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Bulgaria–Russia relations

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Bulgaria–Russia relations (Bulgarian: Отношения между България и Русия, romanized: Otnosheniya mezhdu Bulgariya i Rusiya, Russian: Отношения между Болгарией и Россией, romanized: Otnosheniya mezhdu Bolgariey i Rossiey) are the diplomatic relations between the countries of Bulgaria and Russia.

Bulgaria–Russia relations
Отношения между България и Русия
Отношения между Болгарией и Россией
Map indicating locations of Bulgaria and Russia

Bulgaria
Russia
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Bulgaria in Moscow, RussiaEmbassy of Russia in Sofia, Bulgaria
Envoy
Ambassador Atanas KrystinAmbassador Eleonora Mitrofanova
Embassy of Bulgaria in Moscow
Embassy of Russia in Sofia

Bulgaria has an embassy in Moscow and three consulates general (in Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg). Russia has an embassy in Sofia and two consulates general (in Ruse and Varna).

Both countries are Slavic nations, and are bound together by a common Orthodox Christian culture. However, this has not translated into warm relations for the most part. After Bulgarian independence in the 19th century, relations turned tense when Russia consistently favoured Bulgaria's neighbour Serbia over Bulgaria in various Balkan disputes and wars before World War I, followed by Bulgaria siding with Germany against Russia in both world wars.

After a Communist takeover in 1945, Bulgaria was a Soviet ally during the Cold War, and maintained good relationships with Russia until the Revolutions of 1989, the only major period since independence where Russia had better relations with Bulgaria than with Serbia; or rather in this case Tito's Yugoslavia. However, following woes over energy projects included the cancelled South Stream pipeline and frozen Belene Nuclear Power Plant project, as well as the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia, the relationship has again deteriorated.

In general, relations between the two countries are kept to a minimum. This is mainly due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On the other hand Bulgaria is a firm defender of the Ukrainian cause.[1]

History

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Official relations began on July 7, 1879.

Early relations

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The citizens of modern-day Russia and Bulgaria have been in contact for centuries.[2] The Cyrillic alphabet originated in the 9th century First Bulgarian Empire and was later accepted by the Orthodox Slavic countries as their standard alphabet. Spiritually, Russia received Orthodox Christianity precisely from the Bulgarian Empire, and it is assumed that this happened during the time of the Bulgarian Emperor Samuil. With this act, Bulgaria practically Christianized and civilized the vast Slavic sea and thus annexed this space to the old Bulgarian literature and culture.[3][4][5][6] Both nations had a tradition of calling monarchs tsars, a Slavic word for emperor that also originated in Bulgaria. Russia helped Bulgaria gain sovereignty from the Ottoman Empire. The Bulgarians then built an Orthodox church in Sofia that was named after the Russian Orthodox saint Alexander Nevsky, in honor of the Russian soldiers who helped Bulgaria during that war.

In Russia, the Bulgarian contribution to the spread of Slavic literature and Christian worship is also known as the "first South Slavic influence". Centuries later, during the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire, Russia experienced the so-called "second South Slavic influence" - this time under the auspices of the Tarnovo School of Literature. After the fall of the Second Bulgarian Empire under Ottoman rule, a huge part of the Bulgarian missionaries and clergy found refuge outside their homeland, with some of them settling precisely in the Russian principalities. Cyprian of Kiev is such an example.[7][8]

Relations between the two started to worsen when Russia refused to diplomatically support Bulgaria in the Bulgarian unification and the following Serbo-Bulgarian War.[9] This had a serious impact on Bulgarian–Russian relations, which continues to the modern day.

