ZINE

NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E

leva
ISSUE 89/2014 5.95

ISSUE 8 9/20 14

9 771312 859112

ISSN 1312-8590

01

BU L G A RIAS E NGL IS H MAGAZINE

JONATHAN
ALLEN

>> BUILDING NEW RUINS > INTOLERANCE TO TOLERANCE > BULGARIAS MANY CAPITALS >
PYRAMIDS OF STOB > ST VALENTINE VS. TRIFON ZAREZAN > KARANOVO, BEGINNING OF HISTORY >
BALKANS TRAVEL IN ZADAR > LEGACIES OF COMMUNISM: ROMANIA > FICTION BY VLADISLAV HRISTOV >
QUIZZES, FUN, ENTRAINMENT, REVIEWS AND MORE >>

Clar!s, image builder - Photo Nicolas Claris

I love my Lagoon!

| 380 | 39 NEW | 400 S2 NEW | 421 | 450 | 52 NEW | 560 | 620 |

Official representative

Sofia
4B Simeonovsko Shose Blvd
phone/fax: 02 962 80 60
mobile: 0882 33 22 11
office@msyachting.bg
www.msyachting.bg

keynote

dear vagabond

As we are nearing the 100th issue of this journal (due out for
Christmas 2014), it is time to recap and change.
First the recap. Vagabond, Bulgaria's English Magazine, started in
2006 when this country was a very different place. The economy was
booming, expats were flowing in, investment reached unprecedented
volumes, Bulgarians were happy and optimistic as many of them
thought EU membership (which was attained a few months after the
first issue of Vagabond) would bring on irreversible reforms in making
Bulgaria a free and democratic society.
Eight years on the picture is quite different. Business is low, the
country seems to be in the grips of a bunch of omnipotent "oligarchs,"
civil society is struggling to find its feet, and people feel they have
been brought back to the early 1990s as they quibble over the vices
of democracy, the virtues of Communism and what a hypothetical
first-past-the-post electoral system would mean. Many expats have
discovered that after the happy Bulgarian summer, when the whether
is balmy and the beer is cheap, there comes a long Balkan winter
when your kids have to go to school and you have to visit a Bulgarian
hospital. Sadly, many have left, some of them for good. Consequently,
Vagabond has lost some of its readers.
The reasons for the decline are of course many and varied, as the
two most obvious ones are the world economic downturn coupled
with the inept policies of the Bulgarian government which did
nothing to alleviate the crisis and everything to consolidate its
stranglehold on power. It will probably take years to go back to precrisis levels, many Bulgarians fear.
Yet, it is not only Great Depression news. In our case, we actually
expanded into book publishing, becoming the only Bulgarian press
specialising in English-language periodicals and books. So far, we
have produced half a dozen books. Some of our titles have sold out
both domestically and internationally, and we have done reprints.

keynote

ATTRACT...
LOVE,
HAPPINESS
AND RICHNESS...

Not bad for a small company struggling against the economic crisis
and the various political and business pressures. I am proud to say
that we have not yielded to any of those. We remain unaffiliated in
any way to the big players on the media market, and we are confident
that this is the right way to go in the Bulgaria of the 2010s.
Vagabond may have lost some readers, mainly those expats who left,
but it has gained new ones. As we increasingly focus on aspects of
Bulgaria that remain outside the scope of the mainstream media
and as no one else does that in English Vagabond has become the
source of information for any non-Bulgarian speaker who is for
one reason or another interested in this country. This target group
includes, but is not limited to, intelligent travellers who want to get
off the beaten track to discover this country's amazing archaeological,
historical, cultural and ethnic heritage, the whole of the diplomatic
corps in Sofia, the expats in and outside Sofia, and many English
speakers abroad who have an interest in Bulgaria.
Significantly, in addition to running Vagabond the way you know
it erudite, witty and independent in the next couple of years we
plan to complete at least three new major book projects, all dealing
with aspects of Bulgaria and things Bulgarian that remain not very
well known to the English-speaking world.
And now for the changes. As you see, the magazine you are holding
in your hands looks quite different from what you have become used
to. The format and the graphic design have been spruced up and the
number of pages has increased. We will be making changes to the
editorial content as well. Thanks to the continuing support of the
America for Bulgaria Foundation, we will bring you more travelogues
about lesser known destinations throughout the country.
You won't get bored in 2014.

USE THE STRENGHT

OF CRYSTALS
AND SYMBOLS
AND CONNECT
WITH THE POWER
OF THE UNIVERSE...

FEEL THE
POWER...

Enjoy your Vagabond!

SOFIA 10 Lege St, phone: +359 885 179 310 | BURGAS 78 Aleksandrovska St, phone: +359 888 903 600
bg@raphaelholisticjewelry.com
www.raphaelholisticjewelry.com

imprint
PUBLISHER
Vagabond MEDIA
23 Budapest Street 1000 Sofia
phone: (+359 2) 983 3308
fax: (+359 2) 983 3358
editorial@vagabond.bg
www.vagabond.bg

Svetlana Doncheva
svetlana@vagabond.bg
Vanya Zlateva
vanya@vagabond.bg
CONTRIBUTORS
Antoaneta Baeva

MANAGING EDITOR

Bozhidara Georgieva

Anthony Georgieff
anthony@vagabond.bg

Minka Vazkresenska

Dimana Trankova
Stamen Manolov

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Violeta Rozova

Elena Filipova
elena@vagabond.bg

Vladislav Hristov
PAPER

ASSISTANT EDITOR

contents
issue 89 / 2014

8. Quote-unquote
9. Joke of the month
10. Bulgaria's monthly quiz
12. Forum

Intolerant Bulgaria
Building new ruins

20. Interview
Jonathan Allen

Cover: 200 g/m2

Inner page: 100 g/m2

Jane Keating

62. Motoring

Around Samokov in few hours

68. Balkans travel

Zadar

76. Legacies of Communism

Jail at land's end

GRAPHIC DESIGN

PRINTED IN BULGARIA

Gergana Shkodrova
shkodrova@vagabond.bg

Janet-45 Print & Publishing,

Plovdiv

Vladislav Hristov

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
GREECE

COPYRIGHT

87. Highflights

Jeni Georgieva
jeni@gogreece.bg
MEDIA SALES

Vagabond Media. No part

of this publication may be reproduced in any form without
the express written consent of
the publisher

Alexandra Spiridonova
a.spiridonova@vagabond.bg
Kristina Panayotova
kristina@vagabond.bg

82. Fiction

30. Holidays

128. Inside track

14 February dilemma

34. Quiz

Produced on Apple Macintosh

computer equipment only

ZINE
NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E

leva
ISSUE 89/2014 5.95

JONATHAN
ALLEN

BULGARIAS ENGLISH MAGAZINE

Tsvetelina Kovacheva
tsvetelina@vagabond.bg

ISSN 13128590
Unless explicitly stated, the views and opinions expressed or implied in
, Bulgaria's English
Monthly, are intended for entertainment only. The publisher assumes no responsibility, direct or implied,
for any advertising content. Products and services mentioned are subject to change without prior notice.
You are strongly advised to make proper research and seek professional advice before making any financial
commitment in response to advertising material

ISSN 1312-8590

ISSUE 89/2014

Pursuant to Article 7a, Paragraph 3 of the Bulgarian Compulsory Deposition of Printed and Other Works act
it is herewith declared that Anthony Georgieff is the sole proprietor of Vagabond Media Ltd.

01

35. High beam

Bulgaria's old capitals then & now

Pyramids of Stob
Karanovo

9 771312 859112

>> BUILDING NEW RUINS > INTOLERANCE TO TOLERANCE > BULGARIAS MANY CAPITALS >
PYRAMIDS OF STOB > ST VALENTINE VS. TRIFON ZAREZAN > KARANOVO: BEGINNING OF HISTORY >
BALKANS TRAVEL: ZADAR > LEGACIES OF COMMUNISM: ROMANIA > FICTION BY VLADISLAV HRISTOV >
QUIZZES, FUN, ENTRAINMENT, REVIEWS AND MORE >>

cover by Anthony Georgieff

quote-unquote

joke of the month

STATELY VISIT

"From spit and hate more Bulgarian patriots are born."

VOLEN SIDEROV, Ataka leader

A village somewhere in the

middle of nowhere. A telephone. A
representative of the mayor of the
nearby town. The phone rings.
Hallo, Boyko Borisov is on his
way to your village to inaugurate a
monument that we will built with
EU funds in 2020.

The mayor rep calls in the guard

and orders him to go to the square
and fire his gun in the air to let
everyone know Boyko is coming.
The guard runs to the square and
fires a shot. An old granny shows up.
What's up? Has the bread truck
arrived?
No, Boyko Borisov is coming.
Ah well....
Granny goes home, and no one else
turns up. The guard fires another
shot. Same old granny comes over
and inquires:
Has the bread truck arrived?
No, granny, Boyko Borisov is
coming.
Yes, I heard you shoot once, but
did you miss?

WHO THE F*CK STARTED IT?

Volen Siderov goes on a charity
visit to a kindergarten. Later, the

Ataka Press Centre sends out a news

release that it was actually the kids
who started the fight.

ABV.BG
To BSP members speaking:
Will you join the ABV?
No, I'll stay with Google.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

The crow sat on a branch with a
piece of cheese in his beak. Here
comes the fox.
Fox: Crow, will you go to the
ballots?
Crow: No.
As he opened his beak to speak,
the cheese fell down and the fox ate
it. So, the crow started thinking: "If
I had said yes, would that change
anything?"

"When I travel around the country and see poor

people, I weep. My rich friends told me to share with
you that they, too, weep when they see poor people."
NIKOLAY BAREKOV, former TV journalist turned politician

"The first word I learnt in Bulgarian was utre,

or tomorrow. Everythings tomorrow."
Footballer BRIAN HOWARD who left CSKA before the end of his contract
due to persistently unpaid wages

"The solution for Bulgaria is not a new wave

of revolutions, messiahs and populists."
President ROSEN PLEVNELIEV

East meets West

in Soa at

Checkpoint Charlie

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12 Ivan Vazov St. Sofia phone: 988 03 70

"GERB don't own media. All I have is a Facebook

account."

10

bulgaria's monthly quiz

where to
find us

think you know

bulgaria and
the bulgarians?
by Bozhidara Georgieva

When do Bulgarians put

on their martenitsa?

Communist-era IT thrived here

Which Bulgarian city is

famed for its dried ham?

A. On 8 March
B. On 3 March
C. On 1 March

The name of which

Bulgarian prime minister
doesnt derive from
Istanbul?
A. Stefan Stambolov
B. Aleksandar Stamboliyski
C. Konstantin Stoilov

Where in Bulgaria you can

see prehistoric cave art?
A. In Magurata Cave
B. In the Devetashka Cave
C. In the Devils Throat
Cave

Anthony Georgieff

Take our test to doublecheck

A. Tryavna
B. Elena
C. Bansko

Where is the Museum of

Bulgarian Railways?
A. In Sofia
B. In Ruse
C. In Varna

Which Bulgarian sea

resort is also a part of
a nature park?
A. Golden Sands
B. Albena
C. Sunny Beach

Which major Bulgarian

political party started to
split in January?
A. BSP
B. DPS
C. GERB

Which town was the centre

of Bulgarian IT industry
under Communism?
A. Vratsa
B. Pernik
C. Pravets

Which Sofia
neighbourhood is deemed
prestigious?
A. Lyulin
B. Boyana
C. Mladost
CHECK YOUR ANSWERS ON P126

, Bulgaria's English Monthly, is distributed in

the airports in Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Plovdiv.
has a large subscription base among expatriates
in Bulgaria as well as people interested in Bulgaria in the UK,
the United States, Germany, and Scandinavia.
You can buy single copies of
at good
newsstands throughout Bulgaria
and on board the planes of AIR LAZUR.
In Sofia, you can also get
at the Red House
Culture and Debate Centre, at the Greenwich Book Center,
Sofia, and at other good book and music stores,
or order it at www.store.bg
is at the Goethe Institute and the
Tourist Information Centre, Sofia.
In addition,
is being distributed at the
following fine establishments
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Toni Merdjanov Beauty Studio, Sofia
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and many others throughout the country.

Can't find your

?
Drop us a line at distribution@vagabond.bg,
stating where in Bulgaria you are, and we will make
sure your local newsstands are properly supplied.

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12

forum

intolerant
bulgaria

Bulgarian. The response of the authorities, who

are the ones exclusively responsible for checking
anyone's ID in this country, was slow and not
particularly spectacular. To put it in another way,
Speculating on ethnic hatred the fact that someone had the "civic courage"
to organise "patrols" in this way outshone, in
is Balkan game with fire
publicity terms, the government and its police.
One example of the kind of demagoguery
by Anthony Georgieff
being played around with is a pronouncement
by former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who
still vies to get more airtime. Borisov warned
The "proverbial" tolerance of Bulgarians,
the Turkish-dominated DPS not to "play with
which several post-Communist governments
the ethic card." He was speaking on the occasion
have promoted as a selling tool for the country of an assault against the Dzhumaya mosque
and as a means to pump up self-confidence in its perpetrated by football fans who threw stones
citizens, is becoming a think of the past. Bulgaria and broke windows in downtown Plovdiv. In
in 2014 is largely a country of oppositions:
actual fact, it is difficult to imagine how the
Bulgarians against Turks, Bulgarian citizens
DPS could line up football fans from Stara
against non-Bulgarians; "ethnic" Bulgarians
Zagora to come to Plovdiv and throw stones
against non-ethnics; "Communists" against
at a Muslim shrine, and then have Bulgarian
non-Communists; supporters of the government schoolchildren recite patriotic poems in front of
against protestors against it; straights against
the Turkish consulate in Bulgaria's second city.
gays; Ataka versus the Bulgarian National
Then comes the recent decision to ban
Salvation Front; everyone who is not in the
canvassing in "languages other than Bulgarian"
Bulgarian Socialist Party against the DPS; and so ahead of the European elections scheduled
on and so forth. Once again in Bulgarian history for May. No, no one wants to ban English
it is us against "them." There is nothing wrong
from the streets of Bulgaria. The move is
with oppositions as such as they usually are a part directed specifically at the mother tongue of
and parcel of the normal democratic process. The the Bulgaria's largest ethnic minority, Turkish.
trouble with Bulgaria is that many involved in a
Reminiscent of the 1980s, when speaking of
debate on significant social and political issues
Turkish was banned and anyone caught doing
tend to dismiss their opponents because of who
so could be fined, the Bulgarian parliament
they are rather than what they do and what they agreed to outlaw Turkish when used in
stand up for. Intolerance to anyone else's opinion electioneering. On this issue, of course, there
is becoming the norm rather than the exception. are fine details. The kind of Turkish spoken
Events in recent months have provided plenty
by an ageing segment of the indigenous ethnic
of ground for such depressing thoughts. The
Turks in Bulgaria is archaic and cannot be
arrival of a limited number of Syrian refugees in
readily understood in neighbouring Turkey.
late 2013 was greatly overexposed by the media
Younger Turks in Bulgaria are largely integrated
with obvious alarmist undertones. As a result, an and would speak Turkish mainly with their
extremist organisation in Sofia started sending
grandparents. The last time Turkish language
out "civic patrols" to check the documents
textbooks were published in Bulgaria was in...
of passers-by who did not look sufficiently
1992. Why would there be a need to electioneer

13

in Turkish? On the other hand, who would be

threatened if there was? It all comes down to
politicians on all sides, including the Turkishdominated DPS, fostering suspicion rather than
trust between large groups of Bulgarian citizens.
Interethnic relations in Bulgaria are at an all
time low, worse than even in the 1980s, the time
of the Communist-organised excesses against
the country's Turkish minority. According to
Antonina Zhelyazkova, the director of the
International Centre for Interethnic Studies
in Sofia, the reasons are purely political. Dr
Zhelyazkova has recently been quoted by
Bulgarian National Radio as saying the various
groups in Bulgarian society have encapsulated
themselves more than during the sunset days of
Communism when there was at least a common
cause.
The climate of intolerance does not only
concern groups "patrolling" or throwing stones
in the streets. It entails academic circles as well,
mainly those dealing with history. Attempts
to conduct a balanced debate on those parts of
Bulgaria's history the overwhelming majority
of Bulgarians take for granted two examples
being the five centuries of Ottoman rule and
the rescue of Bulgarian Jews during the Second
World War are snubbed at at best or vilified as
"provocations" and "threats to nationals security"
at worst.
From one standpoint the situation in Bulgaria
in 2014 can be thought about as being literary.
Mark Twain famously described "patriot" as
a person "who can holler the loudest without
knowing what he is hollering about. But another
writer who worked in a lot more perilous
times than Twain came to a much less jolly
conclusion: Being tolerant to intolerance is a
crime Thomas Mann. No one can compare
Twain with Mann, but the choice in Bulgaria is
quite real.


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14

forum

forum

building
new ruins

EU funds reconstruction of historic sites,

often with dubious authenticity
by Dimana Trankova; photography by Anthony Georgieff

In the 2010s, Bulgaria

witnesses something it
stopped seeing in the Middle
Ages. Here and there, in and
around cities and villages,
fortresses are rising, built from
scratch. High walls adorn
the Trapezitsa Hill in Veliko
Tarnovo, and the previously
unheard-of village of Belchin
near Samokov, has got its own
fortress with walls and turrets,
with an entire "medieval"
church thrown in as a bonus.
The reason behind the
hectic fort-building is not
a foreign invasion or fear of
advancing refugees. It is a
programme of the Culture
Ministry, funded with EU
money through the Regional
Development Operational
Programme. Its official name
is Support for Monuments
of Culture With National
and World Significance,
Contributing for the Stable
Development of Tourism.

