What’s it really like working in Bulgaria? To understand that, let’s look at the location and history of the nation first. Bulgaria is located in southeastern Europe, within the northeast part of the Balkans. It borders the Black Sea, Macedonia, Serbia, and Romania. This country is at the crossroads of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
In 681AD, the First Bulgarian state was founded. The beginning of a common alphabet, language, and religion united culturally and ethnically diverse people, developing the Bulgarian national awareness.
Bulgaria reached independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Bulgaria became a republic in 1946, under the economic and political dominance of the USSR. In 1989, Bulgaria started democratic changes. Then, it began the shift to a market economy ruled by a parliamentary democracy. Bulgaria has been a member of the Council of Europe from 1991. In 2004, Bulgaria joined NATO, and in 2017 the European Union.
Sofia is the capital of the country and Bulgaria is divided into twenty-eight territorial provinces. About 70% of the Bulgarian people live in urban areas. This country is a small, open economy. About 63% of the GDP composition is for services, about 30% for industry, and just around 5% for agriculture. Bulgaria has a steady currency upheld by a currency board.
Relationships are the key in Bulgarian business. Business etiquette, business communication, business meeting etiquette, student, and internship placements, living costs, and work-life-balance characterizes the Bulgarian Business Culture.
Also, Bulgaria is a part of the WTO – World Trade Organization. Member states of the EU are Bulgaria’s leading trading partners. Bulgaria exports to Italy, Germany, Romania, Belgium, France, and Greece. These exports account for two thirds of all exports to the EU! Other trading partners outside of the EU are the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Russia. The main exports of Bulgaria include footwear, apparel, steel and iron, equipment, and machinery. Imports are mainly fuels, equipment, machinery, raw materials, minerals, plastics, chemicals, ores and metals.
Foreigner in Bulgaria
The Bulgarian population is very friendly, helpful, warm, and welcoming. They are happy to help you with whatever you need. Many of the Bulgarian population appreciate foreign visitors and speak foreign languages. Also, Bulgarians consider foreign business partners to be trustworthy, experienced, and qualified, so they accept them very well.
Most of the Bulgaria population perceives the number of immigrants in their country low, so they don’t see immigrants as a threat to their jobs. They believe immigrants can be of help to the country when placed in the right employment.
Bulgaria promotes the protection of their traditions and customs and doesn’t consider the immigrants’ impact on national culture to be a threat. Bulgarian population has high levels of tolerance towards immigrants.
International Business
To maintain successful businesses in Bulgaria, you need to have a good knowledge of the culture. Once you’re prepared to meet different beliefs and attitudes, you won’t have any business difficulties. The same is true for those outsourcing to Bulgaria. The outsourcing industry in Bulgaria is growing rapidly due to the highly qualified workforce with excellent language skills.
Education standards
Bulgarian education standards are quite high. The education system is opening its doors to the world and the requirements of a knowledge-based economy. Bulgarians are well-educated people – more than 80% of the working-age Bulgarians have secondary or higher education. Bulgaria introduces learning foreign languages even in the kindergartens.
Following the EU trends, most students are learning subjects related to public relations and business administration, accompanied by construction and industry, medicine, humanities, and arts.Bulgarian universities are welcoming foreign students. Young specialists educated abroad are enriching the academic staff in Bulgaria.
People who want to study in Bulgaria should contact the relevant consulate or embassies offices in their country. And don’t worry about getting there, the international bus routes connect Bulgaria to most European cities.
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