20th century

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Bulgaria and Russia's relations continued to fall as Bulgaria accused Russia of meddling in its internal affairs, a fact that contributed to a growing alliance between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Serbia. This led to antagonism between Bulgaria and Russia even when Russia motivated Bulgaria to form an alliance with Montenegro, Serbia and Greece to drive the Austrians away. When Bulgaria got a chance to occupy Constantinople during the First Balkan War against the Ottoman Empire, Russia opposed Bulgarian military actions.[10][11] Russia also refused to condemn Serbia and Greece for attacking Bulgaria in the consequent war. But tensions between Bulgaria and Russia eventually erupted in the World War I when Bulgaria sided with German Empire over the promise to regain its lost soil. Eventually, Bulgaria and Russia suffered heavy military losses for their wars, and Bulgarian–Russian relations severed. It was not until the 1930s that Russia, as the Soviet Union, established relations with Bulgaria.[12]

In World War II, Bulgaria started as a member of the Axis powers,[13] but when the Soviets invaded the Balkans, Bulgaria joined the Allied powers on the Soviet side.[14] The Soviet Red Army backed the Bulgarian coup d'état of 1944, which brought the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) to power. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet First Secretary Joseph Stalin signed the secret percentages agreement at the Fourth Moscow Conference allowing the Soviet Union 80 percent of influence in Bulgaria after the war.[15]

Bulgaria–Soviet Union relations
 
Bulgaria		  
Soviet Union

From 1945 to 1948, the country became entrenched within the Soviet sphere of influence under the control of the Bulgarian Communist Party, which oversaw a program of Stalinization in the late 1940s and 1950s,[16] and joined the Warsaw Pact in 1955.[16] Political repression was widespread.[16] Bulgaria became highly dependent on Soviet patronage. Soviet technical and financial aid enabled it to rapidly industrialize. The USSR provided Bulgaria with energy and a market for its goods.[17] Bulgaria also received large-scale military aid from the Soviet Union, worth US$16.7 billion between 1946 and 1990.[18] Bulgaria remained part of the Eastern Bloc until 1989, when the BCP began to drift away from the USSR. The first multi-party elections were held in 1990 and the BCP lost power in elections the following year.[16]

Georgi Ivanov, a military officer from Bulgaria became the first Bulgarian to reach outer space when he boarded Soyuz 33 along with Soviet cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov. Bulgarian scientists were involved in preparations for the flight. During this era, Bulgaria was governed by Todor Zhivkov, a close friend of Nikita Khrushchev.

1989–2021

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Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bulgaria, January 2008.

After the fall of communism in 1989, Bulgaria–Russia relations entered a new stage. Relations were affected by the political orientation of the party in power. The left was more supportive of close relations than the right. Russian attempts to interfere continued after the People's Republic of Bulgaria and the Soviet Union collapsed. That led to the expulsion of two Russian diplomats during the Union of Democratic Forces government in March 2001 as Ivan Kostov, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, was made aware of attempts to remove the Bulgarian government by Russian agents in the Bulgarian government, only five months before the legitimate end of the government term.[19] Relations between the two remained moderate despite Bulgaria's integration with Western Europe and the United States. Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007.

A later President, Georgi Parvanov of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, sought energy cooperation in a programme that he termed a 'Grand Slam'.[20][21] Although he managed to obtain two terms in office, for the most part he lacked public support.[citation needed] Most agreements were later revised, with successful projects given a chance, while unsuccessful efforts were stopped, such as NPP Belene, which was halted due to the unprofitable nature of the project for the Bulgarian side. This was opposed by former Prime Minister and current Party of European Socialists leader Sergei Stanishev, who had promised to replace the right wing government of Boyko Borisov.[citation needed]

Bulgaria was deemed "unfriendly to Russia" on 30 of April 2021, because of the expulsion of several diplomats.[22] This was, however, later confirmed to not be true, as on the 14 of May 2021, the Russian government's officially released list of unfriendly countries contained only two other countries – the Czech Republic and the United States.[23]

From 2022

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After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Bulgaria, as one of the EU countries, imposed sanctions on Russia, and Russia added all EU countries to the list of "unfriendly nations".[24]

On 24 March 2022, the Bulgarian prime minister announced the recalling of the Bulgarian ambassador in Moscow for consultations, in the wake of "undiplomatic, sharp and rude" comments reportedly spouted by the Russian ambassador to Bulgaria, Eleonora Mitrofanova.[25]