Since 2011, it has poured

about 170 million leva into the
projects of 46 municipalities
all over Bulgaria.
Bulgaria's rich historical
heritage has been in dire need
of some investment for ages.
Poor tourist infrastructure
and an endemic lack of
signage have devalued the
experience of discovering the
sites of Bulgaria's history for
far too long.
There is also the problem
of the ruins themselves. Over
the centuries, Bulgaria was
dotted with rich cities and
mighty fortresses, ornate
churches and temples, bustling
with life. Wars, destruction,
treasure-hunting, later
buildings and the habit of
later generations to reuse
stones and bricks from older
constructions have led to
the disappearance of much
of this. The ruins of bygone
centuries are now mostly

of interest to historians, as
scientific importance does
not always equate with visual
attractiveness.
Many ruins were conserved
during Communism, but
economic hardship in the
late 1980s-early 2000s put an
end to this. Lack of proper
care from the state has also
contributed to the poor
condition of many historical
sites and there are places,
particularly excavated and
abandoned Thracian burial
mounds, where conservation
is crucial for the survival of the
sites.
For the ordinary tourist,
however, this is of little
interest. When you visit
a place, you want to see
something more than the
remains of few low but
carefully preserved walls. You
want to have your picture
taken against the backdrop of
a high fort, or a strategic tower

or an ancient amphitheatre.
You want, too, something
to help you re-imagine the
glorious past of the place. So,
in Bulgaria, building of "new"
ruins is seen as the main way
to "translate" a historical site
for the ordinary visitor.
Bulgaria is not the only
country trying to solve the
conflict between preserving
the authenticity and scientific
value of a historical site on the
one hand, and making it more
alluring to a broader audience
by rebuilding old walls, towers
and palaces, on the other.
In 1964, the International
Congress of Architects and
Technicians of Historic
Monuments in Venice tried

to solve what in essence is

a philosophical question.
The result was the Venice
Charter, which stipulates
the basic principles and rules
of restoration of historical
remains. According to it, the
authenticity of a monument is
paramount. All reconstruction
should be clearly labeled, and
has to be done with materials
as close to the original as
possible, and designed after
the original appearance of the
monument. These principles
were reaffirmed in 1994,
in the Nara Document of
UNSECO's World Heritage
Committee.
Bulgaria has for long
had issues following these

15

principles. In the case of its

monuments visual, written
or oral evidence of how this
particular church or that
particular fortress looked a
millennium ago is typically
scarce or non-existent.
Architects and restorers have
to rely on artefacts found in
situ and on deduction or
imagination. If you have two
buildings from the same
period and one of them is
better preserved, its design is
applied to the reconstruction
of the building in the worse
condition. There is some
logic to this. Probably the first
example of its application is
the so-called Baldwin Tower
on Tsarevets Hill, the heart

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16

forum

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forum17

of medieval Tarnovo. Only the foundations

of the tower were originally preserved, but in
the 1930s it was rebuilt after the design of the
better preserved Cherven fortress, near Ruse.
More reconstruction and rebuilding
followed in the late 1970s and the 1980s,
when Bulgaria celebrated with great pomp
and circumstance the 1,300 anniversary of
its founding. Tsarevets Hill got "proper
ruins," with fortress walls and towers, and
a whole cathedral was built from scratch.
Its interior was painted with expressionist
murals glorifying... Communism. So much
for authenticity.
In the same period, buildings rose in the
old capitals of Pliska and Preslav, too. The
economic difficulties in the sunset years of
Communism, its collapse and the first decades
of transition towards democracy terminated
further reconstruction. There was hardly any
money for archaeological research.
Yet, some work was done. In 1993, for the
1,100th anniversary of the proclamation of
Preslav as the capital of Bulgaria, the once
glorious Golden Basilica was reconstructed.
In the mid-2000s, the ancient wall of Sozopol
was heavily "reconstructed," too.
The 2011 EU-funded programme, however,
elevated this to a whole new level.
In fact, a lot of important remedial work
was funded by it. Many sites, like the Roman
city of Nicopolis ad Istrum and the Villa
Armira near Ivaylovgrad received proper
tourist infrastructure and much needed
conservation. The crumbling Ottoman CrossShaped Barracks in Vidin were renovated and
conserved. It is not longer that dangerous to
walk around the precipitous Asenova Fortress,
near Asenovgrad, and the replica of a Roman
ship and a wooden tower, along with provision
for experimental archaeology at Sexaginta
Prista, the Roman fortress near Ruse, make the
site more interesting.

The list of positive changes include

obligatory excavations before the actual
reconstruction, the creation of exhibition
spaces in situ and of internet pages, and the
organisation of historical re-enactments
from battles to religious rituals to events of
everyday life. All these have brought history
closer to the public without changing the face
of the historical monuments.
Some of the improvements instituted under
the EU-funded programme, however, are at
least dubious. The crude wooden parapet of
the new path leading to the late-Antiquity
Red Basilica near Perushtitsa, for example, is
by any standard an eyesore.
Most controversial are the projects where
new buildings rise on the foundations of
older ones, as already completed projects
demonstrate. Some examples are the lateRoman fortress near the village of Belchin
and the medieval Krakra Fortress in Pernik.
Many archaeologists and the general public
agree that the reconstruction of the fortress
and church near Belchin was a success. In
2013, the project even won the Building of the
Year Award for conservation and restoration
of cultural and historical heritage together
with the Small Basilica museum in Plovdiv.
However, the use of concrete in the
reconstruction at Belchin has nothing to do
with the methods used 1,500 years ago. The
complete rebuilding of a whole church is also
questionable.
The reconstruction of the Krakra Fortress
in Pernik attracted more outrage. Perched
on a plateau, the fortress was a place of
fierce Bulgarian opposition against the
Byzantines at the end of the 10th Century.
Like everywhere else, some walls and other
structures were preserved, but for decades
the ruins were seen more as a nice place for
a stroll rather than an awe-inspiring piece of
history. The municipality began wondering

Beauty Center

56 Bigla st.
Phone: 02 962 1415
GSM: +359 888 621 410 | +359 892 203 495
Facebook: Faceandbodyzone Bigla
www.faceandbodyzone.eu

18

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forum

Sozopol before it got its new

"ruin" (above) and now

pure kitsch. People compared

the new Krakra Fortress to
the remains of some cheap
movie prop and dubbed it
Pernikland.
The mayor of Pernik,
Rositsa Yanakieva, defended
the project and said that
the municipality never
meant to achieve a faithful
reconstruction, but rather
create a "tourist attraction."
The project was also given the
green light by the National
Institute for Cultural
Heritage, the state watchdog
that sanctions all activity on
historical sites.
The "reconstructed"
fortress in Sozopol received
a lot more criticism. In 2012,
the Bulgarian committee
of ICOMOS, or the
International Council on
Monuments and Sites,
included the "new" walls
in Sozopol in its list of
cultural heritage in danger.
The complete overbuilding
of the wall has destroyed
how to change this and in 2013 its authenticity and
reinforcement works have
they unveiled the results of
damaged the sea coast. All
their labours.
of this (and much more) has
On the stone walls of
been in breach with the Venice
the fortress now rises a
Charter, the Nara Document
construction of steel and
and the International Charter
plastic. In the daytime
for Cultural Tourism.
it represents how the
Significantly, the projects to
fortification looked and
restore and provide safe access
by night, the "artistically
to sites of cultural heritage
illuminated" plastic panels
which have been almost
look like shields. Or at least
that was the idea. The result is unanimously praised were

flametech@abv.bg
www.flametech-bg.com

getting
revamped

Some EU-backed
restoration projects
An Ottoman and a Roman fortress in
Belogradchik
Storgozia ancient fortress in Pleven
Ancient city of Novae, near Svishtov
Hotalich fortress, near Sevlievo
Transmariska ancient fortress, near Tutrakan
Abritus archaeological reserve, Razgrad
Veliki Preslav archaeological reserve
Yaylata archaeological reserve
Late-Antiquity and medieval fortress
Dionisopolis, in Balchik
St Atanas Cape fortress
Ancient city of Deultum, near Burgas
Late-Antiquity and medieval fortress Tuida, near
Sliven
Roman villa Armira, near Ivaylovgrad
Momchil's Fortress, near Kardzhali
The ancient city of Hissar
Peristera fortress, near Peshtera
Late-Roman fortress at Trayanovi Vrata Pass, near
Ihtiman
Nicopolis ad Nestum Roman city, near Gotse
Delchev
Late-Roman fortress near Belchin, near Samokov
Krakra fortress, in Pernik

done not with state-controlled EU money but

with independent foreign funding.
In 2012, the ancient stadium of Plovdiv was
reconstructed with Norwegian funding and
in 2013, the mosaics of the Small Basilica in
Plovdiv were restored and exhibited with the
financial help of the America for Bulgaria
Foundation. Both projects combine the
preserved remains of the original ancient
structure with modernistic architecture and
materials to much more pleasing effect
than the fake walls of the new Bulgarian
fortresses.

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20

interview

21

jonathan allen
interview and photography by Anthony Georgieff

As we sit down for some

early morning tea in the
splendid British residence
in Central Sofia on an
overcast winter day my
thoughts jump back to my
first encounter with Jonathan
Allen, the current British
ambassador to Bulgaria. It
took place a little over two
years ago. Jonathan had
just had his car broken into
in Plovdiv and had had to
deal with Bulgarian police
and insurance. Not a very
pleasant experience, I would
have thought, but it in no
way cast a shadow over his
attitudes to Bulgaria and
the Bulgarians. In the years
to follow Jonathan would
be sometimes unusually

enthusiastic about this

country and its people,
always trying to look at
realities here from the bright
side and always in search of
that tiny silver lining that
every cloud over the Balkans
has. Two years is not a very
long time to come to know
a country like Bulgaria,
which (in)famously prides
itself on its impenetrability
to foreigners, but then it is
not very short either. A lot
of things have happened
in Bulgarian politics, the
economy and social life
since the Allens first arrived,
and now, sipping my cup
of what is arguably the best
brewed tea in town, I want
to hear some summing-up. Is

Bulgaria a better place now

than it was two years ago?
Economically, Bulgaria
has not changed much. I
don't know if that's a great
surprise as Bulgaria relies
enormously on its exports
to the eurozone as does
in fact the UK. The bulk
of Bulgaria's growth and
economic prospects depend
on confidence in the eurozone
markets. Some things around
the margins are done very
well. One example is the flat
tax rate, which works very
well. Bulgaria does work
hard to ensure any investor
gets all the permission they
need. The infrastructure is
improving. You can say what
you like about Boyko, but the

22

interview

23
Visiting the vaults of the Museum
for History of Sofia

man liked a bulldozer and got

many things done.
There are some positives,
and there are some negatives.
The main negatives would be
around the state of the judicial
system.
To me, that's economics
I know many Bulgarians
would speak of the judiciary,
law-and-order and so on as
being related to politics, but
I disagree. Can a British
company come here in
confidence and know that if
it falls out with a Bulgarian
partner it will be fully
protected in the courts, get
speedy justice and a sensible
decision?
No. The Bulgarian system
cannot guarantee that. It
might. Probably by the time
you get to third instance it
will be OK, but that's a long
way to go and many things to
jump through. I think access
to consistently high quality
justice is a major problem
here.
The other big thing is public
procurement. It is difficult to
persuade foreign companies
to come and bid for funds and
tenders in Bulgaria because

they know and we know

that 50 percent of all public
procurement ends up with just
one company bidding ither
only one company starts or
only one company finishes.
That's crazy. The incumbent
Deputy Prime Minister
Daniela Bobeva has put
forward what I think is a quite
sensible package to change
that but, sadly, parliament has
voted out most aspects that
would have had an impact
on corruption. This is a great
shame.
So, the big picture in the
economy is that Bulgaria
has to wait for regained
confidence in the big
European markets. At the
margins, there is a lot that
still has to be done locally.
Cleaning up procurement,
sorting out the judiciary,
setting up commercial courts
that can administer justice
swiftly will make a huge
difference.
Politically, in the last two
years the party system has
declined. It has faced a huge
challenge with two sets of
protests in 2013. Frankly,
none of the political parties

have responded properly. To

me, the political story of the
past two years is positive as
it involves civil society and
citizens trying to make their
voices heard. There is no
doubt that civil society in
2013 had the politicians on
the run. You see that now. You
see now ministers and MPs
complaining privately that
you cannot do anything any
more because you are being
scrutinised all the time. That's
fantastic! That's how it should
be! A real challenge for 2014 is
whether the determination of
civil society can be sustained.
An insistent, demanding,
intrusive, loud and expectant
civil society is a fantastic thing
for a democracy to have.
The political parties, as I
said, have disappointed. So far
they have reacted by hoping
the pressure will go away
and they can go on acting
as they have always acted. I
have talked to the leaderships
of GERB, BSP and DPS as
well as to a number of parties
that have no representation
in parliament, inquiring how
this message that's come from
the streets will be listened to

24

British School of Sofia -

interview

The choice for your childs success

and acted upon by Bulgaria's

politicians, elected and paid
by the citizens to represent
them. What I find really
interesting is that the response
tends to be that Bulgaria has
changed, but there is no need
for us to change: we will carry
on as before.
Then of course everyone
tends to blame everyone else.
Each political party says that
whoever is against it is paid by
someone else, which I find an
unlikely event.
I think it is a great shame
that none of the three big
political parties show any
desire to change.
Do you think that the
current situation presages the
disintegration of the political
system in Bulgaria?
I don't know. You have two
political parties, the BSP and
the DPS, that you think will
survive forever. Outside of
these two parties there has
been a shifting constellation as
people try to find alternatives.
It will be interesting to see
what happens with GERB,
which is the largest party in
parliament at the moment, but
I do not see any new policies

there and I am not sure what

GERB stands for. GERB have
been out of power for nine
months. Obviously, they've
gone away and thought very
carefully about what their
offer is to the Bulgarian
people. But I do not know
what it is.
My impression is that there
is a significant proportion
of the Bulgarian people who
feel they do not have proper
political representation. I
know it's difficult to set up
new political parties, but the
fact that a lot of people do not
vote or vote for parties that
fail to make it into parliament
does create room for new
political entities to emerge.
There are some things that
have happened here that I
can't understand. Let me tell
you one very clear example
which brought everyone to
the streets last year and which
the government is fed up with
ambassadors talking about.
This is the appointment of
Delyan Peevski to be the
head of a super powerful
security agency to combat
organised crime and run the
entire internal intelligence

service. This is probably

the most sensitive security
position in the country in
fact many other countries
separate these offices to avoid
any one agency becoming
too powerful. The problem
with Peevski's appointment
is that no one can explain it.
That seems a very odd thing.
Here is a country which is
a member of the EU and
which has a cooperation
and verification mechanism
because there are still concerns
about it. It is a country which,
unlike Romania which also
has a CVM, has a specific
benchmark against organised
crime. The government
decides to create a super
agency and in 15 minutes
one Friday morning last year,
without any discussion and
any explanation of the merits,
background or experience
that the candidate has, it
puts forward someone who,
I think, is pretty commonly
accepted to be a controversial
figure in Bulgaria. Why?
The problem that I have is
that no one can explain why.
If you can't get an
explanation for why, then

Jonathan Allen,
the British Ambassador, was
guest of honour
at the celebrations, marking
the first day
of school this
year, where he
passed on his
best wishes to everyone. The presence of the British Ambassador at the ceremony is a further affirmation and recognition of our school. We are one of the British Schools beyond
the shores of the United Kingdom, which uses the British educational model and provides British certificates for all levels
of education. The British School of Sofia is part of the British
educational system and its certificates are equivalent to the
certificates provided by all British schools. They are the same
regardless of where the pupils study.
Could you tell us more about the school?
The British School of Sofia forms an entire course of education and spreads throughout the years of study. We
have a British Kindergarten for children between the ages
of 3 and 5. This is the first step in the complete educational
model. Children who join the school at nursery level fol-

low a programme which prepares them for the ongoing

successful British education. Our primary school is for children between the ages of 6 and 11. The Secondary school
is for children between 12 and 16. Our college level students are 16 to 18 years old. The British educational model
has four Key Stages and at the end of each Key Stage the
students take the following exams: Primary Checkpoint,
Secondary 1 Checkpoint, Secondary 2 IGCSE and Advanced levels.
What did provoke you to establish British School of
Sofia?
In this high-tech century, education is the hidden
treasure that ensures success in the future realisation
of children in the society . There is a direct correlation
between level of education and success in the future.
British School of Sofia appeared in Bulgaria in response
to the strong need for quality education, which creates
and guarantees competitive young people.
We hope that the students will leave our school confident and caring young people, with a strong awareness
of their duty to society. They will be able to make positive
life choices, be keen to take on new challenges and want
to play an active role in shaping the future.

