Australia-Bulgaria 50 years of Diplomatic Relations
50th Anniversary
On 5 April 1972, Australia and Bulgaria established formal diplomatic relations. 50 years later, our nations enjoy a strong, warm friendship. One that is grounded in close community links, growing economic ties, and a shared commitment to democracy, the rule-of-law and free trade.
The friendship between our countries dates back to the mid-19th century when the first Bulgarian migrants arrived to Australia, planting the seeds of what would become a small, yet thriving Bulgarian-Australian community. The largest Bulgarian diaspora in the Indo-Pacific, the Bulgarian community in Australia has made significant contributions to the progress of the Australian nation and given rise to distinguished figures in fields ranging from the arts and sports, to architecture and journalism.
Australia and Bulgaria are partners in multilateral fora, working together to uphold the international rules-based order, international peace and security and free and open trade. We are also committed to strengthening our economic ties. A comprehensive and ambitious Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement will provide an excellent platform to develop further our trade and investment ties. The Bulgarian Australian Business Council is a valuable engine for the development of trade relations, providing useful networking opportunities for Australian and Bulgarian businesses.
To mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Bulgaria, a street in Canberra’s new suburb of Macnamara will be named after the late Bulgarian-Australian Emeritus Professor Stephen Kaneff, who undertook world-leading solar energy research. We would like to acknowledge the work of the Bulgarian Charge d’Affaires in Canberra, Mr Svetlozar Panov, towards this fitting recognition of the work of Professor Kanef.
As a tribute to our warm friendship, we are also publishing a series of historical photos and archive documents, drawn from the collections of the National Library of Australia, the Parliament of Australia, and the Bulgarian News Agency, courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These aim to capture the history of our diplomatic relations as well as the cultural and economic bonds between our two countries, which span a history much longer than the last 50 years. From visits of heads of state to the participation of athletes in sports tournaments, from articles on our trade relations to announcements about the appointments of new Ambassadors, the selected photos and documents demonstrate that the relationship between Australia and Bulgaria has grown with the passage of time.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria has also launched the “50 Stories” project, aiming to present the stories of 50 Bulgarians and Australians who have contributed to the development of the bilateral relations in various areas or who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields, and has invited interested persons to submit their contributions. Find out more about the project: https://www.mfa.bg/en/embassies/australia/news/32015
This milestone year offers an excellent opportunity to celebrate the warm ties between our nations, the achievements of our societies and our shared values. It also offers an exceptional occasion to reflect on our vision for the future and the opportunities to strengthen our bilateral relationship. We look forward to this relationship continuing to thrive over the next 50 years and beyond.
Image Gallery
Sofia, 21 December 1956
Bulgarian middle weight freestyle wrestler and Merited Master of Sport, Nikola Stanchev, winner of the Gold Medal at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games, among relatives and greeters who welcome back the Bulgarian Olympic Team, at Sofia Station. This was the first gold medal for Bulgaria at Olympic Games. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by P. Petrov
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Sofia, 21 June 1966
Welcoming at Sofia Airport of an Australian Government delegation led by Sir John McEwen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Australia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Violeta Popova
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Sofia, 21 June 1966
Welcoming at Sofia Airport of an Australian Government delegation led by Sir John McEwen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Australia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Violeta Popova
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Sofia, 21 June 1966
Welcoming at Sofia Airport of an Australian Government delegation led by Sir John McEwen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Australia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Violeta Popova
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Sofia, 23 June 1966
Signing of the first trade agreement between Bulgaria and Australia. On Bulgaria’s part the agreement was signed by the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, HE Mr Stanko Todorov, and on the Australian side, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Sir John McEwen. Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Violeta Popova
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Sofia, 23 June 1966
Signing of the first trade agreement between Bulgaria and Australia. On Bulgaria’s part the agreement was signed by the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, HE Mr Stanko Todorov, and on the Australian side, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Sir John McEwen. Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Violeta Popova
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Sofia, 27 April 1972
Australia’s first Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Robert Henry Robertson, presents his credentials to the Chairman of the State Council of Bulgaria, HE Mr Todor Zhivkov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Dimitar Viktorov
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Sofia, 27 April 1972
Australia’s first Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Robert Henry Robertson, presents his credentials to the Chairman of the State Council of Bulgaria, HE Mr Todor Zhivkov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Dimitar Viktorov
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Sofia, 27 April 1972
Australia’s first Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Robert Henry Robertson, presents his credentials to the Chairman of the State Council of Bulgaria, HE Mr Todor Zhivkov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Dimitar Viktorov
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Sofia, 27 April 1972