In the evening of 27 June the Russian embassy in Sofia launched a charity appeal for Bulgarians to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[26] One day later, Petkov announced the expulsion of 70 Russian diplomats over concerns of espionage.[27] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Bulgaria would be temporarily closing down its diplomatic mission in Yekaterinburg and expected Russia to temporarily halt the activities of its own mission in Ruse, Bulgaria.[28] All services of the Russian embassy were halted, and Bulgaria stipulated that Russia must follow from thenceforth the official standard of limiting their numbers to 23 diplomatic staff and 25 administrative staff.[29] Misinformation promulgated by Russia in Bulgaria is being countered by the government of Bulgaria.[30]

Russia is suspected of being behind an explosion at an arms factory in Bulgaria in June 2023, it follows a series of similar incidents at arms depots housing ammunition meant to be exported to Ukraine.[31] In June 2023 Bulgaria decided to supply weapons directly to Ukraine and in July 2023 endorsed a decision to join the European Defence Agency’s Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition project in support of Ukraine.[32]

The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Nikolai Denkov stated "Russia must definitely withdraw from the territory of Ukraine, recognize its borders, and be held accountable for the crimes it has committed," when meeting the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July 2023.[33]

Bulgaria is close to selling two unused Russian-made nuclear reactors and other critical equipment to Ukraine's state-owned atomic energy company.[34]

In July Bulgaria took over the Rosenets oil terminal at the port of Burgas, run by Lukoil, with the Russian company losing its long term concession.[35] In October Bulgaria passed a law taxing Lukoil refinery at 60% of revenue, resulting in Lukoil trying to find a buyer for the refinery. A new owner would pay a lower rate of 15% of revenue. Bulgaria also passed a law taxing gas in transit from Russia to Hungary, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 20 levs, around 20% of the current natural gas price, with Gazprom likely to be suffering the financial loss.[36] The gas transit tax was suspended shortly afterwards.

Trade

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In 2021, Bulgarian exports to Russia were $592 million with medication being the top product. Russian exports were $2.78 billion with natural gas being the main product. Between 1996 and 2021 Bulgarian exports have risen by an average of 0.71% p.a. whereas Russian exports rose by 1.39% p.a. on average.[37]

In April 2022, Russia ceased supplying gas to Bulgaria.[38] Bulgaria will cease buying Russian crude oil on 1 March 2024.[39]

Resident diplomatic missions

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  •  
    Embassy of Bulgaria in Moscow
  •  
    Consulate-General of Bulgaria in Saint Petersburg
  •  
    Embassy of Russia in Sofia

