Bulgaria–Greece relations

Relations between Greece (the Hellenic Republic) and Bulgaria (the Republic of Bulgaria) have been very cordial since the 1950s, preceded in the earlier 20th century by periods of intense mutual hostility. Since Bulgaria's independence in 1908, Greece and Bulgaria faced each other in three major wars: the Second Balkan War, the First World War and the Second World War, in which Bulgaria briefly occupied parts of northern Greece.

History

Since the Second World War, relations between Greece and Bulgaria have been flourishing, and as the Greek President Konstantinos Tsatsos said during the Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov's visit to Athens in April 1976, "the old controversies have been forgotten and the hatchet buried forever". [ [http://www.kampanyarchivum.hu/files/300/8/3/8-6-85.html Bulgaria and its neighbours: a hundred years after independence] ] Today, Greece is a firm supporter of Bulgaria’s EU membership and was the fifth EU member state and the first old member state to ratify the Accession Treaty.Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs: [http://www2.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/en-US/Policy/Geographic+Regions/South-Eastern+Europe/Balkans/Bilateral+Relations/Bulgaria/ Bilateral relations between Greece and Bulgaria] ] Since Bulgaria joined NATO in May 2004, Greek-Bulgarian relations have been developing on all fronts, and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes relations between Greece and Bulgaria as "excellent".

Names

In the Greek language, Bulgaria is called Βουλγαρία ("Vulgharia") and the Bulgarians are called Βούλγαροι ("Vulghari"). In the Bulgarian language, Greece is called Гърция ("Gartsiya") and the Greeks are called Гърци ("Gartsi").

Historical

Today

Official visits

Greece and Bulgaria regularly exchange visits of senior dignitaries and officials. Notable official visits include:
* The President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov to Greece (05-07/11/2003)
* Working visit by Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Sakskoburggotski to Athens (31/10-01/11/2002) and attendance at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony (13-17/08/2004).
* The President of the Hellenic Republic, Kostis Stephanopoulos to Bulgaria (11-13/10/2004)
* Meeting between the two Presidents in Thessaloniki (11/04/05)
* Working visits by Foreign Minister, Petros Molyviatis, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Ministers Valinakis and Stylianidis to Sofia (16/11/2004) confirm the excellent level of bilateral relations.
* The Greek President, Karolos Papoulias, met with his Bulgarian counterpart, Georgi Purvanov, in Thessaloniki (11/4/2005), immediately upon taking office, and visited Bulgaria within the framework of the Regional Forum on Cultural Corridors in Southeast Europe, which took place in Varna (20-21/5/2005).
* Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis paid a two-day visit to the country (19-20/5/2005) at the invitation of Bulgarias Minister of the Interior at the time, G. Petkanov.

Treaties

The main Inter-State Agreements signed over the past 15 years are as follows:
* Avoidance of Double Taxation on Income and Capital (Athens, 15/2/1991)
* Police Cooperation (covering clandestine immigration, terrorism, organised crime, and police training) (Athens, 8/7/1991)
* Cooperation between Ministries of Defence and Armed Forces (Athens, 28/11/1991)
* Agreement on Seasonal Workers (Athens, 15/12/1995)
* Agreement on the Waters of the River Nestos (Sofia 22/12/1995)
* Agreement on the Opening of Three New Border Posts and Arterial Road Links between the two countries (Sofia 22/12/1995)
* Military and Technical Cooperation (March 1998)
* Scientific, Educational and Cultural Agreement (Sofia 12/6/2002) (in application of Article 13 of the Bilateral Cultural Agreement (Athens, 31/05/1973)
* Five-Year Development Cooperation Agreement within the framework of the HIBERB (development Aid to Bulgaria of 54,29 million euros) (28/08/2002)
* Bilateral Environmental Protection Agreement (Athens, 01/11/2002)
* Aviation Agreement (Athens, 01/11/2002)
* Scientific and Technological Cooperation Protocol (Athens, December 2002)

Diasporas

Historically, there have been sizable Greek and Bulgarian communities in the territories which form present day Bulgaria and Greece respectively. These communities today are mostly non-existent due to the population exchanges between Greece and Bulgaria which were directed under the Treaty of Neuilly in 1919.

According to the 2001 census, there were 35,104 Bulgarian citizens in Greece, [ Πληθυσμός κατά υπηκοότητα και φύλο Σύνολο Ελλάδος, αστικές και αγροτικές περιοχές: [http://www.statistics.gr/gr_tables/S1101_SAP_3_TB_DC_01_10_Y.pdf Απογραφή πληθυσμού της 18ης Μαρτίου 2001] ] constituting 4,7% of all foreigners in Greece. However, that number has risen since then, as in 2003-2004, Bulgarians accounted for 9,8% of residence permit holders in Greece, out of which 473 were students and 2,059 were married to EU nationals.Hellenic Migration Policy Institute (ΙΜΕΠΟ): [http://www.mmo.gr/pdf/general/IMEPO_Final_Report_English.pdf statistical data on immigrants in Greece] ] In the academic year 2002-2003, there were 2,873 non-ethnic Greek citizens of Bulgaria in Greek state schools. There is a nationalist political organization in Greece named Bulgarian Human Rights in Macedonia which claims to represent Bulgarians in Greece (both the remnants of the population exchanges and the recent immigrants). There are numerous publications in Greece for the Bulgarian community, including the bilingual newspaper "България днес/Βουλγαρία σήμερα" (Bulgaria today).

According to the 2001 census, there were 3,408 Greeks in Bulgaria. [Republic of Bulgaria: National Statistical Institute: [http://www.nsi.bg/Census/Ethnos.htm 2001 census] ] This figure will most likely include Sarakatsani, former political refugees, remnants of the population exchanges, students, and businessmen and their families.

See also

* The incident at Petrich: The Greco-Bulgarian war of 1925

References