1700 Sofia, zh.k. "Lozenetz", 1, "Ekaterina Nencheva" str., tel. /+359 2/ 979 19 49, 978 64 55,
GSM: /+359/ 886 510 510, e-mail: office@britishschoolbg.com www. britishschoolbg.com

26

interview

you start counting on your own

explanations. And none of the
explanations that you come up
with are terribly positive.
I mentioned before the
Procurement Bill. Deputy
Prime Minister Bobeva got
up and produced a number
of very interesting ideas to
take away some of the power
invested in non-procurement
specialists and do away with
the group of people around
certain municipalities who
are always selected to decide
and perhaps are more open
to influence. All of that was
removed by parliament. Why
would parliament want to
remove aspects that would
make public procurement
better in Bulgaria? Again,
there is no explanation. No
one in parliament has stood
up and said this is why we've
done this.
When you see that, you
worry.
I hear you speak a
completely different
language from either the
people in the street or the
politicians in Bulgaria.
Throughout 2013 the
protestors asked a very

interview

different question. They

wanted to know who
proposed Peevski, not why
and consequently that's the
question the politicians
refused to answer. No one
seemed to be interested in
the why.
No one should hold Bulgaria
to a higher standard than is
reasonable or fair. Bulgaria is
an young democracy. We can't
expect Bulgaria in 25 years
to have totally transformed
itself into the Switzerland of
Southeast Europe. But we can
expect it to keep on asking
questions of those who are
supposed to represent its
citizens.
What are the moral
implications of this?
The only way to make a
change is to believe in change.
What is your worst-case
and best-case scenario for
Bulgaria in the near future?
I think it would be very
bad news for Bulgaria if the
eurozone went back into
decline. I think Bulgaria has
weathered the storm with
a gradual decline in living
standards. Its business needs
a period of growth even if it is

more modest than the 2000s.

If I were Bulgaria's investments
minister I would be asking
many questions around the
points I mentioned before: the
rule of law and judicial reform.
So, the worst case scenario
would be an economic decline
in the eurozone markets
coupled with continuing
political instability at
home political parties
not responding to what the
electorate wants and the
electorate being unable to
provide an alternative to the
established political parties.
That would be risky, in any
democracy, because it allows
populists on either end of
the spectrum a lot of airtime
and may create a feeling of
hopelessness.
The best-case...
Elections in May?
Well, I am not gong to
say when there should be
an election as long as this
government is in power.
But my best-case scenario
would be economic growth
and people regaining their
confidence. That would entail
a response by the political
parties that would make

Bulgarians believe in politics

as a solution rather than a
problem to be ignored. A
key part of that is what the
opposition do. In theory,
oppositions especially if
they've been in government
think, renew, change things
and come with a new offer. In
Bulgaria, that doesn't seem to
be there.
In your capacity as
ambassador you are
presumably talking with
all the political parties in
parliament. Are you also
talking with Ataka?
Like pretty much every
EU government we do not
have any formal contacts
with Ataka. It is not possible
for us given the values that
Ataka hold and some of the
things they have chosen to
do and say. That said, we
totally respect that Bulgarians
have democratically elected
that party into parliament.
We are not trying to criticise
Bulgarians or pretend that
hasn't happened, but some
of the values and policies of
Ataka make it impossible for
us to have a close contact with
them.

Are Bulgarian newspapers

to be believed that there is
a concerted anti-Bulgarian
"campaign" in the UK over
the suspected influx of
Bulgarian immigrants?
I don't think there is an
organised campaign against
anyone. EU migration to
the UK has been a growing
issue for some time. A lot
of British people have very
positive sentiments about
the Bulgarians as so many
visit and have homes here.
Anybody who's spent any
time in the UK knows that we
have very free and very robust
media. That's the way it is.
Many British politicians can
feel very bruised when they
get involved with the British
media.
The important thing is what
the government does. We
can't control the media rights,
but we can control what we
do and the way we conduct
ourselves. Last year Prime
Minister David Cameron gave
a speech in which he made
it very clear that the labour
market controls would lift.
The British parliament did
not pass any measures that

27

the controls would stay. The

controls did lift in compliance
with EU law. But the prime
minister said he would bring
changes because of concerns
over access to the welfare
system. That comes from the
fact that our benefits system
is universal it does not rely
on contributions. Our health
service is here for everybody.
We do not stop people for
credit cards on their way to
hospitals. We treat them first.
This is a hugely important
principle for the British
people. There is concern
about benefits and the rules
will be tightened up on a nondiscriminatory basis.
All the measures that we
have introduced are, firstly,
less stringent than in Bulgaria.
And secondly, they apply to
everyone, including Brits.
If you have a British citizen
living in Haskovo, they have to
wait for three months before
they are entitled for benefits in
the UK. It's just the same for
them.
You can't generalise either
way, but Bulgarians for the
most part work hard, pay taxes
and are valued employees.

interview

advertorial

predicting the future

by knowing the present

29

David Butts, Managing Partner at the

Bulgarian branch of CMS Cameron
McKenna LLP, explains the business
climate in the country

have your say

In 2014, the British Embassy marks the centenary of its residence, one of the most
iconic buildings in Central Sofia. To celebrate the occasion, the embassy is launching
a series of events to mark the strong connections between Britain and Bulgaria.
The celebrations will go on throughout 2014 and explore and further develop the
trade and business opportunities between the two countries, as well as adding to the
understanding of the common historical, cultural and heritage connections between
the British and Bulgarian people.
One of the main elements of the celebrations is the 100 Years UK in BG blog. It will
feature memories from British nationals who have lived or are still living in Bulgaria.
The personal stories will help build a human picture of the way British people have
seen and experienced Bulgaria. The embassy would like to hear from them. Perhaps
why and how they fell in love with the country, and what cultural differences they
have come across. The embassy wants their funny and happy stories, but also their sad
stories. It can be anything from a single memory to a picture or a video that captures
experiences of Bulgaria to the thing they will miss most if they leave one day. Even
better if it is accompanied by a picture of Bulgaria that illustrates stories and feelings
about the country.
Vagabond, Bulgaria's English Magazine, is very happy to cooperate in this great
initiative and will have the best stories as well as the best photos published in both the
print and the electronic versions of the magazine on a monthly basis. If you are sending
pictures, please bear in mind that we will need high resolution images fit for print.
Those interested in sharing their most memorable moments from Bulgaria should
email them to 100yearsinbg@gmail.com.

Dragomir Ushev

28

Knowing local peculiarities is crucial when

expanding to new markets and since setting foot
in Bulgaria in 2003, CMS Cameron McKenna
LLP law firm has been an expert worth listening
to. Its Sofia office employs over 30 local lawyers
and is a branch of broader international
network. "We are a local firm that knows the
market very well and works internationally,
and we can help clients invest in Bulgaria or to
realise on their investments when it is time to
exit," says David Butts, Office Managing Partner.
A Canadian living in Bulgaria since 2003, Mr
Butts has considerable experience in corporate
and commercial law with an emphasis on
mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property
protection and technology licensing, and has
significant experience in the real estate sector.
In the first days of January, CMS published its
third annual report on mergers and acquisitions,
Emerging Europe: M&A Report /, a
handbook to all interested in having a true
picture on the business climate in 15 countries
in Central and Eastern Europe. The data is
compiled from official and company sources.
Why is the survey important?
Our clients have told us that it gives them a
real-time overview of what's happening. The
report is published in January and that means
that it contains data as recent as the previous
December. By doing so, we achieve relevance
and timeliness. And we are not afraid to go on

record predicting where we think the market is

going. Most of the time we get it right.
What are the main conclusions for Bulgaria
in 2013?
Bulgaria witnessed exits by international
investors and more acquisitions by high-networth
individuals or local business. However, we saw
notable exceptions like the acquisition of Globul
by Telenor. There is also a "wait and see" attitude
on what's going on politically. I am cautiously
optimistic, but if you don't have political stability,
money will eventually go elsewhere. On the
positive side, the government is saying the right
things about making it easier to do business in
Bulgaria. Now we just have to see whether it will
set this in action.
What are Bulgaria's strongest points as a
place for investment?
Its location and its membership in the
EU these things opens Bulgaria to markets it
otherwise won't have. And, unfortunately, its
depressed valuations.
How do you see Bulgaria in 201?
2014 is too short term, but I think it will
continue struggling with political uncertainty.
The potential upside is more in mid to long
term. Logistics, infrastructure and access to
EU funds are all very important for Bulgaria.
If Bulgaria concentrates on improving its
infrastructure, then the market will improve as
well.

Sofia, 4 Knyaz Alexander I Battenberg St, floor 2 | phone: +359 2 447 1350 | fax: +359 2 447 1390 | sofia@cms-rrh.com | www.cmslegal.com

30

holidays

14 february
dilemma
In Bulgaria, Trifon Zarezan
and St Valentine vie for a single day
by Violeta Rozova; photography by BTA

The question "What to do on St Valentine's Day?" can be frustrating.

For those in a relationship, there is the what-to-buy-this-year horror,
while for some singles there is the feeling of loneliness. The antiglobalists become incensed at the heart-shaped mania that is taking
over the world and the cynics point to the billions of dollars generated
by the sales of romantic lingerie, chocolate and holidays. It is hard
to deny that most of the red or pink trivia sold everywhere before 14
February plus the music on the radio and the movies on the TV are
outrageously kitschy.
Bulgaria, predominantly an Eastern-Orthodox nation, is not spared
the Catholic St Valentine's craze. Since the fall of Communism and
the rise of global popular culture, young Bulgarians have become
infatuated with it.
However, even if you have trouble enduring St Valentine's Day,
you should still spend it in Bulgaria. Here, on 14 February another
and more traditional saint has been held in high esteem not only for
centuries, but for millennia.
A thinly Christianised version of the old Thracian deity known as
Dionysus, St Trifon Zarezan is the patron of vines, wine and publicans.
His celebration is extremely popular and is a far cry from the saccharine
St Valentine's Day.
St Trifon was popular in the olden days, when most Bulgarians lived
in villages and many townsfolk still owned vineyards. In the days before
readily available money or shops, self-sufficiency was crucial for survival
and so it was vital to pay your respects to St Trifon. On his feast day the
village men would go to the vineyards, ritually prune the vines and, after
the blessing of the priest, they would choose the best winemaker among
them, proclaim him a king and crown him with a wreath of vines.
Then they would drink and go to the king's home for a feast and more
drinking. On their way, they would indulge in all sorts of innuendoes
towards any (giggling) woman they might meet on the street.

31

32

holidays

The forced urbanisation during Communism increased the number

of city dwellers from 25 percent of the population in 1946 to 70 percent
in the 2000s. Official atheism also removed any trace of religion from St
Trifon's Day, turning it into the sterile Day of the Winemakers.
Today, few villages have enough men of active age to revive the
drunken celebration of former times to its past glory. For obvious
reasons, the owners of wineries celebrate, too, but put the stress on the
ritual pruning and the priestly blessing, omitting obscenities altogether.
Moreover, the whitewashed celebrations of today take place on 1
February the official feast of St Trifon after the Bulgarian Eastern
Orthodox Church adopted the Gregorian calendar for the immovable
feasts, in 1968.
Despite changes in calendar and lifestyle, however, the stubborn
urban Bulgarian stuck with celebrating St Trifon on 14 February. On
that day, people just meet friends and get drunk with wine or whatever
alcohol they prefer. Twisted and turned, the old tradition is alive and
everyone is also still intrigued with the Freudian legend of how St
Trifon was nicknamed Zarezan, or The Cut-one.
St Trifon, the story goes, was a notorious vine-grower and general
lout, and also the brother of the Virgin Mary. One day, while St Trifon
was pruning his vines, his sister passed by, carrying Baby Jesus. St Trifon
couldn't resist mocking her about her "bastard." Enraged, the Virgin
Mary stormed off to St Trifon's house and cried to his wife: "Run! Run
to the vineyard as Trifon has cut his nose off !" The panicked woman
rushed to the vineyard only to see her husband pruning the vines and
probably whistling something under his intact nose. "Your sister
said you had cut off your nose!," the wife cried. "How can you be so
stupid? Here it is, on my face!," said St Trifon and pointed to his nose
with his pruning knife and unwittingly cut it off.
For many modern Bulgarians, getting drunk on 14 February in the
name of St Trifon is also a matter of patriotic duty, the epitome of the
"we against those pesky Westerners" attitude.
Funnily enough, no one besides the clergy pays any attention to the
original St Trifon. He has nothing to do with his Bulgarian twin or with
Dionysus. St Trifon was a 3rd Century physician from Asia Minor who
was put to the sword by the Roman authorities for his firm belief in the
then-forbidden Christianity.
However, if you look close enough, there are similarities between
Catholic St Valentine and Eastern Orthodox St Trifon. Both celebrate
the spring-time rebirth of nature and, to a more symbolic extent, the
madness induced by love and/or wine.

34

quiz

35

where
in bulgaria?
by Stamen Manolov

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

: 4,95

Where in Bulgaria are you?

Email your answers to

editorial@vagabond.bg
and you can win a copy of
Wall-to-Wall, Poetry of Europe,
Vagabond's guide to the poetry
walls of Sofia.
The winner will be
selected in a draw*.

EUROPE

are crude, some are elaborate and

others naive, some have been
recently cleaned up while others
are falling apart.
What they all have in common
is that they tell the story of the
city in an unorthodox way which
has nothing to do with what your
ordinary tour guide says.
Once you've explored for
yourselves you will come to the
realisation that beauty, indeed, is
in the details.

WALL-TO-WALL POETRY

Obviously, this is not a Paris,

not even a Copenhagen, but if
you dare take your eyes off the
uneven pavements you will see
very interesting things. Strange
faces of allegories and mythic
creatures look down at you.
Most of them date back to the
first half of the 20th Century
when the city was on its way to
become an European capital.
Many, however, originate from
the times of Communism and
promote its virtues and values.
Some are sophisticated and some

WALL-TO-WALL

POETRY EUROPE

UNITY
IN DIVERSITY

High Beam is a series of articles, initiated by Vagabond Magazine, with the generous support
of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, that aims to provide details and background of places,
cultural entities, events, personalities and facts of life that are sometimes difficult to understand
for the outsider in the Balkans. The ultimate aim is the preservation of Bulgaria's cultural heritage
including but not limited to archaeological, cultural and ethnic diversity.

36

high beam 1

bulgaria's
old capitals
then & now
Think Sofia says it all?
Think again
by Dimana Trankova; photography by Anthony Georgieff

You know Sofia is now the capital of Bulgaria, but what about the
past? Indeed, Bulgaria's history is rich, glorious and traumatic enough
to have produced about a dozen capital cities.
From the founding of Bulgaria at the end of the 7th Century until
its fall under the Ottomans at the end of the 14th Century, with two
centuries of Byzantine rule in between, the Bulgarian rulers put a lot
of effort into creating capital cities to match their political ambitions.
That meant rivalling the splendour and the economic as well as
political importance of Constantinople, the capital of Bulgaria's archenemy, Byzantium.
In periods of prosperity and political stability for Bulgaria, a
city would remain a capital for generations, growing in size and
accumulating wealth and people. The best examples are Pliska and
Tarnovo, both of whom were capitals for more than 200 years. But
when Bulgaria was crumbling and threatened with invasion, the king
would pack up his men and leave, settling his court in less refined but
more secure places where he would try to regroup.
Between 970 and 1018, when the Bulgaria of (mostly) King Samuil
fought for its life with the Byzantium of Emperors John I Tzimiskes
and Basil II, the Bulgarians changed capitals several times. The exact
number of capital cities in this period is still disputed by historians.

38

high beam 1

39

The place where the very first Bulgarian capital was is also
debatable. When the horse-riding Proto-Bulgarians, led by Khan
Asparuh, came to the Balkans they settled at a place called The
Onglos. Byzantine historians and archaeological research do not
agree on where The Onglos was exactly, but today it is widely
believed that it was somewhere in the vast Danube delta, with
its ever-changing canals, waterways and islets. There, in 680, the
Bulgarians defeated the Byzantines and the peace treaty signed in
681 is the official beginning of the Bulgarian state. The people of
Asparuh then crossed the Danube, settled in what is now north-east
Bulgaria and made an alliance with the Slavs other newcomers who
had arrived a century earlier. In the centuries to follow, their state was
to become a political fixture in the region.
Following is a list of the most important capital cities of Bulgaria
before Sofia, in chronological order.

pliska
when 681893
where Northeastern Bulgaria
then Asparuh achieved his uneasy peace with the Byzantines
whereupon he chose the open plain as the best place for his capital,
Pliska. The city spread over an area of 6,000 acres and saw 20 rulers
in its 212 years as a capital. It was defended by several fortification
walls, providing shelter for the ordinary inhabitants, the nobles and
the ruler's inner circle, who lived in a spacious palace with central
heating and baths. The capital suffered great damage in 811, when
the army of the Byzantine Emperor Nicephoros I pillaged it and
massacred the inhabitants, but the city was soon restored.
now Throughout the centuries, much of the ruins of medieval
Pliska were lost as local people salvaged materials to build homes,
and British engineers used them for the construction of the RuseVarna railway in the 1860s. Pliska was discovered at the end the
19th Century. Its remains, however, were deemed too uninteresting for
modern tourists and in the 1970s1980s parts of the fortifications and
the Grand Basilica were rebuilt with questionable accuracy and results.

Partially restored remains of the

Big Basilica. When it was built in
875, it was among the grandest in
the Balkans

40

high beam 1

41

preslav
when 893971
where Northeastern Bulgaria
then Preslav, at the foot of the Stara Planina, was chosen as a
capital in dramatic circumstances. After proclaiming Bulgaria a
Christian state (864), Prince Boris I withdrew from society, leaving
the power to his eldest son, Vladimir, in 889. Vladimir decided to
bring back paganism. Enraged, Boris left his monastery, dethroned
the apostate and installed in his place another son, Byzantineeducated Simeon. In a symbolic breach with the pagan past, the
capital was moved to Preslav, where the ambitious Simeon turned
it into a gem of a city. Soon, however, the Byzantines started to
prevail in the century-long cat-and-mouse game with the Bulgarians.
Preslav was sacked by the Russians and the Byzantines in 970971
and the north-east was lost. The centre of struggling Bulgaria moved
westwards.
now Preslav's ruins became a museum ground in 1906 and have
since produced a wealth of artefacts, including an impressive ceramic
icon of St Theodore Stratilatos and a gold treasure of about 170
objects. As with Pliska, lack of spectacular ruins led to dubious
reconstructions and in recent years a mutra-esque polished black
marble plaque of King Simeon appeared beside the yellow-painted
concrete walls of the once marvellous Golden Church.

