Some notes on Bulgarian-Australian relations
According to Bulgarian ambassador in Canberra Lyubomir Todorov, there are 15 000 Australians of Bulgarian descent living in Australia.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said in September 2007 that the number of Australians with permanent residence in Bulgaria was 10.
To the end of September 2007, 8865 Australian tourists visited Bulgaria.
The distance between the capital cities, Sofia and Canberra, is 15 362km.
When its noon in Sofia, its 9pm the same day in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne (local daylight savings time).
In October 2007, an exhibition entitled Bulgaria A Land of Ancient Civilisations was held in Canberra by the citys Australian-Bulgarian Society.
In October 2007, a delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Feim Chaoushev held political consultations at the department of foreign affairs and trade of Australia, discussing regional issues, the enlargement and institutional reform of the European Union and the situation in certain Asia-Pacific countries. A detailed analysis was made of the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq, and of the participation of the two countries in security operations in these countries.
In March-April 2007, Labour and Social Policy Minister Emilia Maslarova went on a working visit to Australia. At a meeting in Melbourne, Bulgarias labour market achievements and priorities in the coming years to improve the quality of labour force in accordance with employers requirements, combining family and work responsibilities and effective protection of motherhood were presented by Maslarova when she conferred with Jacinta Allan, minister for skills, education services and employment and minister for womens affairs of the Australian State of Victoria. Maslarova met representatives of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). They focussed on the impact of new Bulgarian labour legislation on employment and competitiveness. According to the ACTU officials, the liberalisation of industrial relations had resulted in a deepening of social problems of vulnerable groups on the labour market and had lowered the level of social protection of the employed. The trade unions said that the drafting and signing of an agreement on co-operation with the government and the employers, similar to the Economic and Social Development Pact to 2009 signed in Bulgaria, was a unique possibility to resume disrupted social dialogue and to create opportunities to implement fundamental social rights. The looming shortage of qualified labour in Bulgaria and measures to offset this trend dominated talks held by Maslarova at the Australian parliament. In Canberra, Bulgaria and Australia agreed on co-operation in vocational training and development of new policies for internship in real production environments, in the promotion of employer investment in human resources, in social partnership and providing a real and effective link between vocational training and labour market demand. These agreements were reached at talks between Maslarova with Chris Burvill, head of the New South Wales department of education and training.
On March 28 2007, Bulgarias Foreign Ministry consular relations directorate said that the issuance of an Electronic Travel Authority or a Valid Short Travel Visa for Bulgarian citizens visiting Australia was valid as of that day. The system gives Bulgarian citizens the opportunity to apply for this type of visa through the site of the Australian department of immigration and citizenship. If granted, the visa is not affixed in the passport but the Bulgarian need only present his/her passport on entry into Australia.
