Language
Overview
The official language is Bulgarian. Bulgaria is the only country in the EU that uses Cyrillic characters. There are Turkish and Macedonian speaking minorities, with the Turkish spoken in Bulgaria being a strong dialect of standard Turkish spoken in Turkey. About 9 million people worldwide speak Bulgarian, of which about 7.3 million live in Bulgaria. The constitution states that every Bulgarian citizen has the right and duty to learn the national language. As a Slavic language, Bulgarian belongs to the Indo-European languages and is closely related to the Macedonian language. Some linguists even consider Macedonian to be a dialect of the Bulgarian language.
Idioms
Eight = осем (osem) Goodbye = Довиждане (dovizhdane) Please= Моля (molya) Thank you = Влагодаря (blagodarya) Tuesday = вторник (vtornik) Thursday = четвъртък (chetvrtak) Three = три (tri) One = един (edin) Friday = петък (petek) Five = пет (pet) Good, thanks. = Влагодаря. (blagodarja) Hello = Добър ден (dobr den) Hello = Эдрасти (sdrasti) My name is … = каэвам се… (kaswam ß) I don’t understand. = Не раэбирам. (ne rasbiram) Yes = Да (da) Monday = понеделник (ponedelnik) Wednesday = сряда (ßrjada) No = Не (ne) Nine = девет (dewet) Zero = нула (nula) Saturday = събота (ßbota) Six = шест ( schess) Seven = седем (sedem) Sunday = неделя (nedelja) Four = четири (schetiri) How are you? = Как си? (kak ßi) What’s your name? = Как се каэваш? (kak ß kasvash) two = два (dwa) ten = десет (desset)
Public Holidays
01/01/2022 New Year
03/03/2022 National Holiday (Liberation Day)
04/22/2022 Orthodox Easter
05/01/2022 Labor Day
05/06/2022 george day
05/24/2022 Cyril and Methodius
06.09.2022 Day of Unity
09/22/2022 Independence Day
11/01/2022 Memorial Day of the National Reawakening Leaders
12/24/2022 christmas eve
12/25/2022 Christmas
12/31/2022 New Year’s Eve
Source: Top-mba-universities.com
Duty free shopping
Overview
The following items can be imported into Bulgaria duty-free (when entering from non-EU countries) (persons over 17 years of age): 200 cigarettes (passengers by air) or 40 cigarettes (passengers by land or water); 50 cigars (travellers by air) or 10 cigars (travellers by land or sea); 100 cigarillos (travellers by air) or 20 cigarillos (travellers by land or sea); 250 g tobacco (travellers by air) or 50 g (travellers by land or water). 1 liter of spirits with an alcohol content of more than 22% or undenatured ethyl alcohol with an alcohol content of 80% vol or more; 2 liters of spirits with an alcohol content not exceeding 22% or sparkling wine; 4 liters of table wine; 16 liters of beer; Gifts/other goods up to a total value of €430 (air and sea travel) or €300 (travel by train/car); Children under 15 generally €175.
Import regulations
Travelers who bring meat and milk products, among other things, into the EU from outside the European Union must declare them. The regulation does not apply to the import of animal products from EU countries, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland. Anyone who does not register these products must expect fines or criminal prosecution. More information is available from Countryaah.com.
Prohibited Imports
Guns and ammunition, pornography, drugs and narcotics. For live poultry, there is a general import ban from third countries (except from the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland). Meat and meat products from the CIS countries, Turkey, Africa and Asia are not allowed to be imported into Bulgaria.
Export Regulations
Valuable coins and items under monument protection can only be exported with an export license from the Ministry of Education.