A column remaining from the

Throne Hall at Preslav

skopje
when 971991
where Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia
then In the early 970s, the eastern parts of Bulgaria were already under
Byzantine rule. Western Bulgaria, however, was still alive and kicking
and nurturing resistance, which was led by an aristocrat, Samuil. He
chose Skopje to be the capital of the weak King Roman. The city was
protected by its fortress and the mountains, but times were hard. In 992,
the Byzantines captured King Roman and as he had no heir, Samuil
proclaimed himself king and again moved the capital.
now In 1944, Skopje became the capital of the Yugoslav Socialist
Republic of Macedonia and has been the capital of the independent state
The1991.
mosaics
in the Small
Basilica
wereremains
made byoflocal
craftsmenfortress
since
In recent
years the
humble
the medieval
who
used
marble,
red,
black,
green
and
yellow
stone,
and
ceramic
(Macedonians think of King Samuil as a Macedonian king)
were heavily
fragments
to
create
elaborate
designs
and
images.
These
images
rebuilt, although they are surpassed by the over-the-top monuments andThe stag represents the soul
also had symbolical
meanings
and, ifofyou
to read
them,
of the Christian, striving for
neo-Baroque
buildings
in the centre
theknow
city,how
dubbed
Skopjeland.
faith and truth
the mosaics of the Small Basilica will share their secrets with you.

understanding
the small basilica mosaics

high beam 1

45

prespa, ohrid, bitola

The St John Kaneo church

overlooking Lake Ohrid was build
in the 13th Century
Previous spread: The medieval
fortress of Skopje before
restoration

when 9911018
where Greece, former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia and
Albania
then Prespa is not a city, but an area, including the mountainous
Prespa Lakes and the forbidding slopes of several high peaks, now
on the border of Greece, former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia
and Albania. It was the safe heaven which King Samuil wanted as
a capital while trying to save Bulgaria. King Samuil himself died
there, in 1014, and was buried in the basilica of St Achilles island,
in the Small Prespa Lake. By this time, however, he had already
moved his capital even farther from the Byzantines, in Ohrid on
the eponymous lake because of the security that the mountains
provided. After his death the city withstood a mere two years before
his successor moved the capital in Bitola, in the mountains. It didn't
last. In 1018 the city was subjugated by Emperor Basil II together
with the independence of Bulgaria.
now Divided between three states that were no particularly
friendly to each other, Prespa was for long a no-go region. Now,
it is an ideal destination for anyone seeking pristine nature, an
undisturbed pelican colony, beautiful scenery and historical
monuments. Both the Samuil family chapel in the village of Agios
Germanos, and Samuil's grave are on Greek territory.
The gem of Macedonia's tourist industry, Ohrid is arguably the
country's most beautiful city. In it, the remains of the Samuil fortress
and dozens of medieval churches are complemented by houses from
the Ottoman period, the calm waters of the lake and the blue wall of
the mountains. Bitola today is a major economic centre of the former
Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, yet its main tourist attractions are
from the Ottoman period.

46

47

tarnovo
when 11851393
where Northern Bulgaria
then The Byzantine rule ended in
1185 with the rebellion of the Asenevtsi
Brothers, Bulgarian aristocrats living
in a mighty fortress on the meanders
of the Yantra River. They turned this
fortress, Tarnovo, into the capital of their
kingdom and, in a fashion already seen
in Pliska and Preslav, tried to make it a
rival to Constantinople. To a point, they
succeeded. Beautiful churches rose in
Tarnovo, and the palace intrigues and the
mystic literature of the local school were
in the best Byzantine tradition. Tarnovo
remained a capital almost as long as
Bulgaria remained independent. Besieged
by the Ottomans, it fell in 1393.
In 1879, Tarnovo was the place where,
after liberation from the Ottomans, the
first Bulgarian parliament met to adopt
the Bulgarian Constitution and here
they chose Sofia as the capital of reborn
Bulgaria.
toDAY The medieval ruins of Tarnovo
are in a state of constant rebuilding. The
trend started in the 1930s, flourished in the
1970s-1980s and was re-established in the
late 2000s, continuing to this day.

48

high beam 1

49

nikopol
when 13931396
where On the Danube
then Nikopol became a capital only because
it was the best place that King Ivan Shishman,
the last Bulgarian ruler, had left after Tarnovo
was lost. In 1396, however, the Ottomans
prevailed against the united European armies
in the messy Battle of Nikopol. The Bulgarian
state was extinguished for the next five
centuries.
now Nikopol remained an administrative
centre until the 17th Century. After that, a
period of decline began and the trend was
barely reversed in the following centuries. A
church and a much-rebuilt fortress are all that
remains of its medieval past.

vidin
when 13711396
where On the Danube
then There was a time when there were two Bulgarias with two
capitals, for the reason that King Ivan Aleksandar did not want to
quarrel with his second wife, Sarah, over which of his sons would
inherit. So he divided his kingdom. He gave the throne of Tarnovo
to Ivan Shishman, his son with Sarah, and presented his eldest son,
Ivan Sratsimir, with the mighty fortress of Vidin and the western
parts of the kingdom. Understandably, the two princes did not like
each other and after their father's death, in 1371, they fell out. This
only made it easier for the invading Ottomans. After Shishman's
death at Nikopol, Sratsimir accepted Ottoman sovereignty but was
captured and disappeared from history.
now Situated at the northwestern corner of modern Bulgaria,
plagued with unemployment, Vidin is one of the most depressed
cities in Bulgaria. Its medieval fortress, however, still stands on the
banks of the Danube.

Constantly built and rebuilt since

Antiquity, at the end of the 14th
Century the Vidin fortress was
the stronghold of the short-lived
kingdom of Ivan Sratsimir

high beam 2

50

pyramids
of stob
Surreal site awaits at foot of Rila
by Bozhidara Georgieva; photography by Anthony Georgieff

Climate change is not just a modern concern, and the rock

formation near the village of Stob, on the road to Rila Monastery, is
evidence of this.
When the last Ice Age ended in this part of Europe, about 12,000
years ago, its glaciers loosened their grip on the frozen slopes of the
Rila and then withdrew, leaving behind a cover of fine debris.
Those turned into soil, but at certain places most notably on a
slope by the Rilska River this was not the end of it. Winds, sun
and rain started eating into the soft crust of the hill and created tall
columns in vivid red and yellow colours.
This was how the rock pyramids at Stob, one of Bulgaria's most
popular off-the-beaten-track tourist sites, appeared.
Visiting the collection of pinnacles up to 12 metres high, which
covers about 180 acres, is easy. Leave the busy E79 road to the Kulata
border checkpoint with Greece when you see the sign for the Rila
Monastery, and after Kocherinovo head towards Stob.
The sleepy village lies at the foot of the pyramids, but you will find
them only after taking the easily-accessible eco path, which starts by
the local church.

51

52

53

54

high beam 2

55

Previous spread: In the 11-14th centuries,

the fortified city of Stobi existed near the
present-day village, but erosion has severely
damaged its ruins
Sunset is the time when the pyramids of
Stob are at their best

The best time to come and marvel at this natural phenomenon is

at sunset, when the last rays of light illuminate the pyramids with the
most beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow.
The result is an unearthly landscape, more resembling something
from a dream than ordinary Bulgarian reality.
Understandably, the rocks have become the source of local legends
about love, lust and jealousy. Probably the most popular one tells of
a boy and a girl who decided to marry against the will of the boy's
mother. The woman became deranged at her son's betrayal. She stuck
a cross into the earth and cursed all the participants at the wedding,
crying for them to be turned into stone. God heard, and everyone in
the party froze for all eternity.
Another version blames the phenomenon on the lustful best-man,
who was so enchanted with the beauty of the bride that he forgot
basic decency and tried to kiss her. Appalled by his misbehaviour, the
whole wedding party turned to stone literally.
A third story concerns a Christian girl and a Muslim boy who
could not marry because of their different religions. In despair, the
girl threw herself from a high rock, and was transformed into the
formation known as The Bride.
All of these legends, however, cannot conceal an important fact.
The rock pyramids at Stob are not static. The stone is too soft and
easily collapses under the assault of the elements, so the landscape is
constantly changing, with old pyramids crumbling to dust and new
ones being carved out of the slope, a slow but unending result of the
forces of nature over which people have no power.

The mountains around Sopot

combine stunning vistas (left)
and historical remains of
churches and houses, ad well
as the walls of the Anevo
fortress

56

57

karanovo

Travels to beginning of history

by Minka Vazkresenska; photography by Anthony Georgieff

58

high beam 3

If you have ever been to Troy, in present-day Turkey, you were

probably a bit disappointed or even felt slightly cheated. The
unremarkable ditches your tour guide dragged you through had
little in common with the glorious pictures of passion, war and
tragedy embedded in the popular imagination by Homer and the
Brad Pitt movie. If you listened to your guide, however, you might
have gathered that the settlement that is now portrayed to tourists
as the Homeric Troy is important to historians for another reason. It
was continually inhabited for two millennia and hence has become
a reference point for early history in the region. For example, if a
particular type of pottery is found in one of the well-documented
and dated layers of Troy and then the same style of pottery appears
in another place (let's call it Site B), then you can deduce when Site B
itself was inhabited.
What is not widely known, however, is that Bulgaria has a similar
site. Like Troy, the outward appearance of Karanovo belies its
historical significance. What is even worse, Karanovo, unlike
Troy, had no Homer to sing about its glory. As a result, it is mainly
archaeologists who are interested in it.
But Karanovo truly embodies early human history in southeastern
Europe.
The Karanovo settlement is a 24,000 sq.m mound, 250 metres long
by 150 metres wide, rising up to 13 metres. Situated in the fertile plain
at the foot of the Sredna Gora mountains, near Nova Zagora, it has
been (almost) continuously inhabited for 3000 years.
The mound itself is the result of generations of people living
in one place, building their new houses of mud bricks and wood
over the remains of older dwellings. The site was settled in the 7th
Millennium BC, which was revolutionary, as before this the people
of Europe were nomadic hunter-gatherers.
Unlike their predecessors, the people of Karanovo did not live in
temporary camps, following the migrations of wild animals. Instead,
they settled in a single place, building houses, farming the fertile land
around and keeping livestock.

high beam 3

Harnessed horses were

slaughtered to serve in eternity
their dead Thracian master, who
was buried in a mound near
Karanovo, in the 1st Century AD

59

Latching onto this fact, the "patriotic" Bulgarian media and

some scientists claim that the people of Karanovo were "the first
Europeans" or the "authors of the first European civilisation."
Actually, they were a part of a great change in human history, known
as the Neolithic Revolution. It started about the 9th Millennium
BC in the Fertile Crescent, in Asia Minor, where agriculture was
developed and mastered. In the following millennia this new lifestyle
spread to Europe, passing through modern Greece and the Upper
Thracian Valley in Bulgaria and heading farther into the continent.
What makes Karanovo really special is the longevity of the
settlement. People continued living here from the very beginning
of the Neolithic Age through the dawn and the development of
the Chalcolithic Age, until its end. The settlement was abandoned
then for a while, but people again came to the man-made hill in the
4th Millennium BC, at the beginning of the Bronze Age.
It was only then that the settlement we know as Troy appeared.

60

high beam 3

Archaeologists recognised the scientific significance of the

Karanovo mound as early as the 1930s. In the 1970s, the seven major
strata of the settlement were properly studied and Karanovo became
a reference point for the dating of prehistoric sites all over south-east
Europe. Only about 1,700 sq.m of the mound have been excavated so
far, and the rest continues to hide its secrets.
Today, the Karanovo settlement is a site you can easily visit, if you
follow the worn-out tourist signs in the modern village of Karanovo.
The place itself remains mainly of interest to historians and its most
exciting finds fine early Neolithic pottery with strange symbols
and decorations are in the National History Museum and the
History Museum of Nova Zagora. However, the sheer size of the
settlement and the tall pole recording the different periods in its rich
history can make you stop and marvel at how long Karanovo was
considered a good place to live.
A visit to Karanovo, however, need not end there. A few kilometres
away something more visually arresting awaits.
People abandoned the Karanovo mound, but not the area. Life
here never ceased and the environs of the modern village are scattered
with the remains of virtually every period of human history.
The tumuli of an ancient Thracian necropolis became the focus of
a media frenzy in recent years. In 2008 archaeologists detected traces
of treasure hunters digging in the so-called Eastern Mound, from the
1st Century AD. Excavations uncovered a perfectly preserved chariot,
buried metres away from the tomb of its aristocratic owner. The
skeleton of a sacrificed dog and those of horses, still harnessed to the
chariot, were perfectly preserved. Undisturbed by robbers, the dead
man's tomb contained precious objects, including expensive weapons
and luxurious cups of glass and silver, imported from Rome.
Remarkably, the tumulus was not abandoned when the
archaeologists ended their work. The skeletons of the animals were
preserved in situ, and a complete replica of the chariot is now on
show with them, making, by Bulgarian standards, the Eastern Mound
of Karanovo an exciting and innovative museum experience.

This series of articles is supported by the

America for Bulgaria Foundation. The
statements and opinions expressed herein
are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the America for Bulgaria
Foundation and its partners.

62

motoring

motoring

around samokov
in a few hours

Exploring winding roads and a

sleepy town with the new Mazda3

by Bozhidara Georgieva; photography by Stamen Manolov

In February, people leave

Sofia and head to Samokov
for a single reason to visit
Borovets, the winter resort
up into the pine woods of the
Rhodope.
Our motivation, however,
is different and this is not
only because of the warm
weather. Samokov, a town
nestled in the plain between
the Vitosha and the Rila is
worth a separate visit. In the
Middle Ages until the end of
the 19th Century, it was a busy
commercial and mining centre
outshining Sofia by far. After
the 1878 liberation, Samokov
gradually lost its economic
power. Yet, what is now a
sleepy town is still dotted with
arresting sights from its past.
There are the Revival Period
churches and the nunnery;
the richly painted mosque and
the beautiful Ottoman water
fountain; the empty shell of
a synagogue and the spacious

house of a Jewish family; the

charming city museum and
the brazen community house
from the interwar period.
The road to Samokov was
our biggest draw. Going
upstream the Iskar River,
squeezed between the
mountains, it is the perfect
opportunity to test the power
of the new Mazda3. Indeed,
while in congested Sofia, the
car attracts envious looks of
passers-by. But this sleek beast
of a car needs a road to roam
freely with its 2.2 diesel 150
horse power engine and the
road to Samokov is just that.
Bend after bend, the road
climbs, passing villages, hotels,
the Urvich Fortress and the
Iskar Dam. There are some
potholes, some water and
some sand on it, but despite
these the Mazda3 with 6-speed
automatic transmission
accelerates and slows down
easily, staying stable at any

moment. The speed shines

on the Mazda Head Up
Display along with every bit
of important information you
might need while driving,
including the messages from
the navigation system.
Lost in the moment of
driving and in the music
booming from the BOSE HiFi
Sound System, we arrive at
Samokov as if we have been on
the road for just a few minutes.
When the long walk around

the city is finally over, we

hesitate. We want to prolong
our Mazda3 trip as long as
possible. The navigation offers
a solution returning to Sofia
on the longer road through the
village of Zheleznitsa.
We don't hesitate anymore.
We sit in the comfortable
seats and hit the road running
through the plane, towards
the Vitosha looming on the
horizon. We are lost in the
pleasure.

When we enter the Vitosha,

night is coming on and the
lack of proper road signs
makes the road barely visible.
However, the Bi-XENON
lights, the system for radar
cruise control which checks
the distance to the car in
front and the Lane Departing
Warning are making it easier
to drive. Upon arriving in
Sofia, we are not tired at all.
Actually, we are ready for
another Mazda3 adventure.