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "България продължава да подкрепя Украйна в нейната справедлива кауза за мир". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  2. ^ "Bulgaria - Language, Culture and Etiquette". www.commisceo-global.com. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  3. ^ "Как българският цар Самуил покръсти русите и създаде руската православна църква". www.24chasa.bg. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  4. ^ "Русия да признае официално, че е приела християнството от българския цар Самуил - Труд". trud.bg (in Bulgarian). 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  5. ^ "Свети княз Владимир - покръстителят на Киевска Рус и Русия - приема християнството от България « Epoch Times Bulgaria" (in Bulgarian). 2022-07-15. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  6. ^ "Премиерът: Ако не беше България, може би нямаше да има Русия". Премиерът: Ако не беше България, може би нямаше да има Русия - Новини СЕГА (in Bulgarian). 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  7. ^ "Блогът на barin :: Първо и второ "южнославянски влияния" в Русия". barin.blog.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  8. ^ "Свети Киприан – българинът, който пое духовното водачество над цяла Русия". Българска история (in Bulgarian). 2016-05-19. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  9. ^ von Huhn, (1885)
  10. ^ Stowell, Ellery Cory (2009). The Diplomacy of the War Of 1914: The Beginnings of the War (1915). Kessinger Publishing. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-104-48758-4.
  11. ^ "Russian Policy in the Orthodox East: The Patriarchate of Constantinople (1878-1914)". Russian Policy in the Orthodox East (PDF). De Gruyter Open Poland. 24 April 2015. ISBN 978-83-7656-032-8.
  12. ^ "Slavica Publishers | Indiana University".
  13. ^ "Bulgaria joins the Axis". HISTORY. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  14. ^ "The Balkans in WWII". dmorgan.web.wesleyan.edu. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  15. ^ Reynolds, David (2009). Summits: Six Meetings That Shaped the Twentieth Century. New York: Basic Books. pp. 107–108. ISBN 0-7867-4458-8. OCLC 646810103.
  16. ^ a b c d David Walker & Daniel Gray, "Bulgaria, People's Republic of" in The A to Z of Marxism (Scarecrow Press, 2009), pp. 36-39.
  17. ^ Bulent Gokay, Eastern Europe Since 1970: Decline of Socialism to Post-Communist Transition (Routledge, 2001), p. 19.
  18. ^ Deborah Sanders, Maritime Power in the Black Sea (Routledge, 2014), p. 176.
  19. ^ Nikolai Slatinski, National security: aspects, analyses, alternatives, Sofia. 2004 // (in Bulgarian) Николай Слатински, “Националната сигурност – аспекти, анализи, алтернативи (doc)”, София, Издателство “Българска книжница”, 2004, p.119
  20. ^ We succeed in making the Grand Slam said Parvanov // (in Bulgarian) Постигнахме Голям шлем, обяви Първанов, news.bg, 18.01.2008
  21. ^ "the so-called "Grand Slam" (three major Bulgarian-Russian energy projects agreed in January 2008 between him and then Russian President Vladimir Putin) has failed to materialize", Bulgaria's Outgoing President Pledges to Help Parties Unite, novinite.com, 17 January 2012
  22. ^ Bulgaria Added to Russia's List of Unfriendly States, novinte.com, 1 May 2021
  23. ^ Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries, tass.com, 14 May 2021
  24. ^ Lee, Michael (8 March 2020). "Here are the nations on Russia's 'unfriendly countries' list". CTV News.
  25. ^ "Bulgaria to recall its ambassador to Russia for consultations". Swissinfo. 24 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Moscow's Embassy in Bulgaria Launches Fundraiser for Russian Troops". Balkan Insight. 28 June 2022.
  27. ^ Oliver, Christian (28 June 2022). "Bulgaria expels 70 Russian diplomats and spies". Politico. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  28. ^ Tsolova, Tsvetelia (28 June 2022). "Bulgaria expels 70 Russian diplomatic staff over espionage concerns". Reuters. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  29. ^ Todorov, Svetoslav (29 June 2022). "Russian Embassy's Work Frozen After Bulgaria Expels 70 Diplomats". Balkan Insight.
  30. ^ "Let's Tune In To The EU's Periphery: Bulgaria Political Infighting Over Choosing Russia Or The West". 8 July 2023.
  31. ^ Camut, Nicolas (26 June 2023). "Bulgaria's economy minister hints Russians attacked ammo factory". Politico. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  32. ^ "Bulgaria joins EDA's collaborative procurement of ammunition for Ukraine". 14 July 2023.
  33. ^ "President of Ukraine following the meeting with Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov: Bulgaria is a defender of freedom and opponent of Russia's genocidal policy". 6 July 2023.
  34. ^ "Ukraine Nears Nuclear Deal With Bulgaria in Fresh Blow for Russian Influence Bulgaria turns against Moscow in negotiating sale of two Russian-designed reactors to Kyiv". 6 July 2023.
  35. ^ "Bulgarian parliament votes to end Lukoil's concession to operate Rosenets oil terminal". 24 July 2023.
  36. ^ "Lukoil Bulgaria refinery attracts buyer interest - report". 18 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Bulgaria/russia". January 2022.
  38. ^ "Ukraine war: Russia halts gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria". BBC News. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  39. ^ Lesiv, Mykola (28 September 2023). "Bulgaria Bans Russian Oil". The Gaze. Retrieved 3 July 2024.

Sources

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  • Arthur Ernst von Huhn: The Struggle of the Bulgarians for National Independence Under Prince Alexander: A Military and Political History of the War Between Bulgaria and Servia in 1885 (John Murray, 1886). Online.
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