Australia’s first Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Robert Henry Robertson, presents his credentials to the Chairman of the State Council of Bulgaria, HE Mr Todor Zhivkov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, photo by Dimitar Viktorov
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Sofia, 17 September 2001
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Petar Stoyanov, accepts the letters of credence of the newly appointed Ambassador of Australia to Bulgaria, HE Mr Stuart Hume (right). Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Emanuela Zaharieva
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Sofia, 23 July 2002
The Ambassador of Australia to Bulgaria, HE Mr Stuart Hume, meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, HE Mr Solomon Passy (right). Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Vladimir Shokov
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Sofia, 5 July 2004
An Australian parliamentary delegation, led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia, the Hon Neil Andrew MP, meets the President of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, Mr Ognyan Gerdjikov (right). Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Elena Dikova
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Sofia, 5 July 2004
An Australian parliamentary delegation, led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia, the Hon Neil Andrew MP, meets the President of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, Mr Ognyan Gerdjikov (right). Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Elena Dikova
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Sofia, 5 July 2004
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov, receives the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia, the Hon Neil Andrew MP (on the left), who leads a six-day parliamentary visit to Bulgaria. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Anelia Nikolova-D
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Sofia, 5 July 2004
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov (on the right), meets the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia, the Hon Neil Andrew MP (second on the right) and the delegation led by him. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Anelia Nikolova-D
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Sofia, 15 November 2005
Australia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Paul Joseph Tighe, presents credential letters to the President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Elena Dikova
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Sofia, 15 November 2005
Australia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Paul Joseph Tighe, presents credential letters to the President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Elena Dikova
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Sofia, 9 May 2008
Australia's Ambassador to Bulgaria, HE Mr Jeremy Roger Newman, presents credential letters to the President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Rumen Dobrev
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Sofia, 17 October 2008
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Dance Theatre “Descendance” toured Bulgaria in October 2008, performing at major theatres in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. In the photo, Descendance performs at the emblematic National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Georgi Georgiev
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Sofia, 17 October 2008
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Dance Theatre “Descendance” toured Bulgaria in October 2008, performing at major theatres in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. In the photo, Descendance performs at the emblematic National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Georgi Georgiev
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Sofia, 17 October 2008
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Dance Theatre “Descendance” toured Bulgaria in October 2008, performing at major theatres in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. In the photo, Descendance performs at the emblematic National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Georgi Georgiev
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Sofia, 17 October 2008
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Dance Theatre “Descendance” toured Bulgaria in October 2008, performing at major theatres in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. In the photo, Descendance performs at the emblematic National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Georgi Georgiev
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Canberra, 29 October 2009
The Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, receives the President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov, at Government House, during President Parvanov’s state visit to Australia. Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Canberra, 30 October 2009
Australian Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd AC, shakes hands with the President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov (on the right) at Parliament House, during President Parvanov’s state visit to Australia. Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Canberra, 29 October 2009
The Director of the Australian War Memorial, Steve Gower, shows the President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov (in the centre), the Roll of Honour. Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Canberra, 29 October 2009
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov, shakes hands with the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Australian Parliament, Mr Harry Jenkins MP (left). Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Canberra, 29 October 2009
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov, meets with the President of the Senate of the Australian Parliament, the Hon John Hogg (left). Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Canberra, 29 October 2009
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Georgi Parvanov, meets with the President of the Senate of the Australian Parliament, the Hon John Hogg (left), and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Australian Parliament, Mr Harry Jenkins MP (right). Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Canberra, 29 October 2009
The Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly, Mr Shane Rattenbury MLA (on the right), and HE Mr Georgi Parvanov, President of Bulgaria, plant a Pinus heldreichii (Whitebark Pine) on the spine of the Central Valley landscape at the Canberra National Arboretum, during President Parvanov’s state visit to Australia. The Whitebark Pine naturally occurs in south-western Bulgaria and in the mountains of south-eastern Europe. In Bulgaria it is native to Mount Pirin. Credit: Parliament of Australia
