Bulgaria - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Bulgaria, it was named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D.. The Government system in this country is the parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Sofia-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
National symbols

Lion; national colors: white, green, red.

The flag
The National flag of Bulgaria has three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the pan-Slavic white-blue-red colors were modified by substituting a green band (representing freedom) for the blue.
The National Anthem
Title "Mila Rodino" (Dear Homeland)
Lyric/music Tsvetan Tsvetkov RADOSLAVOV
More about the government of Bulgaria
Date of Independence 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Legal system civil law
International law organization participation accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Constitution
History Several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991
Amendments Proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; passage requires three-fourths majority vote of National Assembly members in three ballots; signed by the National Assembly chairperson; note - under special circumstances, a "Grand National Assembly" is elected with the authority to write a new constitution and amend certain articles of the constitution, including those affecting basic civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in each of several readings; amended several times, last in 2023
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth no
Citizenship by descent only at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria
Dual citizenship recognized yes
Residency requirement for naturalization 5 years
Executive Branch
Chief of state President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017)
Head of government Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar GLAVCHEV (since 9 April 2024)
Cabinet Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly
Elections/appointments president and vice president elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 14 and 21 November 2021 (next to be held in fall 2026); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly
Election results
2021
: Rumen RADEV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in the first round - Rumen RADEV (independent) 49.4%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV (independent) 22.8%, Mustafa KARADAYI (DPS) 11.6%, Kostadin KOSTADINOV (Revival) 3.9%, Lozan PANOV (independent) 3.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in the second round - Rumen RADEV 66.7%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV 31.8%, neither 1.5%

2016: Rumen RADEV elected president in second round; percent of vote - Rumen RADEV (independent, supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party) 59.4%, Tsetska TSACHEVA (GERB) 36.2%, neither 4.5%
Legislative branch
Description Unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open-list, proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections Last held on 2 April 2023 (snap election to be held on 9 June 2024)
Election results Percent of vote by party/coalition - GERB-SDS 25.4%, PP-DB 23.5%, Revival 13.6%, DPS 13.2%, BSP for Bulgaria 8.6%, ITN 3.9%, other 11.8%; seats by party/coalition GERB-SDS 69, PP-DB 64, Revival 37, DPS 36, BSP for Bulgaria 23, ITN 11; composition - men 179, women 61, percentage women 25.4%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s) Supreme Court of Cassation (consists of a chairman and approximately 72 judges organized into penal, civil, and commercial colleges); Supreme Administrative Court (organized into 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 justices); note - Constitutional Court resides outside the judiciary
Judge selection and term of office Supreme Court of Cassation and Supreme Administrative judges elected by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC (consists of 25 members with extensive legal experience) and appointed by the president; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court justices elected by the National Assembly and appointed by the president and the SJC; justices appointed for 9-year terms with renewal of 4 justices every 3 years
Subordinate courts Appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Georgi Velikov PANAYOTOV (since 7 June 2022)
Chancery 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone [1] (202) 387 5770
FAX [1] (202) 234-7973
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/homepage/
Consulate(s) general Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Kenneth MERTEN (since 7 April 2023)
Embassy 16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408
Mailing address 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC  20521-5740
Telephone [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX [359] (2) 937-5320
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://bg.usembassy.gov/
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites 10 (7 cultural, 3 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales Boyana Church (c); Madara Rider (c); Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (c); Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (c); Rila Monastery (c); Ancient City of Nessebar (c); Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (c); Srebarna Nature Reserve (n); Pirin National Park (n); Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n)
Key Political parties and their leaders in Bulgaria
  • International organization participation
  • Australia Group
  • BIS
  • BSEC
  • CD
  • CE
  • CEI
  • CERN
  • EAPC
  • EBRD
  • ECB
  • EIB
  • EU
  • FAO
  • G- 9
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC (national committees)
  • ICCt
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IHO (pending member)
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • IMSO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO
  • ITU
  • ITUC (NGOs)
  • MIGA
  • NATO
  • NSG
  • OAS (observer)
  • OIF
  • OPCW
  • OSCE
  • PCA
  • SELEC
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNHCR
  • UNHRC
  • UNIDO
  • UNMIL
  • UNOOSA
  •   UNWTO
  • UPU
  • Wassenaar Arrangement
  • WCO
  • WFTU (NGOs)
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO
  • ZC
  • All Important Facts about Bulgaria

    Want to know more about Bulgaria? Check all different factbooks for Bulgaria below.

    Bulgaria is found in Southeast Europe