63

64

advertorial

fewer fears
for patients who
undergo surgical
intervention
The thought of 'going under
the knife' can be shocking
but it shouldn't be,
says Dr Tanya
Timeva, medical
director at
Dr Shterev
Hospital

Dr Tanya Timeva is a highly-qualified specialist

in obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive medicine
who has been working with Prof. Dr Atanas Shterev
since . In , Dr Timeva completed her PhD
in "Prognostic factors for the outcome of ART" and
in , she was chosen for a representative of the
European Society of Human Reproduction and
Embryology (ESHRE). Since , Dr Timeva has
been a President Elect of the Bulgarian Association of
Sterility and Reproductive Health.
What are the latest trends in gynaecological
surgery?
In the last 40 years, laparoscopy developed
into a major surgical tool used for a number of
medical indications. The so-called gynaecological
endoscopic surgery, combining gynaecological
endoscopy and minimally invasive surgery, has
been also widely applied as it allows application
of surgical interventions without a major open
operation. It now is one of the common techniques
in operative gynaecology, applied in cases such as
treatment of endometriosis, endometrial polyps,

65

uterus, ovarian cysts removal, etc. Generally,

gynaecological endoscopy involves hysteroscopy
and laparoscopy, which are both used for diagnostic
and operative purposes. The latest trends in this
field goes even further, with so-called office-based
procedures like office hysteroscopy which is
applied at the doctor's office without anaesthesia
or sedation and patients leave the hospital straight
after the procedure.
What are the advantages of gynaecological
endoscopy?
It is performed through small incisions, thus
reducing post-surgery discomfort and blood loss.
Post-operative recovery is faster. Laparoscopic
surgery also reduces the probability of post-surgery
internal scar tissues and post-operational infections
are also less probable. From surgeon's perspective,
laparoscopic surgery is easier and more convenient
to perform because the internal areas of interest are
magnified and seen on a large TV screen.
The application of endoscopic surgery requires
cutting-edge equipment and trained personnel.
What can Dr Shterev Hospital offer to its
patients?
We are using up-to-date technologies as they
are key for the successful procedure's outcome
and strive to achieve the high level of the leading
European hospitals in terms of medical equipment
and service performance. Cutting-edge equipment
alone is not useless without trained and qualified
specialists. We are improving our knowledge and
skills on a daily basis through training courses,
attendance of international practical workshops
and invitations of renowned surgeons from leading
world clinics, so our patients can be consulted by
foreign experts without leaving Bulgaria.
Dr Shterev Hospital was accredited by one
of the leading organisations in Europe the
European Board College of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology. What is this accreditation about?
Our hospital was accredited for the maximum
period of four years, becoming an accredited
European centre for training in obstetrics and
gynaecology. This is a merited recognition for the
medical equipment and the high level of specialists,
working at the hospital.

66

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68

zadar

Spectacular sunsets
over singing sea
by Violeta Rozova; photography by Anthony Georgieff

69

70

balkans travel

The unwise traveller who wants to see as much as possible of the

Croatian Adriatic coast in as short a time as possible, inevitably
realises, at the end of the trip, that of all the places visited none can be
named from the other.
Romanesque cathedrals, Gothic churches, fortress walls, Roman
ruins and the peeling faades of 18th Century houses, which in reality
belong to different cities, merge in the tired mind of the traveller into
a single town.
As in Plato's idea, this imaginary town combines all the Croatian
Adriatic towns and at the same time is none of them.
It is only when the traveller is back home and takes a look at the
pictures that they recall, with a certain effort, what makes Trogir
different from Rovinj, what is particular about Krk and why the
cathedral in ibenik is a UNESCO world heritage monument.
Zadar could have been one of these towns. It was one of these
towns.
Founded in the 1st Millennium BC by the ancient Liburnians, a
nation of merchants and pirates, the town has accumulated enough
history, architecture and good restaurants to justify a three-day stay.
In the shell of the Venetian fortress walls from the 16th Century,
traces of all the epochs of Zadar's life live side by side and one on top
of the other.
The remains of a Roman Forum from the 1st Century BC stand
beside the massive Romanesque cathedral of St Donat from the
9th Century. Only metres away rise undistinguished co-ops from
the years of Tito's Yugoslavia, while carefree residents drink their
morning Maraschino near the church of St Simeon, where an
exquisite 14th Century sarcophagus holds the miracle-working relics
of the eponymous 6th Century saint.
In Zadar, people came and went over the centuries. Liburnians
did business with Ancient Greeks, Phoenicians and Etruscans, all
striving to control this strategic trade outpost. The Romans became
interested in the area in the 2nd Century BC and by Caesar's time,
the Liburnians were already a part of Pax Romana.
This ended in the 5th Century, when the Huns and other
migrating nations stormed Dalmatia. A century later, Byzantium
took over. When its power finally ended, in the 10th Century, the
city was already largely inhabited by Croats. Pirate raids proved too
dangerous for the locals to deal with and in 998 the people of Zadar
asked Venice for help. The same year the ships of the Serenissima
invaded all Dalmatia. Unpleasantly surprised, the citizens of Zadar
spend the next several centuries fighting first against the Italians and
then, from the 16th Century onwards, the Ottomans.

71

Traces of Venetian domination

are all over old Zadar, from wells
to St Mark's lion overlooking the
city gates
Previous spread: After sunset,
A Greeting to the Sun installation
enthrals visitors and locals

72

73

balkans travel

The belfry of the 9th Century

St Donatus cathedral hovers over
the roofs in the old city
Previous spread: The boats of a
tiny marina now fill the waters of
a harbour which separates the
Old City from mainland

75

Italian domination finally ended after the downfall of Venice

in 1797, but the old masters were replaced with new ones the
Austrians. After the Great War, however, Zadar was given to Italy,
as an enclave within a brand new political entity, The Kingdom
of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). The city joined
Socialist Yugoslavia in 1947, and stayed in it until 1990, when Croatia
broke away from the federation. In 19911993, Zadar and whole of
Dalmatia were cut off from Croatia's mainland and suffered heavy
destruction by Serbian forces.
Yes, until very recently Zadar used to be an ordinary Adriatic town.
In 2005, however, local architect Nikola Bai unveiled on the
promenade his Sea Organ, and this supposedly simple construction
hidden in the quay turned Zadar into a town like no other. The
musical harmonies created by the waves leave an indelible mark on
the memory and are so captivating that you forget your initial plan of
taking a look at the Forum, climbing up the belfry of St Donat and
having orada, or European sea-bass, for dinner with white wine, in
one of the seaside restaurants. You stop being a tourist and get into
meditation.
Bai's idea is charmingly simple. Tubes of different lengths are
inlaid into the marble steps of the quay. Flowing through them, the
waves create sounds that modulate depending on whether the sea is
stormy or peaceful, whether it is winter or summer, raining or windy.
The tourist authorities claim that from this side of the promenade
you can view the world's most beautiful sunsets, something that one
Alfred Hitchcock seemed to agree with. Too many places around the
planet claim this fame, but Bai, however, has used the glory of the
Zadar's sunsets to create one further piece of art in which man and
nature work together.
In 2008 the A Greeting to the Sun installation appeared near the
Sea Organ. During the day it is only a circle on the promenade
you can walk over it without noticing, but at dusk the circle starts
to shine, using the solar energy that has accumulated during the
day. Ever-changing, luminescent lights swirl over its surface a
Mediterranean version of the Aurora Borealis.
The spectacle attracts as many visitors as the famous, though brief
sunset, and there are more people near the sea in the early hours of
the evening than in the nearby bars. All the bars in Europe may be
alike, but the quay at Zadar, like the city itself, is something that
cannot be seen, heard or experienced anywhere else.

jail at
land's end
Intellectuals and politicians suffered

and perished in Sighetu political prison

by Bozhidara Georgieva; photography by Anthony Georgieff

legacies of communism romania

78

1
2

1 The prison today is a

tourist site in Maramure,
Romania's northernmost
province

2 Room 9: the cell where

Iuliu Maniu, the former
prime minister dubbed
Father of Romanian
Democracy died in 1953

79

Preventing prison breaks have always been a top priority for

authorities, but few solved the problem so efficiently as Socialist
Romania in the first years of Stalinism. Opponents of the regime
were sent to Sighetu Marmaiei, on the banks of the Tisa River, in the
northwest of Romania. On the other side of the border, only 2 km
away, was the USSR, the unlikeliest place one would try to escape to.
Today, anyone can visit the macabre prison at Sighetu, where
Romanian politicians, intellectuals, dissidents, clergymen and even
students and schoolchildren suffered forced labour, cold and hunger
and were prohibited from looking through the windows of their
cells. Sighetu Marmaiei political prison was acquired by the Civic
Academy Foundation in 1993, and was turned into a museum of
Communism in 2000. There, the foundation displays a part of its
rich collection of documents, artefacts and witness statements about
life this side of the Iron Curtain.
The T-shaped building is small, but has a long history of suffering.
It was built in 1897, when Sighetu was a part of Austria-Hungary.
When Romania took over Maramure, in 1918, the prison continued
to be used for convicts. It was remodelled into a political prison in
1948, when the government of Socialist Romania sent a group of
peasants, students and pupils from Maramure there, their only crime
being to disagree with the "new way of life."
Sighetu political prison was not the only one in Romania at that time.
In the penal facility of Piteti, for example, between 1949 and 1952
inmates were "reeducated" with physical and psychological torture.
Sighetu gained notoriety in 1950 when, in two days 5 and 6
May 1950, about 100 top ranking politicians, scientists, journalists
and public figures were arrested in Bucharest and sent there. In the
autumn of 1950, a group of about 80 Catholic and Eastern-Orthodox
priests and bishops joined the inmates. They spent about a year in
Sighetu before facing trial and many were never charged.
The order, according to which people were collected from
Bucharest, states it briefly and clearly: "[To collect] all the elements
which had a role in the political life of the country. Reasons for trials
to be found." Many of these men were well into their 60s, making
survival in the harsh conditions of what was officially called "Danube
Labour Colony" even harder.

80

legacies of communism romania

Of about 200 prisoners in Sighetu, 52 did not make it. The list
of those deaths is a depressing read and features noted historian
and politician GheorgheI. Brtianu and former prime ministers
Constantin Argetoianu and Iuliu Maniu.
In 1955, Socialist Romania joined the UN and some of the prisoners
were freed. Others, however, were put under house arrest or were
transferred to other facilities. Persecution for political ideas opposed
to the regime remained, but instead of prisons the omnipotent
Securitate started sending people to psychiatric asylums.
Sighetu became a criminal prison again and was closed in 1977. For
several years it was a broom factory and a warehouse, but was finally
shut down and abandoned. By 1993, it was a ruin.
The work of the Civic Academy Foundation, a private initiative,
changed the former prison, which is now the centrepiece of a larger
complex with memorial grounds and a research centre.
The former cells are now a museum telling two stories.
One is about life and death in Sighetu prison, about its inmates and
the monstrous conditions they were subject to. The cells where Iuliu
Maniu and Gheorghe I. Brtianu died are grim exhibits, with their
grey walls and single, rusty beds, and entering the windowless cells,
where prisoners who received extra punishment spent days without
clothes and sunlight, is a macabre experience. There are the poetry
books and dictionaries written secretly by inmates to pass the time
and keep their minds active; there are the stories of the founding of
the Securitate and what it did, and of the crimes of Socialist Romania
against its own people.
The second story is that of life and resistance under Communism.
One room is filled with voices from the broadcasts of the then
banned Radio Free Europe and The Voice of America. Another
is crammed with the kitschy paraphernalia of Socialism, a spot of
bright colours amidst the overall greyness of the place. Several rooms
are dedicated to crucial events of resistance in the Eastern Block
nations the Berlin and Thuringia uprisings of 1953, the Hungarian
Revolution of 1956, the Prague Spring of 1968, the Charter 77 of
1977 in Czechoslovakia and the Polish Solidarity of 1980. Sadly,
but understandably, there is nothing about Bulgaria. Perhaps
Communism is still alive there.

81

1
2

1 Cortege of the Sacrificial

Victims, a bronze sculpture by
Aurel Vlad place in 1998 in
the former prison yard
2 Political prisoners at
Sighetu Prison seldom
faced court trials

82

fiction

naruhito
dreamed
by Vladislav Hristov
translated from the Bulgarian by Vania Stefanova

Naruhito is from Hiroshima. He does not remember the bomb,

but he remembers his grandfather without arms and legs. Ten years
he lived this way, then was buried in a coffin no bigger than a violin
case. Naruhito works as an architect. He constructs earthquake-proof
buildings. Drawing and drawing and drawing all day long. Sharpens
his pencil and starts over again. When he gets home his supper usually
consists of rice with vegetables. Or meat, only vegetables or only rice. In
fact, he doesn't really care what he eats but what matters is when he goes
to bed because Naruhito loves dreaming the most. Before he falls asleep
Naruhito sticks his nose into a metal thermos labeled "Himalayan
Oxygen". After a few rapid inhalations a subtle smile crosses his face,
after which he wraps himself in his favourite blanket, decorated with
huge yellow chrysanthemums. Then he falls asleep.
Last night Naruhito had a very bizarre dream. He was doubleheaded. He looked like the German double-headed eagle. No He

fiction83

84

fiction

85

resembled more the double-headed calf that could see double the
number of stars in the night sky. In his dream Naruhito also saw
everything doubled. Twice as long the road to work, twice as many
diagrams, twice as long the road home, twice the amount in his dish
for supper. Twice the "Himalayan Oxygen", twice as much sleep
And he woke up late in the evening.

VLADISLAV HRISTOV was born in 1976 in Shumen, Bulgaria. He is

Sozopol, Bulgaria

29 May 2 June 2014

the author of Photos of Children, 2010, a collection of short stories, and two
collections of poetry Enso, (2012) and Fi, (2013). He has won the 2007 LiterNet
& eRunsMagazine Short Fiction Contest and the 2010 National Haiku Free
Topic Contest, as well as the 2011 International Cherry Blossom Competition.
Since 2011, he has been a member of The Haiku Foundation. He was in the
ranking of the 100 most creative haiku writers in Europe for three years (2010
2012). His works have appeared in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian,
Japanese, Russian, Arabic and Hungarian.

SOZOPOL

FICTION

SEMINARS

Explore your writing on the beautiful Black Sea coast!

The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation offers its seventh annual summer

fiction writing seminar in the ancient town of Sozopol, Bulgaria.
Fiction writers from Bulgaria and fiction writers from English-speaking
countries, including but not limited to the U.K. and the U.S., are invited to
apply. A total number of ten applicants will be selected for participation
and funding.
Follow-up events as a part of CapitaLiterature, an annual literary program
hosted by the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation in Sofia, Bulgaria, will take
place in the Bulgarian capital city.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Five participants writing in English and five writing in Bulgarian language
will receive scholarships. A scholarship covers tuition, room and board,
in-country transportation, and 50% of international travel expenses.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
5 March 2014, 22:00 h (UTC + 2:00, EET).

THE ELIZABETH
KOSTOVA
FOUNDATION and
VAGABOND, Bulgaria's
English Monthly, cooperate in
order to enrich the English
language with translations
of contemporary Bulgarian
writers. Every year we give you
the chance to read the work of
a dozen young and sometimes
not-so-young Bulgarian writers
that the EKF considers original,
refreshing and valuable. Some
of them have been translated
in English for the rst time. The
EKF has decided to make the
selection of authors' work and
to ensure they get rst-class
English translation, and we at
VAGABOND are only too
happy to get them published in
a quality magazine. Enjoy our
ction pages.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
In order to apply, applicants must complete an
online submission form and attach all materials
as required:
1) a biography (maximum 300 words), 2) a
statement of purpose (maximum 1 page) and 3)
a fiction writing sample (a literary work written
in prose: an excerpt from a novel or a short story/
stories; at least 10 and not more than 20 standard
pages: 1800 characters per page, incl. gaps, i.e.
between 18 000 and 36 000 characters in total;
formatted in Times New Roman, 12 point font,
and saved as a text file with extension .doc/
docx). 4) A letter of recommendation, sent
directly to the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation
via e-mail by the recommender, is acquired in
addition to the online application. The letter
must be sent to: silieva@ekf.bg.
Only online applications, received through the
online submission system, will be accepted.
There is no entry fee.
For detailed requirements and instructions on
how to apply, please visit our website: http://
www.ekf.bg/sozopol/apply.

We know the taste of excellent beef.

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Welcome to the Pearl of Southern Bulgaria

Dear guests,

It is a great pleasure to present the 4**** INTERHOTEL

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or visit our website: www. interhotelsandanski.bg

86

87

fiction

where
business

high
flights

The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation

Bulgaria's English
and
Monthly, cooperate in order to enrich
the English language
with translations
of contemporary
Bulgarian writers.
Every year we give
you the chance to
read the work of a
dozen young and
sometimes not-soyoung Bulgarian
writers that the EKF considers original,
refreshing and valuable. Some of them
have been translated in English for the
first time. The EKF has decided to make
the selection of authors' work and
to ensure they get first-class English
are
translation, and we at
only too happy to get them published
in a quality magazine. Enjoy our fiction
pages.

Air Lazur General Aviation is a business-jet company which has proved to be leader
in the heavy-jet aviation for Central and Eastern Europe. Over the years Air Lazur
has introduced high standards of VIP services and has developed a network of
prominent and well-off customers worldwide.
The basic services provided by Air Lazur is the performance of charter flights upon
request where the route and timetable are fixed by customer. Businessmen, heads
of state, royal families, celebrities and the like are among the VIPs that best utilize
their time and enjoy flying with Air Lazurs state of art Bombardier Challengers 604.
Aircraft management is another target type of business in Air Lazurs portfolio.
Charter your aircraft when you dont use it and turn the endeavour into a profitable
investment.
Air Lazur main priorities are flight safety, high-quality service as well flexibility
and adaptability to the contemporary dynamic business environment where
promptness and comfort are key factors.
Striving to gain and preserve its customers credit Air Lazur is entirely devoted to
satisfying its customers needs and desires.

news
shopping

94

dining out

103

hotels
health

meets
aviation

23 Alexander Malinov blvd., floor 4

BG-1729 Sofia
phone: + 359 2 8927767/77
mobile: + 359 889 669 355
e-mail: sales@airlazur.com
www.airlazur.com
24/7 Flight Operations number:
+ 359-889-669800

88

110
118

88

high news fraport

89

In the beginning of February, Fraport Twin Star Airport

Management, operating the Varna and Burgas airports, was
awarded the prestigious prize for Investor of the Year 2013
in the Transport and Logistics sector by the InvestBulgaria
Agency. It was given to Mrs Aletta von Massenbach, CEO
of the company, by the Minister of Regional Development
Desislava Terzieva on a ceremony in Sofia.
"I want to thank you on behalf of all participants in
the project. Your award and the smiles of our passengers
motivate us to constantly improve the quality of our
services," said Mrs von Massenbach during the official
award ceremony.
This is yet another prize for Fraport Twin Star Airport
Management. In 2013, the investment of over 150 million
leva for construction of new, modern terminals and the
infrastructure for them, brought the company an array of
awards:
Biggest investment in tourism for 2013 of the
Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Organisation.
The prize of Varna Municipality for the biggest
investor in tourism in the region for 2013.
The biggest investment in Burgas Airport in the past
decades and a wonderful example for public and private
co-operation by the Burgas Trade and Industry Chamber,
the Burgas Municipality and the regional government.
The award in the "Urban space transport
infrastructure" category of the Building of the Year 2013
national competition.
Since 2007, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management
has invested about 320 million leva in the development of
Varna and Burgas airports.