Import/Export to the EU
The movement of goods within the EU is unrestricted for travelers as long as the goods are for personal use and not for resale. In addition, the goods must not have been purchased in duty-free shops. Travelers may be asked to provide proof of their own personal needs. Member States have the right to levy excise duty on spirit drinks or tobacco products if these products are not intended for personal use. The following maximum quantities apply as personal requirements: 800 cigarettes and 400 cigarillos and 200 cigars and 1 kg of tobacco (persons over 17 years of age); 10 liters of hard liquor code CN 2208 (over 17s); 20 liters of fortified wine (e.g. port or sherry) (over 17s); 90 liters of wine (including a maximum of 60 liters of sparkling wine) (over 17s); 110 liters of beer (over 17s); Perfumes and eau de toilette: No restrictions if it can be shown that the amount is for personal consumption. Medicines: Amount corresponding to personal needs during the trip. Other goods: The movement of goods within the EU is unrestricted for travelers. However, this does not apply to gold alloys and gold plating in the unprocessed state or as a semi-finished product and fuel. Fuel may only be imported from an EC member state exempt from mineral oil tax if it is in the vehicle’s tank or in a spare container that is carried along. A fuel quantity of up to 10 liters in the reserve tank is not objected to. If additional quantities of these goods are carried, e.g. For example, a wedding is an event that could justify a bulk purchase. Note: However, there are certain exceptions to the free movement of goods regime. They relate in particular to the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (More information on car taxes can be found in the European Commission’s Guide to Buying Goods and Services in the Internal Market.) If additional quantities of these goods are carried, e.g. For example, a wedding is an event that could justify a bulk purchase. Note: However, there are certain exceptions to the free movement of goods regime. They relate in particular to the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (More information on car taxes can be found in the European Commission’s Guide to Buying Goods and Services in the Internal Market.) If additional quantities of these goods are carried, e.g. For example, a wedding is an event that could justify a bulk purchase. Note: However, there are certain exceptions to the free movement of goods regime. They relate in particular to the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (More information on car taxes can be found in the European Commission’s Guide to Buying Goods and Services in the Internal Market.) with which a bulk purchase could be justified. Note: However, there are certain exceptions to the free movement of goods regime. They relate in particular to the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (More information on car taxes can be found in the European Commission’s Guide to Buying Goods and Services in the Internal Market.) with which a bulk purchase could be justified. Note: However, there are certain exceptions to the free movement of goods regime. They relate in particular to the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (More information on car taxes can be found in the European Commission’s Guide to Buying Goods and Services in the Internal Market.)
EU
Duty-free sales at airports and seaports have been abolished for travel within the EU. Only travelers leaving the EU can shop cheaply in duty-free shops. When importing goods into an EU country that were bought in duty-free shops in another EU country, the same travel allowances and allowances apply as when entering from non-EU countries. More information is available from Bulgarian Customs.
Contact addresses
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
Consulates in Lugano, Geneva and Zurich.
Bernastrasse 2-4
Bern
Switzerland
+41 (31) 351 14 55/56. Consular section: +41 (31) 351 13 67.
http://www.mfa.bg/embassies/switzerland
http://www.mfa.bg/embassies/switzerland
Embassy: Mon-Fri 09.00-17.30. Consular section: Mon-Fri 09.00-12.00.
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
Honorary Consulate in Salzburg.
Schwindgasse 8
Vienna
Austria
+43 (1) 505 31 13 and +43 (1) 505 64 44.
http://www.mfa.bg/embassies/austria
http://www.mfa.bg/embassies/austria
Embassy: Mon-Fri 08.30-17.00. Consular section: Mon-Fri 09.00-13.00.
Consular department of the Embassy
Mauerstraße 10
Berlin
Germany
+49 (30) 20 64 89 35/36.
http://www.mfa.bg
http://www.mfa.bg
Public: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 09.00-12.00, Wed 14.00-16.00. Telephone information: Mon, Tue, Thu 2 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
Consulate General in Munich, Consulate in Frankfurt/M., Honorary Consulate General in Hamburg, Honorary Consulates in Darmstadt, Magdeburg, Münster and Stuttgart.
Mauerstrasse 11
Berlin
Germany
+49 (30) 201 09 22. Consular Section: +49 (30) 20 64 89 35/36.
http://www.mfa.bg/de/embassies/germany
http://www.mfa.bg/de/embassies/germany
Mon-Fri 09.00-17.30. Consular section: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 09.00-12.00, Wed 14.00-16.00. Telephone information: Mon, Tue, Thu 2 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.
Business
Business etiquette
Appointments should be arranged in advance. It is customary to invite Bulgarian business partners to dinner.
Opening hours
Business hours: Mon-Fri 09.00-17.30.
Business contacts
Communication
Phone
According to Abbreviationfinder.org, the country code is 00359. There are public telephones in all larger towns. Domestic and international calls are cheaper in public phone booths than in hotels. Telephone cards for payphones are available in hotels, post offices and kiosks.
Mobile phone
GSM 900/1800, dual band network, 2G, 3G and 4G. Transmission/reception range for cell phones is almost unlimited (with the exception of some mountainous regions). roaming agreements exist. Network operators include Telenor, Vivacom and A1 Bulgaria. Roaming abroad can be used within the EU at the regular home tariff of the respective provider. Roaming charges were abolished within the EU in mid-2017. However, it may still be worth purchasing a Bulgarian SIM card.
Internet
There are Internet cafes and centers in all major cities. In Bulgaria, there are WiFi hotspots in the cities in business centers, train stations and bus stations, which can be used free of charge. Mobile surfing on the Internet is made possible, among other things, by the chargeable Goodspeed Wi-Fi hotspots.
Post office
Postal items to European countries take between 4 days and 2 weeks.
Radio
Numerous German-language radio stations can be received in Bulgaria via Astra satellites or via the Internet.