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Burgas, 9 October 2011
A stacker for a coal mine in Australia was loaded on a ship in the Port of Burgas. The unique technical device was assembled and equipped within three months on the quay itself, and the loading itself was a challenge. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Todor Stavrev
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Sofia, 22 April 2014
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Rosen Plevneliev, attends a ceremony at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences to present Bulgarian students with medals for their exceptional performance at the Australian Mathematics Competition. In the photo: Bulgaria’s Head of State presents a gold medal and certificate to Year 9 student Kostadin Garov who achieved the highest score at the 2013 edition of the Competition. The Ambassador of Australia to Bulgaria, HE Ms Jennifer Bloomfield, is also present. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Vladimir Shokov
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Sofia, 22 April 2014
The President of Bulgaria, HE Mr Rosen Plevneliev, attends a ceremony at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences to present Bulgarian students with medals for their exceptional performance at the Australian Mathematics Competition. In the photo: HE Mr Rosen Plevneliev (centre), the Ambassador of Australia to Bulgaria, HE Ms Jennifer Bloomfield, and the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Academician Stefan Vodenicharov (right). Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Vladimir Shokov
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Sofia, 8 August 2014
The Ambassador of Australia to Bulgaria, HE Mr John Griffin, presents his credentials. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Asen Tonev
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Sofia, 22 November 2015
Australian singer Bella Paige performs “My Girls” at the Arena Armeec at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 final. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Hristo Kasabov
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Sofia, 2 June 2018
The Australian and Bulgarian men’s national volleyball teams play each other at the Arena Armeec at the Volleyball Nations League 2018. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Tsvetomir Petrov
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Varna, 13 June 2019
The coaches (from left to right) of the volleyball teams of Australia – Mr Mark Lebedev, Japan – Mr Yuichi Nakagaichi, Bulgaria – Mr Silvano Prandi, and Italy – Mr Gianlorenzo Blengini, during the official press conference before the Men's Volleyball Nations League tournament in Varna. Credit: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), courtesy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Georgi Genchev
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Documents
December 1965
Overview of the main sectors of the Bulgarian economy, Bulgaria’s foreign trade and its trade with Australia, published in the 10 December 1965 issue of Overseas Trading (Vol. 17, No. 24), a periodical of the former Australian Department of Trade and Industry. Source: National Library of Australia
November 1967
The visit to Bulgaria by Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Sir John McEwen, in June 1966 was reciprocated by a visit of Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Latchezar Avramov, to Australia in October 1967. According to the press communique issued at the end of the visit, the visit had offered an excellent opportunity to explore ways of developing closer trade and economic relations between the two countries. The press communique appeared in the November 1967 issue of Current Notes on International Affairs (Vol. 38, No. 11), a periodical published by the former Australian Department of External Affairs. Source: National Library of Australia
April 1972
On 5 April 1972 the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, the Hon Nigel Bowen QC, MP, announced the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and Bulgaria at Ambassadorial level. The announcement was included in the April 1972 issue of Current Notes on International Affairs (Vol. 43, No. 4), a periodical published by the former Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. Source: National Library of Australia
June 1972
In 1972, trade between Australia and Bulgaria was small, but prospects for its growth were looking good. This article, published in the 23 June 1972 issue of the Official Journal of the Commonwealth Department of Trade & Industry (Vol. 24, No. 12), identified opportunities for Australian exports to Bulgaria, in light of the goals set out in Bulgaria’s 1971-1976 economic plan. Some of these opportunities included skins and hides, non-ferrous ores and concentrates, agricultural and irrigation equipment, automotive maintenance and service equipment, semi-finished metal shapes, and solar heating and hotel and catering equipment. Source: National Library of Australia
October 1976
In 1976, Bulgaria was looking to expand its trade with the West, according to this article published in the 29 October 1976 issue of the Official Journal of the Australian Department of Overseas Trade (Vol. 28, No. 21). The article identified opportunities to strengthen Australia’s trade with Bulgaria in this context, focusing on agricultural equipment and technology, food processing machinery, mineral concentrates, solar heating and hotel and catering equipment. Source: National Library of Australia
July 1986
In July 1986, in a move designed to encourage tourism to Australia, the Australian Government announced that visitors from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Romania would no longer require formal sponsorship from a relative, friend or associate in Australia. The news release was included in the same month’s issue of the Australian Foreign Affairs Record (Vol. 57, No. 7), a periodical published by the former Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. Source: National Library of Australia
October 1988
Mr Frank Milne was appointed Australia’s non-resident Ambassador to Bulgaria in October 1988. The announcement was included in that month’s issue of the Australian Foreign Affairs Record (Vol. 59, No. 10), a periodical published by the former Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. Source: National Library of Australia
This site was originally published in April 2022.