Rossen Petsev

fraport twin star

investor of the year

" " ,
,
"
" 2013 . " "
.
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.

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90

high news fraport

91

belgrade-varna
scheduled flights

From 30 March, Air Serbia opens a new scheduled

destination connecting Varna and Belgrade. Initially
the flights will be three days a week and from June the
company plans flights every day.
Air Serbia will operate the Belgrade-Varna-Belgrade
destination with ATR72 airplanes.
Dane Kondich, CEO of Air Serbia, points out: "The
new routes are a part of our strategy for expansion
towards key international markets, enlarging the travel
opportunities of our passengers and enhancing the
growth of Serbian tourism, as well as trade and
investment connections with other countries."

30 Air
Serbia .
,
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Air Serbia
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92

high news fraport

93

from varna to istanbul

in less than an hour

New regular airline route will connect the sea capital

of Bulgaria and the cosmopolitan Turkish city

As of 21 May new regular airline starts at Varna Airport to Istanbul. The

Turkish Airlines plans its flights for Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
each week.
On Wednesday and Friday the arrival time in Varna is 13.40 and on Tuesday
and Sunday at 15.30 local time. Turkish Airline aircraft Boeing 738-800 and
Airbus 319 will take off from Varna at 14.25 on Wednesday and Friday and at
16.20 on Tuesday and Sunday.
The launch of a regular air route IstanbulVarnaIstanbul is a result of
the joint efforts of
Fraport Twin Star
Airport Management
AD, operator of
Varna and Burgas
airports, and the
Turkish national
airline.
Tickets can be
purchased through
the Turkish Airlines
website www.
turkishairlines.com

21 .
Turkish Airlines
,
, .

13,40,
15,30 . Turkish
Airlines 738-800 319
14,25
, 16,20
.



"
" ,
, .

Turkish Airlines www.
turkishairlines.com.

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94

shopping

95

what do
women
want?

Everything beauty,
health, fashion, pleasures
by Antoaneta Baeva

, ,

Women who respect themselves want a

lot from life. In fact, they want it all great
looks, health and pleasure. This is not
selfishness or greed, but a wise understanding
that when you're happy others are happy, too.
Let's start with beauty. The woman who
feels admired and desired, is serene and all
smiles. One of the easiest way to achieve that
is a new, nice piece of clothing and shopping
is a proven way for lifting the spirits.
Beauty also depends on health. Shining
smile, smooth skin, toned body every
woman dreams about these and there was
never been easier to achieve that with all the
new beauty products and services.
What is life without a little pleasure? Since
its invention chocolate has been the women's
soft spot. True, it has more calories but highquality chocolate is not only delicious, but
also health boosting. Especially, when shared
with someone you love.

BTA

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, .
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,
. , ,
, . , .

96

shopping

97

the man
of your dreams

wears M'SUIT

What do women really like? Tastes and preferences

differ yet it is universally acknowledged that women
like elegant men with personality and charm. All
this is best enhanced with quality suit, a pair of
good shoes and matching accessories. For more
than 15 years M'SUIT (www.m-suit.com) has been
making men more desirable with elegant clothes of
high-quality materials from Italy. Its new collection
is based on tailored and semi-tailored silhouette
with suits, solo pants and jumpers in blue, black and
grey and more colourful accents left to the variety of
shirts and sweaters.

slimmer

with the new

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includes GENIC SLIM CREAM with extract of
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INTRAGENIC SERUM with the biotechnological
ingredient TIMILINE, caffeine and extracts of
ginseng and pomegranate. Combined, the products
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98

high XXX

high dining

fashion temptations
by Franco Ferucci

he best part of your day!

Even when we struggle to close our overstuffed

wardrobe, we still crave to buy something new
preferably comfortable, at a good price and of a good
quality, yet with an impressive design. The Bulgarian
fashion company FRANCO FERUCCI (www.
francoferucci.eu) is aware of this female fondness
and offers a variety of sport and elegant clothes in
tune with the latest fashion trends. High quality,
style, comfort and affordable prices are key for
Franco Ferucci resulting in international success
for 20 years now, the brand is a favourite of women in
Bulgaria and over 60 other countries.

The scent of fresh mint lingers in the air, pine twigs

rustle under your feet in the sauna and the drinks are
made of fresh fruits: STARCLUB (Sofia, Park Inn
Hotel, phone: 02 1 1) is a different experience,
distinguished with serenity, discretion and holistic
approach towards the care for body and the soul.
STARCLUB is descendant of one of the first spas
in Sofia, famed since the times when the hotel was
called Greenville, and the manager and a part of the
employees are the same since the very beginning.
STARCLUB offers fitness, yoga, swimming and
aqua aerobics and in the SPA centre you enjoy
relaxation room, aromatic steam room, sauna, two
massage rooms and a solarium. The massages and
the SPA treatments are done by professional kinesis
therapists. The swimming school prides itself for its
excellent tradition in teaching children the basics,
with training based on American methodology
where individual approach and game approach form
the base of education. All coaches conduct trainings,
conversing fluently in English.

99

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m
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, ,
,
, .
FRANCO FERUCCI (www.francoferucci.eu)

.
, ,
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60 .

,
,
: STARCLUB (, Park Inn
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, .
STARCLUB
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Fit is the New Rich

A cozy and quiet place to relax, exercise and take
care of yourself in relaxation room, steam room,
sauna, two massage rooms, solarium and gym
Active recreation with tness, yoga,
swimming and aqua aerobics
Swimming lessons based on US methodology
by dedicated professionals in Bulgarian
and English language,
swimming school with 8 years of tradition
Massages and treatments by kinesis therapists
Soa, Park Inn Hotel, Lozenets, 36 Atanas Dukov Str
phone: 02/861 5717
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 7.30 am-9.30 pm
Sat & Sun 9.00 am-9.00 pm
www.starclub.bg

Beautiful
Smile
by Davidova Dental

Be more beautiful, healthy and happy with the help

of Davidova Dental clinic where highest quality
of dental care meets most advanced technology
in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere. Dr Vera
Davidova's dedicated team puts an emphasis on
prevention as it is crucial for dental health.
Cleaning of tartar
and teeth whitening
Restorations
(llings), veneers,
crowns and bridges
Implants,
orthodontics
Paediatric dentistry

Soa, Lozenets
2 Krichim St, 2nd oor
phone: + 359 887 705 324
www.davidovadental.net
Facebook: davidovadental

high dining

young smile

more happiness

Women know the importance of the beautiful

smile it makes you look younger and wins the
sympathies of other people. Sadly, sometimes the
fear of the dentist is too strong. DAVIDOVA DENTAL
(Sofia, 2 Krichim St, phone: + 0 0 32;
www.davidovadental.net, FB: davidovadental)
will change that attitude. The dental clinic's team
provides treatment and aesthetic procedures
of highest quality. The equipment is of latest
generation, and the friendly approach and the
relaxing atmosphere will convince you that dental
care can be pleasant. On your first visit you receive a
full consultation and after that you can trust Dr Vera
Davidova, who will take care of your dental health in
the best possible way.

Chocolate is one of the great pleasures of life and

when it is a whole meter long, the temptation is really
irresistible. But are there such chocolates?
Yes, in Bulgaria. The incredible artisanal METER
CHOCOLATE is a Bulgarian product with an
international trademark registration, created after a
special recipe from 1878. Today, 1 Meter Chocolate
is not simply chocolate, but an unforgettable and
attractive gift for every occasion, which can replace
the traditional flowers, sweets or expensive alcohol.
You can find 1 Meter Chocolate in all duty free shops
at the Sofia, Varna and Burgas airports.

by Davidova Dental

with 1 Meter Chocolate

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101

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shopping

WHAT IS NUSHI?
A CHAIN OF
BEAUTY SALONS
IN VARNA WITH
25 YEARS
OF HISTORY
WHY NUSHI?
BECAUSE NUSHI WORKS
WITH THE BEST PRODUCTS
BECAUSE NUSHI IS THE
BEST IN HAIRSTYLE, STYLING
AND SOUL AND BODY CARE
BECAUSE NUSHI IS GREAT
VALUE FOR MONEY

Varna
77 Parva St
10 Yan Palah Blvd, Palah Shopping Centre, oor 2
482 Primorski Park Blvd, Picadili Park
72 Knyaz Boris Blvd
www.saloninushi.bg
saloninushi@abv.bg

dining out

with Nushi

Flawless hairstyle and glamourous locks for 25

years the Varna chain of beauty salons NUSHI (www.
saloninushi.bg) gives to its clients the hair that every
woman dreams about. The secret of Nushi are the
professional team and the high-class sulphate free
products, which are friendly to the hair. For optimal
results, chose from the Comfort, Lux or VIP hair
care programmes.

Nushi

25 NUSHI
(www.saloninushi.bg)
, .
Nushi
,
. ,
Comfort, Lux VIP.

Let's start
the day
neatly!

Flower Retail Store & Landscaping

Bouquets,
owers and
plants for all
occasions.
Delivery.
Business Park Sofia, Building 10, Sofia
phone: 489 9626, 0899 900 011
www.sheritaora.com ; www.ozeleniavane.com

Professional
cleaning
of oces,
business
buildings,
homes
and
exteriors.
Includes
cleaning
using climbing
equipment and
cleaning of escalators.
Central Oce
65 Iskar St, Soa
phone: 983 28 28, 0899 900 010; fax: 980 73 09
Business Park Soa Oce
Business Park Soa, Building 3, Soa
phone: 489 9286, 0896 668 504
email: sherita_m@ybobg.com; www.sheritam.com

103

In Bulgaria you will nd

restaurants with cuisine from
different latitudes

SHERITA FLORA

Landscape design and development

of green areas. Interior and exterior
landscaping and gardening.

culinary k
crossroads

shiny healthy hair

12 Ivan Vazov St. Sofia phone: 988 03 70

102

by Antoaneta Baeva

Situated on the crossroads between East

and West, Bulgaria is a place where all
sorts of flavours and aromas meet and mix.
Traditional Bulgarian restaurants are a
fixture in the programmes of foreign tourists,
but besides them in Sofia and the big cities
you can find really good restaurants specialising in foreign cuisine from Peru and India
to Japan and the Med. Usually these are small
places, where everything is prepared on spot
with fresh products.
Chefs often come from the respective
country that inspired the restaurant's menu,
or the Bulgarian staff has been trained in
some restaurant or hotel chain abroad. So,
they return in Bulgaria with their new experience, ready to interpret foreign recipes to
local tastes.
The proximity of the Black and the Aegean
Sea means a regular import of fresh fish and
seafood. Many exotic products and spices
are also imported in Bulgaria, which makes
preparation of foreign dishes much easier,
and the home-grown fresh herbs add to the
interesting final taste. Several organic farms
provide fresh meat and vegetables for more
demanding customers.
The Mediterranean cuisine in its many
reincarnations is probably among the most
popular in Bulgaria partly because of its
mixture of well-known and exotic tastes for
the Bulgarian palate, and partly because of

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104

dining out

105

the significant numbers of Bulgarians visiting

the region. Whatever the reason, in Sofia and
the big cities isn't hard to find a place where to
order jamn and paella, Italian pizza and pasta,
Greek dolma and mezedes.
Do pay attention to the wine almost all
restaurants have a wide selection of vintages
from around the world.
GUSTOSA authentic Greek cuisine
Established 18 years ago, Gustosa (Slatina,
opposite block 30, phones: 02 917 3773, 0888
231 246) is the first Greek restaurant in Sofia
and one of the best. In the menu you will find
a great variety of dishes after authentic Greek
recipes and seafood. Don't miss the roasted
meat, the lamb chops, the fresh wild fish
from Thessaloniki and Kavala, the fish soup.
Gustosa's interior enchants with its black-andwhite photos, landscapes and souvenirs from
Greece and in summer the garden attracts with
its flowers and greenery. If you visit Gustosa

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A BITE OF INDIA IN THE CENTRE OF SOFIA

The biggest and oldest Indian restaurant in Sofia welcomes you

with renewed interior with 80 seats.
Indulge into the tastiest secrets of the sub-continent's cuisine
prepared with love and authenticity by the professional chefs, Chandra
Kandel and Tikaram Kandel.
Choose from the best of the traditional Indian cuisine: a variety of
starters and naans, tanduris and tikkas, plus a gorgeous selection of
Indian desserts.

Sofia, 11 "11th August" St | phone: 02 987 36 32 | tajmahal.bg@gmail.com | www.tajmahal.bg

Soa, 90 Bratya Buxton Blvd

phone: 02 855 1100; 0878 155 070

The Culinary Magic of the Bosphorus

www.turquoise.bg

once, you will surely become part of the regular

clientele.
Magical tastes in TURQUOISE
Turquoise Restaurant (90 Bakston Blvd;
phone: 855 1100; www.turquoise.bg) has been
for years the top choice for lovers of Turkish
cuisine in Sofia. Situated at the foot of Vitosha
mountain, the restaurant has a great view and
an air of blissful relaxation, and is famed as
the best place for Turkish food in Sofia. In
Turquoise you enjoy delicious meals like ezme,
i Kfte and Adana Kebab prepared by original Turkish recipes in wooden stove and on
barbecue by nine selected chefs from Turkey.
Italy comes to Sofia at TRATTORIA GIORGIO
Trattoria Giorgio (Sofia, 58 Vitosha Blvd,
phone: 0889 989 828) is in the spirit of traditional Italian restaurants called "trattoria" it
doesn't have printed menu, but offers informal
service, wine in carafes and low prices. Again,
in tune with the trattoria rules, the food

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106

dining out

TRATTORIA GIORGIO
Trattoria Giorgio (, . "" 58,
. 0889 989 828)
, "" ,
, .
,
Trattoria Giorgio ,

PASTORANT
. Trattoria Giorgio
16 Tsar Asen St, Sofia | phone: 981 4482; 0887 026 190
working hours: 12:0022:30
, ,
.
If you like pasta, or small romantic restaurants, combine the two and
come to Pastorant. The low light and intimate atmosphere will make
Trattoria Giorgio
your visit here a study in enjoyment. Choose from our carefully selected
,
Italian specialities that include fresh salads and antipasti, delicious
entres, all sorts of pasta and tasty meat dishes. A good meal in
, Pastorant should be accompanied by a bottle of wine from our world ,
wide selection (Austria,
New Zealand, Chile, Sicily
. and more) to round off your
, ,
evening of culinary pleasure.
There is also a pleasant
.
summer garden for the
- OSTERIA DA RADO
warm months.

. Trattoria Giorgio is simple but plentiful, after
Osteria da Rado (, .
regional recipes and can be home delivered.
Trattoria Giorgio is equally good for breakfast, " " 4, : 0887 872 695),
lunch and dinner, for a cake and coffee and for
having a classic cocktail. Chef Giorgio Coa, the
. moving force behind Trattoria Giorgio, puts
the accent on the fresh pasta prepared on spot, ,
the homemade izzetti and sandwiches, as well ,
as meat and fish. The antipasti, the salads and . ,

the Italian desserts are also a must. And don't

forget to have a glass of wine from the exten . sive wine list.

The best pizza is in OSTERIA DA RADO
Rado is a legendary name among connois . seurs of authentic pizza and pasta in Sofia.
The owner and chef of the Italian restaurant
, , , ,
Osteria da Rado (Lozenets, 4 Golo Brdo St,
.
phone: 0887 872 695), Radostin Kiryazov has
won many international awards in Italian food
competitions and every part of the menu
-
bears evidence for his talent. Made of tasty
.

107

The best Italian food in town

Enjoy true Italian food and atmosphere in the lively heart of Soa! Chef Giorgio Coa serves you
only dishes which would please even the most rened palate from fresh pasta prepared on spot
to salads, meat and sh, to antipasti and great desserts.
Soa, 58 Vitosha Blvd | phone: 0889 98 98 28
open from 10:30 am to 11 pm | www. trattoriagiorgio.com

BAR Rock'n'Rolla
A place that rocks!
No chalga or Bieber here: for four years now BAR
Rock'n'Rolla has been a heaven for people who want to
dance on their faved rock hits while having a drink and
mixing with a friendly crowd. Don't miss the thematic nights
and the karaoke hall, if you are in the mood to sing.

