.,Inc.