All Bulgaria Virtual Guide - The Source for Bulgaria tour information

The people of Bulgaria are friendly and very hospitable.

They always do their best to make their guests feel right at home.

The United Nations dealt Bulgaria a serious economic blow when it imposed economic sanctions during the 1990s on neighboring Yugoslavia. The impact upon Bulgaria was one of severe economic depression; and as NATO and the allies attacked Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and its 8-million citizens, still reeling from the collapse of its huge trading market with the Soviet Union, saw the devastation of one of its few remaining valuable trading partners. No serious effort was ever made in assisting Bulgaria to recover.

Today , things are moving quickly. Bulgaria, together with six other eastern European countries, was welcomed into NATO on April 2, 2004. Bulgaria's national flag was hoisted for the first time at an official ceremony in front of Brussels headquarters. Acting on the proposition that "If you want to become a member of NATO, behave as if you are one," as Foreign Minister Solomon Passy put it, Bulgaria was quick to offer the United States help following the terrorist attacks. U.S. tanker planes refueling aircraft for the Afghanistan campaign used a Bulgarian air force base at Burgas on the Black Sea over a period of two months during the campaign, "a real contribution to the war effort", according to American officials. Now, NATO-member Bulgaria is seeking to buy western types of warplanes to boost its airforce . There is also a word of purchasing the world's top Eurofighters. US military personnel may begin their deployment to new bases in Bulgaria this year, according to General James Jones, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and commander of American troops in Europe. The US is to choose from four of five locations for prospective military sites to be used by Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine units. "This is part and parcel of the transformation of our footprint in Europe, which has been in need of surgery for some time," he said at NATO military headquarters in Belgium after a trip to Bulgaria.

Americans have shown interest in the grounds of Bezmer and Atia and also the firing ground at Novo Selo, near the town of Sliven, where special units can be trained. US plans envisage that Sliven's Novo Selo will train land troops, Yambol's Bezmer airport will serve as air base, and Burgas' Atia offers the Pentagon a marine base.

The withdrawal of Bulgaria's troops from Iraq was completed as the last Bulgarian units landed at the Sofia International Airport December 17, 2008. Bulgaria has been part of the US-led Coalition forces for the stabilization and recovery of Iraq since May 2003, stepping in immediately after the invasion of Iraq was declared over on May 1, 2003.

The US Ambassador to Sofia Nancy McEldowney has saluted the Bulgarian soldiers who served in Iraq with the completion of their almost six-year-long mission there. In a statement sent to the media a day before the last Bulgarian unit returned from Iraq, Her Excellency called the Bulgarian men and women in uniform "heroes" and "patriots" who successfully contributed to bringing peace and stability to Iraq. "Bulgaria has proven itself an unwavering friend and invaluable ally. The decision to join the Coalition's efforts was not an easy one and it did not come without cost. ... The United States salutes the brave men and women who serve in the Bulgarian Armed Forces and is honored to stand as a genuine friend and true partner of this fine country", McEldowney's statement reads. The US Ambassador declared the completion of Bulgaria's military mission in Iraq a very proud moment for the Bulgarian people and for the friends of Bulgaria.

Between 2003 and 2005, the 500-strong Bulgarian unit in Iraq guarded the holy Shia city of Kerbala. It was in this period that Bulgaria's forces in Iraq lost 13 soldiers in combat or incidents. Five Bulgarian battalions took part in this first phase of Bulgaria's involvement in Iraq on a rotation schedule of six-month deployments. After withdrawing its larger force at the end of 2005, in March 2006, Bulgaria sent a 155-strong unit to guard the headquarters of the People's Mujahedin of Iran at Camp Ashraf, 100 km west of the Iranian border.

In mid-2008 the Bulgarian unit was relocated to guard the US detention facility at Camp Cropper near the Baghdad International Airport. Between 2003 and 2008, the Bulgarian soldiers took part in a total of 97 civilian reconstruction projects in Iraq.

Bulgaria's new membership in the European Union is official. So give them a chance to catch up with other European destinations and I predict that, within the next five years, Bulgaria will indeed again be a world-known and respected destination tourist paradise. Bulgaria is becoming an attractive option for informed people from the rest of the world.

Bulgaria's Economy Ministry reported that a total of 4,047,863 foreigners visited the country in 2003, marking a rise of 18% year on year. Bulgaria's fast developing speed puts it ahead of Italy, according to the data.

Already, Bulgaria today is much cleaner than a lot of vacation destinations: here, you can drink the water and the natives don't brandish weapons. The only draw-back for me is that today it is too far away - today I live in the US. I was in Bulgaria for 4 years, from December, 1999 to May, 2003 and hope to return again this year. The Caribbean Islands, Mexico or Florida are more affordable journeys from the central US, although the first two are dirty and you can't drink the water. And, unlike in Miami, Florida, anyone can safely walk alone on any street in Bulgaria, day or night. Bulgaria certainly has a lot to offer and remains unspoiled after thousands of years.

Crime is fairly low in Bulgaria and violent crime quite scarce. Infrastructure is reasonable; in fact quite good in the tourist areas on the coast and around Sofia. Of course the locals will tell you a different story with regards to infrastructure in their own neighborhood and are quick to point out that the move towards capitalism has meant poor conditions for many of them. Full employment and job security are things of the past, and the new business culture is riddled with corruption and organized crime. While these problems shouldn't affect your enjoyment of an invigorating and little-experienced culture, it's a good idea to remain sensitive towards such issues.

Although the customs officials are the usual soulless and unfriendly bunch, they tend to let foreigners through without burdensome questions. They will give Bulgarians returning home more grief than a foreigner coming for their quiet holiday.

Richard Zastrow

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