Sofia, 1 Graf Ignatiev St | phone: 0888 13 13 18

open from 8 pm to 4 am
www.rocknrolla.bg

108

dining out

and light dough, Rado's pizzas are one of a kind

and the pasta is made on site. The homemade
Italian sausage, the tuna loins and the beef
fillet with chestnut pure are only a part of
the excellent suggestions in the main dishes
section. The desserts are also worth trying,
especially the homemade ice cream. The carefully selected wine list includes vintages from
Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand.
The restaurant's space is divided in two a spacious winter garden in Mediterranean style for
a romantic dinner or a lunch with friends, and
smaller salon for business meetings.
PASTORANT Where pasta is a passion
If well made pasta is something you are particular about, you may have already discovered
Pastorant (16 Tsar Asen St, phone 981 4482;
www.pastorant.eu). The peaceful romantic
ambiance of the Italian restaurant, which is
situated in a tucked away street in central Sofia,
matches the refined dishes with delicate spices

GUSTOSA

GREEK RESTAURANT
Since 1996

1996 .

The oldest Greek restaurant in Sofia.

And also the best one!

Authentic experience,
fresh fish, live music
and friendly
atmosphere.
Sofia, Slatina
Aleksandar Momchev St,
opposite block 30
opened daily from 12 am to 12 pm
for reservations: 02 971 3773; 0888 231 246

""

,
,
'''' (. '' '' 16; . 981 4482;
www.pastorant.eu).

.
.
TAJ MAHAL

.
,
, Taj Mahal
(. "11- 11", . 987 3632, www.
tajmahal.bg) ,
10
- .

-
. -!

,
,

.
,
. " ", . 30
12.00 24.00
: 02 971 3773; 0888 231 246

and the well-conceived wine list. In summer, the restaurant has

also a great garden.
TAJ MAHAL Discovering the taste of India
Indian cuisine is as boundless as the country itself and just as
irresistible. When looking for the ideal combination of spices,
aromatic naan and original tikka masala chicken recipe, go
for Taj Mahal (11 Eleventh August St, phone: 987 3632, www.
tajmahal.bg) the restaurant in which for more than ten years
two Indian chefs serve the best spicy food. The combination
of a rich menu and relaxing interior is a guarantee for excellent
lunch or dinner, while well-selected drinks and desserts are
evidence for the attention to detail and to your enjoyment.
Rock and party till dawn in BAR ROCK'N'ROLLA
True fans of rock have for long put Bar Rock'N'Rolla (Sofia, 1
Graf Ignatiev St, phone: 088 813 1318, www.rocknrolla.bg) on
their map of the places worth regular visits. Situated the centre
of the city, Rock'N'Rolla is the place to have a cocktail while
listening to the biggest rock hits, to watch the concert of a
favourite band or the game of your favourite football team with
a bowl of popcorn, without ruining your budget. The special
karaoke room is an opportunity to sing a favourite song and
to be heard, and if you want to know what the club has planned
for the evening, check www.rocknrolla.bg. Don't forget the
party here is till dawn.

e ,
.
ROCK'N'ROLLA

Rock'N'Rolla (, ." " 1, 088 813 1318,
www.rocknrolla.bg) ,
. ,
Rock'N'Rolla ,
,

.
,
Rock'N'Rolla ,
www.rocknrolla.bg.
.

hotels

hotels

BTA

110

at a hotel h
c
in sofia
Small and big, hotels in
the capital offer excellent
quality

by Antoaneta Baeva

When you travel to Sofia or plan an

important personal or corporate event with
guests coming from outside the city, choosing
a comfortable and nice hotel is very important.
The capital of Bulgaria offers a variety of
solutions big and boutique hotels; branches
of international hotel chains; luxurious retreats
with four and five stars and humble, yet
pleasant hotels.

,
,
.
; ,
;
,
.

When you are after guaranteed standard,

the safest bet are the international chains
which apply a unified quality all over the
world. However, don't overlook the other
suggestions on the market, like recently
renovated traditional hotels or small family
hotels emphasising on comfort and kindness
on good price.
Before booking, take the trouble to check the
hotels you will be surprised with the variety
of options to stay at a comfortable and good
value for money hotel in Sofia.
How actually are defined the stars of the hotel?
There is not an international standard, but as a
rule the stars correlate not with the comfort and
quality service, but with available amenities such
as mini bar and telephone in the room, pool,
gym, restaurant, hairdressing services.
As a result of the crisis, the competition and
the experience gained, including working in
international chains, the Bulgarian hotels have
substantially increased their quality in the last
few years. Hotel receptions work around the
clock, which in many countries is considered an
extra. Wireless internet is almost always free.
Location is crucial when choosing a hotel
and in the best case scenario you will have an
easy and inexpensive access to the airport,
the main stations and the public transport,
as well as the city centre where most of
the administrative buildings and cultural
attractions are situated. In this respect, most
metropolitan hotels are good they are on top
locations and public transport in the city is
now well settled. Taxis are relatively cheap and
the distances are short.
The next criterion in the selection of a
hotel is the furnishing, the comfort and the
size of rooms. The majority of Sofia's hotels
are recently built and older ones have been
completely renovated. Most of them have
individual air-conditioning, TV, minibar and
telephone, and serve breakfast. Some clients

111

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112

hotels

complain, that in Sofia's hotels breakfast

quantity prevails over quality, but this is not
an universal rule and this is where the good
hotel management role is crucial.
The good value for money is another big
advantage of Sofia's hotels, and the cosy
interiors and the friendly attitude make the
experience even more enjoyable.
MONTECITO HOTEL Escape to Sofia
An opportunity to enjoy a vacation or a
company event without leaving Sofia is to
stay in a fine hotel with an easy access to the
centre and the Sofia Airport, but away from
the stress. Montecito Hotel (357 Tsarigradsko
Shose Blvd, phone: 02 973 6246, mobile:
0888 004 820, www.hotelmontecito.bg) is
the right place. The hotel has an excellent
restaurant, leafy garden and a pool, as well as
room-service, Internet, doctor on call, rent-acar. These amenities and the special rates for
corporate clients make Montecito

. , , ,
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MONTECITO

, ,
e
, .
Montecito (. 357, : 02 973 6246, : 0888
004 820, www.hotelmontecito.bg).

park hotel moskva

""

When you want to be close to central Sofia, yet

amid the serenity of a leafy park, legendary PARK
HOTEL MOSKVA is the answer. Situated in the
Borisova Garden, the newly-renovated hotel is
elegantly and classically redesigned, but one thing has
remained unchanged regardless of which room or
apartment you stay, there will be panoramic view over
Sofia and the Vitosha. However, Park Hotel Moskva
offers even more. Its experienced staff easily organises
conferences and business events at the 7 fully
equipped conference rooms for 20 to 600 people, and
the spacious ground-floor
Moskva Restaurant is ideal
for weddings. If you want a
romantic or a business
dinner, take the elevator to
the Panorama Restaurant
on the 19th floor the
pleasure of the view and of
the excellent food are
guaranteed.

, "".
,
,

,
.
"" .


20 600
, ""
.
,

"" 19-
.

a good tradition in a new light

Discover the renovated Park Hotel Moskva

A top place for comfortable accommodation and major events in Sofia

Close to the centre but away from its bustle, Park Hotel Moskva is situated in the diplomatic
district, near the Borisova Garden. The hotel is a quiet place, equally suitable for tourists
and business travellers, for large-scale meetings and conferences; weddings, receptions
and corporate parties.
Welcoming approach, quality service and devoted care to the guests' comfort are the
trademark of Park Hotel Moskva along with the marvellous view of Sofia, visible from
every room and the emblematic Panorama Restaurant, on the 19th floor.
Facilities:
120 comfortable rooms and 40 suites
2 restaurants, a summer and a winter garden, a lobby bar
7 conference rooms with capacity from 20 to 600 seats
parking
Reservations: phone: +359 2 971 1024; +359 2 963 0321
fax: +359 2 963 0241 | mobile: +359 884 055 801
marketing@parkhotelmoskva.net
www.parkhotelmoskva.net

114

hotels

115

Ganesha
Hotel

Sofia 1113
26, Alexander
von Humbolt str.
Tel.+359 2 971 3815/16/17,
+359 888 588 575

www.hotelganesha-bg.com
e-mail: reservations@hotelganesha-bg.com

MADRID HOTEL
Your home at Soa!

Cosy atmosphere, highquality service

and perfect
location
Comfortable
rooms with air
conditioning and Internet access
6 km from Soa Airport, 10 minutes walk
from the centre

Soa, 12 Dragovitsa St
phones: (+359 2) 944 8952; 943 3471; (+359 884) 593 045
www.madridbg.com

Hotel equally alluring for both weekend

escape from the city and conferences, seminars
and banquets. From the beginning of the
year, Montecito's attractiveness will become
even bigger with the opening of the large
multifunctional Montecito Hall and a new
indoor children's centre.
easyHOTEL SOFIA Low-budget modern comfort
If you are looking for modern comfort
without luxury at the best price, the
right choice is easyHOTEL Sofia (108
Aldomirovska St, phone: 02 920 1654,
www.easyhotel.com), which is only 5 minutes
walk from the main administrative and
commercial buildings, cultural attractions
,
, -, , , --.

Montecito
, ,
. Montecito
-, Montecito Hall
.
easyHOTEL SOFIA M

,
EASYHOTEL Sofia (. "" 108,
: 02 920 1654, www.easyhotel.com),
5 , . easyHotel Sofia easyGroup,
easyJet.
20-30% -
. easyHotel
,
,

Fulfill your dreams with us!

NEW

IN

2014!

the multifunctional
Montecito Hall
new, 2-level indoor
children centre

Sofia, 357 Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd

phone: +359 2 973 62 60
mobile: +359 88 917 7512
reservations@hotelmontecito.bg

Long-standing traditions, new image this is the essence of the Montecito

Restaurant. The stunning and exquisite dcor evokes the romantic
atmosphere of Louis XIV dcor just a few minutes away from Sofia centre.
Montecito is perfect for any occasion for treating your loved ones to a
lavish dinner and for big events weddings, parties, corporate celebrations.
The restaurant has 300 seats with 140 more in the leafy garden. The menu
offers Bulgarian and European cuisine a wide variety of salads, meat,
seafood, pasta and risotto.
The exquisite and comfortable hotel Montecito has 101 rooms and many
amenities like room-service, Internet, doctor on call, rent-a-car, organised
tourist tripsm and is ideal for a getaway weekend.

and entertainment venues. easyHotel Sofia

is a part of easyGroup, which includes the
easyJet airline. The prices of the brand are at
least 20-30 percent lower than those of similar
hotels. easyHotel is aimed at businessmen and
tourists who do not want to compromise on
quality, but insist on best price. The interior
has everything you need the rooms are fresh,
with all amenities such as flat TV with satellite
TV, air conditioning, en suite bathroom and
internet. In the lobby you can find vending
machines with sandwiches and drinks. Token
payment will provide you with additional
services such parking, luggage storage and
aditional room cleaning.
ATM A top location business hotel
When you are looking for a business hotel
with convenient location, pay attention to
ATM Center Hotel (131 Tsarigradsko Shose
Blvd, phone: 0700 31 008, www.atm-hotel.

.
, ,

, ,
.

, .
ATM
, ATM Center Hotel
(. " " 131, : 0700
31 008, www.atm-hotel.com).
,

.
LSD
,
,

116

hotels

Top location close to Sofia Airport and the centre

Comfortable rooms and suites with all amenities
Restaurant with excellent food and live music
Conference hall
Massage and treatments
Sofia, 131 Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd | phone: 0700 31 008
fax: +359 2 9658 481 | mobile: +359 885 772 083
atm-hotel.com | info@atm-hotel.com

hotels

com). The hotel has its own parking and for

the guests' convenience organises airport
and public transport transfers. The rooms
and suites in the two-star hotel are equipped
with all facilities LSD satellite TV, beds
with electronic regulation, high speed LAN
internet and air conditioning. The restaurant
has a nice live music and is suitable for business
events and for weddings and celebrations, and
the conference hall is excellent for seminars,
business meetings and trainings. After a hard
day in the capital you can relax with a massage
or take care of your body with cavitation an
ultrasound method for fat reducing.
Feeling at home in MADRID FAMILY HOTEL
Modern and cozy, Madrid family hotel
(12 Dragovitsa St, phone: 02 944 8952)
welcomes you with excellent service and
convenient location. Situated only 6 km from
the airport, ten minutes from the centre of
the capital and near the Serdica Mall, Madrid
LAN .

, ,
, .


.
""
,
"" (. "" 12, : 02 944
8952)
. 6
,
,
""
.

family hotel is a great choice for a business

trip or vacation. All rooms have elegant dcor
and warm colours and make you feel at home.
Guests enjoy amenities like a telephone, cable
TV, air conditioning and Internet.
Peace and comfort at HOTEL GANESHA
This city hotels is giving you all the amenities
you need for a pleasant stay in the capital city.
Strategically located, Ganesha Hotel (Geo
Milev, 26 Aleksandar Humboldt St, phone: +
359 888 588 575, www.hotelganesha-bg.com)
makes your business meetings easier and gives
you the opportunity to enjoy the cultural and
historical sights without any effort. The hotel
offers a continental breakfast, free WiFi and
beauty and health salon, where qualified
therapists will custom-made a full programme
for recreation and body care. For the business
tourists, Ganesha has also a small conference
room for presentations and meetings.

.
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.
, "" ( , . " " 26, : + 359 888 588
575, www.hotelganesha-bg.com)


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,

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.

easyHotel.com
SOFIA
Simple comfort, best value
easyHotel Sofia

The modern easyHotel Sofia is a part

of the British chain easyHotel.com and
is an equivalent of the easyJet budget
airline. The brand's hotels offer excellent
conditions at extremely low prices.
easyHotel Sofia is just 5 minutes walk
from the main administrative and
commercial buildings, cultural attractions and entertainment venues of the
capital.
The rooms are bright, compact, with
ensuite bathroom and all amenities
including WiFi. Token payment will
provide you with additional services and
parking in the underground parking lot.
Book quickly and easily at
www.easyhotel.com
Sofia
108 Aldomirovska St
phone: +359 (0) 2 920 1654
enquiries@sofia.easyhotel.com

117

easyHotel Sofia

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: +359 (0)2 920 1654
enquiries@sofia.easyhotel.com

118

health

seeing
clearly

trust,
compassion
and loyalty

Eye clinics in Bulgaria are at

world level in terms of quality
of work, staff and equipment
by Antoaneta Baeva

The standard of living depends on the health

and decreased vision causes serious difficulties
in social interaction, at work and in everyday
life. Happily, modern medicine provides a
solution for almost any problem, without pain
and stress.

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www.stockfreeimages.com

advertorial

119

What is the secret of Den Eye Clinic's

longevity?
Reputation and professionalism. Medicine
is a special discipline in it, trust, charity,
honesty and willingness to help are the most
important things. Modern equipment alone is
not enough the patient should know that he
Medical technology
can trust the physician.
is not enough,
Which procedures and treatments are the
believes
clinic's strongest features?
About 20 years ago, Eye Clinic Day
Assoc. Prof.
pioneered in Bulgaria the modern treatment
Dr Andrey
of cataracts phacoemulsification. Today,
Andreev from
with this operation we are able not only
to restore the patient's vision, but also to
Den Eye Clinic
improve significantly its quality. Surgery
treatment of cataracts and glaucoma, corneal
transplant, strabismus and vision correction
are also in the foundation of our success.
Den Eye Clinic is the only one in Bulgaria
where lamellar keratoplasty is done a new
method of corneal transplantation with many
advantages.
When surgery is urgent?
All emergency and chronic diseases in which
Established in 1996, Den Eye Clinic is one
of the first private medical centres in Bulgaria the doctor has made an accurate diagnosis and
has chosen surgery as a method of treatment,
specialising in diagnostics and high-end
treatment of wide range of medical conditions, are urgent. Urgency has different time
equivalent, depending on the diagnosis.
including cataract surgery and laser vision
What kind of methods do you apply on
correction. Situated in two buildings of the
Sofia centre, the clinic is equipped with state- children? Which children's conditions can be
of-art technology for diagnostics, surgery and corrected?
Surgical treatment of children is a big
treatment and is staffed by a dedicated team of
responsibility. The success depends not only
professionals.
on the excellently done surgery, but also on the
Ophthalmologist Assoc. Prof. Dr Andrey
efforts for the development of children's vision
Andreev has been the manager of Den Eye
afterwards. We have one of the best children's
Clinic since its foundation. One of the most
eye physicians and the results we are having are
competent and respected professionals in
of a very high level.
Bulgarian ophthalmology, Dr Andreev is
What requirements should the
a member of prestigious ophthalmological
professionals in Eye Clinic Day meet?
organisations in the EU and the USA,
They should be excellent professionals, and
and is the Vice President of the Bulgarian
hearty and compassionate as people.
Ophthalmologists Society.
Sofia, 21 Rositsa St | phone: + 359 (2) 983 2028 | mobile: + 359 885 747 325 |

www.eyeclinic-den.com

120

health

Ophthalmology is one of the fastest growing

medical specialties in Bulgarian healthcare.
"We can proudly say that many eye clinics
in Bulgaria are on an European level in
terms of quality of work, organisation and
equipment," says Assoc. Prof. Dr Andrey
Andreev, Vice President of the Bulgarian
Ophthalmologists Society and a member of
prestigious ophthalmological organisations in
the EU and the USA. Dr Andreev is also the
manager of Den Eye Clinic, one of the oldest
and most reputed eye clinics in Bulgaria, which
specialises in modern treatment of cataract,
glaucoma and vision correction. "The reason
is that ophthalmology is one of the medical
subjects with a great number of private hospitals
and medical centres and the competition is
very strong. I think that the development of
ophthalmology in Bulgaria goes several steps
ahead of health care reforms," Dr Andreev adds.
Good diagnostic equipment is crucial
for quality treatment and the Bulgarian
ophthalmological clinics are equipped with
the latest technologies for fast and precise
diagnostics. There are performed procedures
like early computer diagnosis; treatment of
glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy with modern
lasers; cataract surgery with implantation of
an ultrasound and soft intraocular lenses;
laser surgery of a detached retina; treatment
of vascular and inflammatory diseases of eyes;
operative treatment of squint and care for
children vision; trabeculectomy; keratoplasty.
Professional team of specialists, who are
constantly updating their knowledge and
skills in ophthalmology, is also important.
Bulgarian physicians regularly attend
international forums and develop their own
scientific researches, and clinics put an effort
on organising international experts exchange
programmes and visits from world renown
ophthalmologists.
Traditional methods of treatment have

