History History

The Thracians (Тракия-Trakija), an Indo-European people, settled on the coast of the Black Sea, then called Pont-Euxin. The latter had first taken the name Euxinus (inhospitable) in reference to the barbarian peoples that bordered it, before relations became "more human".

The Greeks established trading posts and settlements along the Black Sea coast in Dionysopolis (Balchik), Odessos (Varna), Messembria (Nessebar) and Apollonia (Sozopol).

Philip II of Macedonia (382-336 B.C.), father of Alexander the Great, annexed Thrace. He conquered the city of Eumolpias (Plovdiv) in 342, then renamed Philippopolis.

Thrace is under the double influence of Hellenistic but especially Roman. Rome indeed dominates this region. The Thracians proved to be rebels and fighters are used as slaves, mainly as gladiators.

Emperor Trajan confronts the Goths and Daces, founds the town of Veliko Tarnovo and installs garrisons along the Danube - Durostorum (Silistra), Novae (Svichtov). The Danube River became an important trade route; an important road also connects the Black Sea to the Rhine via Serdica (Sofia).

This date marks the foundation of the first multi-ethnic Bulgarian kingdom by the khan of the Bulgarian Asparouk. The capital is established in Pliska. The territory includes what is now Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova and Romania.

Brothers Cyril and Methodius created the Cyrillic alphabet in their mission of evangelization of the Slavic countries. With a common script, the peoples understand each other and the transmission of religion is now accessible to all.

Prince Boris I (852-907) introduced Christianity to Bulgaria, made Veliki Preslav the capital of Bulgaria, and was recognized by the Byzantines as the Tsar of the Bulgarians.

Golden age of Bulgarian culture during the reign of Tsar Simeon the Great, son of Boris I. Bulgaria was then one of the largest kingdoms in Europe.

The visionary and powerful Emperor Basil II (976-1025) conquered Bulgaria, which became a province of the Byzantine Empire.

Second kingdom of Bulgaria, under the domination of the Asen dynasty, who established the capital at Veliko Tarnovo.

Bulgaria falls under Ottoman rule and becomes for five centuries a region of the Empire.

Beginning of the Bulgarian national revival movement, led by the monk Paissi from the Hilendar monastery (on Mount Athos), who wrote the famous Bulgarian-Slavic History.

Born in Vienna, Austria, Ferdinand I was elected Prince of the Bulgarians in 1887 and became Tsar in 1908. He married Marie-Louise de Bourbon-Parme on April 20, 1893 in Parma, Italy, on the condition that the obligation for children to be raised in the Orthodox faith be removed from the Constitution. Ferdinand did not keep his word and had his heir baptized. His wife, betrayed, could not stand him and died in childbirth at the age of 28. In 1918, Ferdinand abdicated in favour of his son Boris.

This date marks the beginning of the organized national liberation movement. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church becomes autocephalous.

The April revolt for the liberation of the Bulgarians is severely repressed by the Ottoman authorities, but for the first time international opinion is shocked by their practices.

Russian-Turkish war for the liberation of Bulgaria, in which a significant number of Bulgarians participate and die. This is the first time that Russia has aimed to liberate the Bulgarian people from the Ottoman Empire.

Bulgaria is being reborn on the basis of the former regions of Mesia, Thrace and Macedonia, becoming the largest Balkan state.

The signing of the Treaty of Berlin led to the division of the new Bulgarian state into two parts, the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Romania. At the same time, a large part of the southern part of the country came under Ottoman rule.

The constitution of Tarnovo is adopted by the National General Assembly. The country now runs itself alone with the politicians who have participated in some way in the previous events.

Alexander of Battenberg becomes prince of Bulgaria under the name of Alexander I, and he makes Sofia the capital of the new Bulgarian state.

A small typographer and president of the General Union of Trade Unions before the First World War, he distinguished himself first during the 1923 uprising, then at the Leipzig trial in 1933 where he was accused of having caused the burning of the Reichstag. He stood up to Göring in his own defence. Relaxed, he emigrates to Moscow, from where he leads the Komintern. He imposes the tactics of the Popular Front on the Western Communist parties, especially in France, to fight against the fascist danger. He determines the strategy of the Bulgarian Communist Party from Moscow, and does not return to his country until 1945 to become Prime Minister in 1946.

Unification of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia, which accelerates the process of liberation of Bulgaria.

King Ferdinand I proclaimed Bulgaria's full independence and thus put an end to Ottoman rule.

Born in Pravets, this politician who gradually rose through the ranks of the Communist Party of Bulgaria has achieved the feat of being the longest-serving party leader. Known for his rigid alignment with Moscow's policy, he tried to introduce reforms such as Glasnost and Perestroika. He died in Sofia and is buried in the capital's central cemetery.

Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece stand against the Ottoman Empire. On a numerical superiority, the members of the Balkan League won the victory after eight months of clashes and shared the territories that the Ottoman Empire possessed in Europe. Feeling aggrieved, Bulgaria provoked the Second Balkan War a month later.

Second Balkan War against Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, the Ottoman Empire and Romania (all of Bulgaria's neighbouring states) at the same time. These clashes will continue with the First World War.

The peace treaties ending the First World War, which saw Bulgaria allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary, sanctioned these alliances.

On several occasions, democratically elected governments are overthrown by coups d'état that bring authoritarian regimes to power.

Bulgaria entered the Second World War alongside the Axis forces: Germany, Italy and Japan. However, Sofia distinguished itself from the other Axis allies by refusing to surrender Jewish citizens to be sent to concentration camps, and the Bulgarian territory, then governed by Boris III, did not see any confrontation.

After the Yalta and Potsdam conferences at the end of the war, Bulgaria became a "people's democracy" of the Eastern bloc.