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keeping
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advertorial

121

Ophthalmology is developing
with the speed of technology, says
Prof. Dr Iva Petkova of Zora Hospital
In 2001, Prof. Dr Iva Petkova created medical
centre Zora, in Sofia, as a place striving to
achieve the highest quality of health care.
Later, the centre morphed into a hospital for
treatment of eye diseases. In 2010, at Zora
was created a sector for laser vision correction
equipped with an excimer laser Allegretto
WaveLight, a feast of technology. Prof. Dr
Petkova is a specialist in vitreoretinal surgery
and lectures in the Medical Academy in Sofia.
She has specialised in Cologne, London and
Brussels.
What are the most advanced procedures in
Zora?
The removal of cataracts with femtosecond
laser. We are currently developing an
innovative method for treatment of macular
diseases of traction origin.
How do you keep your team in touch with
the rapid development of ophthalmological
technology?
Ophthalmology is indeed rapidly expanding
medical subject. The physicians at Zora are
all very ambitious and continually attend
courses, seminars and congresses, they also
write scientific publications. Some of them
have a degree in the field in which they are
specialised.
How have the diagnosis in ophthalmology
changed in recent years?
Diagnosis in our subject goes hand in
hand with the development of engineering
technology and it noted a sharp development
in recent years. The constant improvement

the physical parameters of the equipment and

the increased resolution of the image help to
diagnose conditions that until recently we had
no chance to even diagnose.
How laser treatment improves eye care?
Laser treatment is extremely effective in
the treatment of eye diseases. Excimer laser
used in bifocals correction is continuously
improving. New generations of lasers allow the
safe correction of higher dioptres and faster
recovery. Femtosecond laser entered refractive
and cataract surgery, allowing extremely
precise execution of these procedures.
What conditions can be treated with laser?
What are the most common surgeries?
The most common laser procedure is
the removal of spectacles. In recent years,
femtosecond laser is getting more and
more used in cataract surgery and so the
operations are safer, more accurate and secure,
avoiding the development of post-operative
astigmatism. In cases with severe myopia, the
correction is possible with artificial lens and
here femtosecond laser is very efficient.
What is the risk in these operations?
With the sophistication of the procedure the
risk is now minimised. Of greatest importance,
however, is the examination of the patient in
advance. The decision depends on the
thickness and the individual characteristics of
the cornea. When it is thinner, the risk of
complications is higher, but we have a sound
diagnosis of the disease and we can find it out
in its very beginning.

Sofia, 191 Maria Louisa Blvd, floor 2 | phones: 02 931 2281, 087 999 8414 | svetlina_zora@abv.bg | ww.bolnica-zora.com

122

health

proven to be successful, but new ways with

better results have been rapidly introduced
into ophthalmology. The laser has completely
changed the standards allowing more
precision, faster and painless procedures and
faster recovery.
Diagnostics in ophthalmology has seen
a rapid development in recent years, and is
moving in line with development of new
technologies, explains Prof. Dr Iva Petkova,
who lectures in the Medical Academy and
is the founder of Zora Eye Hospital. "Laser
treatment is incredibly effective in treatment
of eye conditions," says Prof. Dr Petkova. 'The
excimer laser for laser correction of dioptres is
being constantly improved and new generations
of laser allow the safe removal of high dioptres
and the faster recovery." However, there are
cases when more radical treatment is needed. "In
severe cases of myopia, like 9-10 dioptres, when
common laser correction is helpless, there is an
opportunity for correction with replacing of
the natural lenses of the eye with artificial ones.
Femtosecond laser is very effective in achieving
the optimal result of the surgery. In our clinic
we have very good results with this type of
procedures."
There are specific eye conditions where laser
correction of dioptres is not recommended,
such like keratoconus the conical thinning
of the cornea. "We have an apparatus for
diagnosis of the condition when it is in its
early stages and yet has no symptoms," says
Prof. Dr Petkova. "That is why thorough
examination in advance with specialised
equipment is extremely important for avoiding
complications."
The best Bulgarian clinics apply brand new
procedures to ensure the highest standard of
treatment.
Resbiomed-Vissum Eye Clinic in Sofia applies
the revolutionary ReLEx Smile technology for
minimally invasive laser refractive

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advertorial

123

ReLEx is a trademark of Carl Zeiss Meditec

that stands for the so-called All-Femto-LASIK
procedure ReLEx Smile, which is only
performed using VisuMax a state-of-the-art
Zeiss femtosecond laser.

Resbiomed-Vissum
Sofia Eye Clinic applies
revolutionary technology
for minimally invasive
laser refractive surgery
Resbiomed-Vissum Sofia Eye Clinic is the
first clinic outside Spain from VISSUM
Ophthalmology Corporation. Vision
involves quality of life. Today, our societies
demand high quality of life and excellent
ophthalmic results, particularly from surgery.
Conventional techniques are adequate but
we are interested in raising the limits of
ophthalmology to the highest standards
possible. From this vision and perspective,
our cooperation is based on a longstanding
perspective of clinical application of the most
sophisticated, innovative and effective surgical
techniques and medical treatments for eye
diseases and optimising the clinical results for
our patients based on innovation and clinical
research.
Correction of ametropia, e.g. shortsightedness (myopia), far-sightedness
(hyperopia) and astigmatism by means of
the state-of-the-art femto LASIK is one of
our most important special fields. The new
technology ReLEx Smile provides a better
way to improve your short-sightedness and
the professionals in Resbiomed-Vissum Sofia
Eye Clinic know how to make the best of it for
your eye condition.

How does ReLEx Smile work?

Step 1: The VisuMax femtosecond laser
creates a refractive lenticule and a small
incision of less than 3 mm in the otherwise
intact cornea.
Step 2: The lenticule is manually removed
through a very small incision in the cornea.
There is no need for a flap cut and the
disruption to the biomechanics of the cornea
is minimal.
Step 3: The removal of the refractive lenticule
changes the shape of the cornea, permanently
correcting the refractive error.
The result? No pain, no flap,
biomechanically much more stable cornea
compared to LASIK, better sight with faster
recovery and less stress for your eyes.

Sofia, 144 Aldomirovska St | phone: +359 2 808 1888 | mobile: +359 879 600 290 | sofia@resbiomedeye.com | www.resbiomedeye.com

124

health

corrections of myopia with or without

astigmatism. The technology offers significant
advantages over conventional laser vision
correction mechanically intact cornea, no
pain, no flap and no need to apply moisturising
drops for months. During the procedure a very
small incision (less than 3 mm) is created in
the periphery of the cornea. A lenticule with
the thickness of 10-30 microns is dissected and
removed. The recovery is much faster compared
to the conventional laser vision correction.
After the correction the patients can practice
all kind of sports without any risk and without
any limitation unlike the other laser vision
corrections.
Only Resbiomed-Vissum Eye Clinic
provides to patients of over 45 years of age
the laser refractive correction Laser Blended
Vision (Micro monovision) that allows seeing
at all distances without glasses.
Cataract is one of the most common causes
of reduced vision in elderly people, says Dr
Anna Petkova, an ophthalmologist at Vision,
a renown clinic in Sofia which offers complete
care for adults and children and has a vibrant
social activity. The vision of cataract patient
becomes blurred, contrast sensitivity decreases,
the colours change their shades. When the
so-called clouding thickens, the vision is
seriously reduced. Treatment is 100 percent
surgical, with the golden standard being
phacoemulsification. "Under a microscope,
using very fine tools, we enter the eye through
a very small incision of about 2 mm," says Dr
Petkova. "With ultrasound we fragment the
"small pieces" clouding the natural intraocular
lens of the patient and replace it with new
artificial lens which has been custom made.
Our clinic applies lenses of incredible quality
which improve vision and contrast, correct
corneal astigmatism and provide excellent
vision without glasses. Most importantly the
cataract surgery is painless, quick and sparing."

ReLEx Smile
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seeing
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advertorial

125

Modern equipment and dedicated

professionals are equally important for
good eye care, says Elena Kumbieva,
manager of Eye Laser Centre Vision

For 11 years now, Eye Laser Center Vision has

earned a reputation as one of the top ophthalmology
clinics in Bulgaria. The clinic works following the
highest international standards in prophylaxis and
treatment in a wide range of conditions in children
and adults, and has an extensive social activity. Elena
Kumbieva, manager of Eye Laser Centre Vision, tells
more.
What makes Eye Laser Centre Vision special?
Vision is the prove that in Bulgaria it is possible
to have world-class modern medicine. We have
top-class equipment for precise diagnostics and
adequate treatment, but also an exceptional team of
professionals.
Tell us more about the people who work in
Vision.
We chose excellent specialists and then give them
the opportunity to continue studying and enhancing
their skills. They participate in international events
where they catch up with the latest developments
in ophthalmology. For 5 years now we have been
bringing to Bulgaria leading foreign specialists who

provide free medical examinations. A good clinic

means having nice and helpful customer service and
administrative staff, so every employee in Vision
knows that the patient's comfort is paramount.
What are the main treatments that Vision offers?
We conduct examinations and highly specialised
medical analysis, laser procedures and treatment
of all types of eye conditions: early prevention,
computer diagnostics and treatment of glaucoma
and diabetic retinopathy with modern lasers; cataract
surgery with ultrasound and implantation of soft
intraocular lenses; laser and surgical treatment of
detached retina; vascular and inflammatory eye
diseases; surgical treatment of strabismus and care for
children's eyesight; trabeculectomy, keratoplasty.
In which conditions does laser treatment help?
In all pathological conditions. We can predict and
diagnose all types of severe conditions and propose
appropriate treatment.
Can you treat myopia, hyperopia and
astigmatism and how?
We have the most modern laser for laser treatment,
yet it is important for the patient not to have serious
chronic diseases. Correction is not recommended
for pregnant and breast-feeding women, too, and the
cornea thickness is essential.
What kind of social activities has Vision
developed?
The centre is socially engaged. We visit nursing
homes and offer free examination, covering the whole
or a the bigger part of the price of the lenses after
cataract surgery. From 2013 on, our mobile teams have
been examining for free adults outside Sofia. So far we
have helped dozens of people.

Sofia, 8 C. Grigorovich St | phones: (+359 2) 951 5037; (+359 2) 951 5655 | lazervision@abv.bg | www.lazervision.eu

126

high beam XXX

health

Another very common laser application

is in bifocals correction. Many patients still
are reluctant to believe that a few minutes
procedure will restore their clear vision.
"While driving on the highway to Ljubljana
for the next European Society for Cataract &
Refractive Surgeons, I am testing my ability to
see far," recalls Dr Svetoslav Doychinov from
Vision Clinic. "Six years after I had a laser
correction done, I am still amazed with the
quality of my sight without the discomfort
of contact lenses. Once, I was sceptical on the
long term effect of this method, but this is the
normal reaction of a patient. Now I feel regret
that I have postponed the procedure, which
removed my 5 dioptres."
Dr Doychinov compares the methods for
vision correction with types of transportation.
"The glasses are like the team of horses and
contact lenses are the steam locomotive," says
he. "Radial keratotomy is the equivalent of
tram and laser correction is like a modern car. I
reached Ljubljana in 9 hours, without rubbing
my eyes and using moisturising drops, as
happened before while wearing contact lenses."
Whether you'll stay with the "steam
locomotive" or will prefer the "modern car" is
up to you. What's important is, that in Bulgaria
you have a number of options for vision
correction, top-end facilities and professionals
who will do the best for you.

the correct answers

to the questions on p10:
1. A; 2. C; 3. A; 4. B; 5. B; 6. A;
7. A; 8. C; 9. A.

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Vagabond Media is happy to announce its cooperation with

Penguin Travel, the travel agency based in Copenhagen and
Soa, to provide a new service to our readers: experience
for yourself all the places, sites, events and everything else
you read about in Vagabond, Bulgaria's English Magazine.

City Breaks

Heritage Tours

127

Eccentric Bulgaria
Incentive Travel

We now oer highly customisable, tailor-made tours to

just about anywhere in Bulgaria (and of course through the
Balkans) that you have read about in this journal during
the past six years. Just go on www.vagabond.bg, nd your
destination, and drop us an email. We will provide you with
a quote immediately.
Our new service includes anything from half-a-day tour of
Soa to a week-long journey o-o-o-the-beaten track
through Bulgaria.
Some examples of what we have to oer:

Jewish Bulgaria

Once Bulgaria was a major Jewish centre in southeastern Europe, which did not
deport about 49,000 of its Jews during the Second World War. Now the Jewish
community in the country is small, but the heritage remains sometimes wellkept and maintained, but often overlooked, ignored and abandoned. With a
highly-qualied guide, who has authored many articles and a book about Jewish
heritage in the Balkans, you can now visit some or all of the Jewish-related sites.
Expect to discover some surprising gateways to a forgotten yet potent reminder of
a world that no longer exists.

Ottoman Bulgaria

Did you know that until the late 19th century Bulgaria was a part of a powerful
empire spanning on three continents and incorporating lands as varied as what
is now Egypt, Greece, Israel, Turkey and Iraq? Modern Bulgaria is dotted with
remnants of the Ottoman Empire bridges, mosques, public baths, residential
architecture, water fountains... This is an exciting tour that will give some unique
insights into why Bulgaria is what it is at the beginning of the 21st century.

Communist Bulgaria

In 1990 Bulgaria was the only Warsaw Pact country to re-elect its former Communists in a multiparty election. In 2013 Bulgaria is the only country in Eastern Europe that has not demolished,
dismantled or at least put in context its hundreds if not thousands of Communist-era monuments,
statues and architectural complexes varying from monstrosities such as the Founders of Bulgaria
monument in Shumen and the ying saucer building at Buzludzha to the menacing Red Army
monument in Central Soa. Many of those have been left to the elements to wither, just as the
ideology that once inspired them. In a generation, they will be gone, so now is the time to see
them, experience them and see for yourself what Eastern Europe looked like 25 years ago.
Our tours are highly customisable and can be done for anything from a few hours in central Soa to a week-long
trip in the country. We provide convenient transportation, hotel accommodation, good food and wine and above
all expert guides who will tell you all the stories that will help you make sense of what you see in one of Europe's
least known lands.

Just send us an email on travel@vagabond.bg with a specific inquiry and we will be happy to oblige.

www.vagabond.bg

www.penguin.bg

www.penguin.dk

128

inside track

mahaloto
restaurant

Sofia, 51 Vasil Levski Blvd

phone: 0887 617 972
mahalotto@gmail.com
For more than 10 years, this has been
where you get delicious meal along with
the quiet atmosphere to help you wind
down after a busy day in the centre of
Sofia. The restaurant menu includes
favourites such as pepper steak, Caf de
Paris veal and trout with walnuts to suit
your palate. Complete the experience
with a selection from the wine list Old
and New World both, with a scattering
of Bulgaria's best. Mahaloto is a suitable
place for business lunch or dinner, and you
can offer your guests the taste of Bulgarian
cuisine as well. The free wifi and dreamy
atmosphere will hook you up for hours of
lounging here.

sheraton sofia
hotel balkan

Sofia, 5 Sveta Nedelya Sq.

phone: 02 981 6541
www.sofiabalkan.net
Nobody does it like the Sheraton whenever you want a stylish event with a mixture of
glamour and efficiency. The hotel at the very heart of Sofia shares the square kilometer
with most of the landmarks, institutions and ministries and has approximately 1500
sq.m of total conference space. This includes the Royal Ballroom, which lives up to
its name, fitting 650 people and scattering light everywhere; the Serdica and Sredetz
ballrooms with natural light and two small meeting rooms. Whatever the needs of your
guests, the staff can deliver, while the fabulous cuisine will make your event a smash hit.

plaza
hotel

Varna, 10 Slivnitsa Blvd

phone: 052 684 060; fax: 052 684 061
www.hotelplazabg.com
To make the most of Varna, go for the centre and the Plaza Hotel. Right in front
of the Sea Garden, the exclusive accommodation is packed with features such as
luxurious leather furniture, bathtub, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. The helpful
staff will take on whatever you need done so that you can relax and soak up the
ambience of Varna. The location in the heart of the city is perfect, just steps away from
the beach and with a great range establishments nearby.

Clar!s, image builder - Photo Nicolas Claris

I love my Lagoon!

| 380 | 39 NEW | 400 S2 NEW | 421 | 450 | 52 NEW | 560 | 620 |

Official representative

Sofia
4B Simeonovsko Shose Blvd
phone/fax: 02 962 80 60
mobile: 0882 33 22 11
office@msyachting.bg
www.msyachting.bg

ZINE
NGLISH MAGA
BULGARIAS E

leva
ISSUE 89/2014 5.95

ISSUE 8 9/20 14

9 771312 859112

ISSN 1312-8590

01

BU L G A RIAS E NGL IS H MAGAZINE

JONATHAN
ALLEN

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