After a referendum, the People's Republic is proclaimed. Two years later, the ruling Fatherland Front is purged by the Communist Party of its "bourgeois" elements and is totally aligned with the USSR: Communist Party dictatorship, five-year plans, collectivisation, membership of the "socialist camp".

Thirty-six years of domination by the Communist Party, and more specifically by one man, Todor Zhivkov, who was both head of state and head of the Communist Party.

Assassination of dissident writer Georgy Markov in London, executed by the Bulgarian government and the KGB with the "umbrella-stroke", which consists of injecting ricin, a deadly poison hidden in the tip of an umbrella.

Under the pressure of local and international events, Todor Zhivkov was forced to resign. Bulgaria then embarked on the road to democracy.

The Union of Democratic Forces is formed on the basis of the thirteen opposition parties.

For the first time, free parliamentary elections are held.

The new democratic Constitution is adopted by the Bulgarian National Assembly. The National Assembly defines Bulgaria as a unitary parliamentary republic

The first free presidential elections are held. Jeliou Jelev is elected President of the Republic by universal suffrage, and this election reinforces his election in January 1990 by the National Assembly.

Petar Stoyanov, representative of the Union of Democratic Forces, was elected President of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Union of Democratic Forces wins the parliamentary elections. A new government is formed under the leadership of Ivan Kostov, Prime Minister. Beginning of profound democratic reforms.

Bulgaria is a candidate for membership of the European Union and NATO.

The Helsinki European Council decides to start accession negotiations, which open in March 2000.

The National Movement Simeon II came first in the legislative elections (120 seats out of 240 in Parliament). Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (64), former Tsar of Bulgaria, becomes Prime Minister.

Victory of the former communist president, Georgy Parvanov, over the outgoing president, Petar Stoyanov.

Bulgaria is officially part of NATO.

The Socialist Party (PSB, ex-Communist Party) of the young Sergei Dmitrievitch Stanishev wins the parliamentary elections, but has to find a coalition to form the new government.

After interminable negotiations, a tripartite government coalition was found between the PSB, the National Movement Simeon II (centre, party of outgoing Prime Minister Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF, party of the Turkish minority). Sergei Dmitrievitch Stanishev is Prime Minister.

After a nine-year long accession process, Bulgaria officially joins the European Union together with Romania. They are the 26th and 27th EU states respectively.

The tripartite coalition lost the European and parliamentary elections by a landslide to the centre-right GERB party of former Sofia mayor Boïko Borissov. The latter becomes Prime Minister.

The Bulgarian economy is suffering from the shocks of the 2008 crisis. Unemployment is rising, as is the cost of living. The weakening of the euro is prompting the elites to postpone the country's changeover to the single currency.

The centre-right GERB party wins the presidential election; its candidate Rosen Plevneliev is elected President of the Republic.

The winter and spring are marked by major demonstrations across the country, with the streets rising up against the high cost of living, the shortcomings of the democratic system and political parties. Some episodes are violent and marked in particular by immolations by fire: a total of ten people attempt suicide, seven perish burned alive. On 20 February, the President was forced to dismiss his government and dissolve parliament.

Early elections in May 2013 redistribute seats in Parliament in favour of the Socialist Party and its leader, Plamen Oresharski, is appointed Prime Minister. Protests and immolations continued throughout the summer, revealing a poisonous social climate, to the point that the new government did not stand the shock and withdrew a year later, after the heavy defeat of the PSB in the European elections of May 2014. A provisional government, led by Georgy Bliznachki, was set up in August 2014 until early parliamentary elections were held.

Former Prime Minister Boïko Borissov returns to power after his party's victory in the early parliamentary elections. But the GERB does not reach an absolute majority with only 32.6% of the vote. Parliament therefore had to form a coalition that brought together the Reform Bloc (centre-right) and the Alternative for the Bulgarian Renaissance (ABV, centre-left).

This year has not been an easy one for the government, which tried new anti-corruption strategies but failed to obtain a majority in September when a draft law on the fight against high-level corruption was passed. Despite internal dissent, the Reform Bloc maintained its coalition with GERB.

A new twist, the ABC party joins the opposition by losing the majority in Parliament to the Borissov government.

Resignation of Borissov following the victory of General Roumen Radev (PSB: 59.4%) in the presidential elections of 6 and 13 November 2016.

He was 53 years old at the time. The ceremony takes place in Sofia to the sound of artillery and bells. Then officially begins his five-year presidential term.

Early parliamentary elections by President Radov. The GERB regains the advantage over the PSB with 32.7% of the votes (Brassov's party does not, however, have a majority). After a month of negotiations, formation of a coalition government (open to nationalists).

Boïko Borissov returns to the Bulgarian government, this is his third appointment as Prime Minister.

Bulgaria holds the Presidency of the European Union for the first time.

Bulgarian economist Kristalina Gueorguieva succeeds French economist Christine Lagarde as head of the IMF. She is 66 years old and the first woman from an emerging country to be appointed to the post. Environmental issues are at the centre of her work.

In a very tense context, the 2021 presidential election was marked by a record number of 23 candidates. Ramen Radev, whose campaign is strongly opposed to corruption, won the elections once again with a score of 66.72% in the second round.

Throughout the year, large-scale anti-corruption protests were held against the government of Boiko Borissov until its fall. The formation of the Petkov government in December 2021 ended several months of political deadlock.

Early parliamentary elections are held due to the fall of the Petkov government.

Faced with the inability of the political parties to form a stable government, Finance Minister Rositsa Velkova announced that Bulgaria would postpone its goal of joining the euro zone until January¹ , 2025. New parliamentary elections will be held in April 2023.