Where Is Bulgaria

For her part, Torrez is eager to become an American Artist Abroad. “Being able to travel to Bulgaria and meet artists from another culture, get to know them, let them know me, share our ideas, share our cultures, far exceeds my dreams. What I hope to accomplish with this trip is a greater understanding of our similarities as artists and as people.” ...

For almost 40 years, the Art in Embassies Program has been exhibiting original works of art by U.S. citizens in the public rooms of American diplomatic residences worldwide. Now, under the leadership of Director Anne Johnson, the Program is expanding its outreach and sending participating American artists to the foreign capitals where their works are displayed. The goal of this new initiative is to extend the art exhibitions beyond the walls of the residences into local communities. ... [Read More]

Bulgaria

The legal requirement that groups whose activities have a religious element must register with the Council of Ministers remained an obstacle to the activity of some religious groups, such as the Unification Church, the Sofia Church of Christ, and the Church of the Nazarene (which has tried repeatedly to register for over 6 years). Furthermore, several municipal governments including those of Burgas, Plovdiv, Pleven, Gorna Oryahovitsa, and Stara Zagora have, within the period covered by this report, established local registration requirements and/or adopted other restrictive laws curtailing the free practice of religious activities, often in contravention of the country's constitution and international law. These laws, variously, have imposed bans on such things as distribution of religious literature, proselytizing in public, references to faith-healing, preaching to minors without parents' express permission, and holding of prayer services at facilities not registered with the municip ... [Read More]

Immigrant Visas Issued to Orphans Coming to U.S.

U.S. Department of State [Read More]

1997 Human Rights Report - Bulgaria

The Constitution designates Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the"traditional" religion. Along with the Orthodox Church,a number of major religious bodies, including the Muslim and Jewishcommunities, receive government financial support. There was noevidence that the Government discriminated against the membersof any religious group in making restitution to previous ownersof properties that were nationalized during the Communist regime.The Government actively supported property restitution for a grouprepresenting the Jewish community. For most registered religiousgroups, there were no restrictions on attendance at religiousservices or on private religious instruction. A school for imams,a Muslim cultural center, university theological faculties, andreligious primary schools operated freely. Bibles and other religiousmaterials in the Bulgarian language were on most occasions freelyimported and printed, and Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish publicationswere published on a regular bas ... [Read More]

Bulgaria

U.S. Department of State [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

Cyprus is a destination country for women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Traffickers who forced women into prostitution continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas. There was increasing evidence of Chinese women being trafficked for sexual exploitation in Cyprus. The Government of Cyprus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Cyprus made some progress in its anti-trafficking efforts over the past year. The new police anti-trafficking unit produced successful results and showed vigilance in combating the problem. Government recognition of the problem improve ... [Read More]

Bulgaria

A number of religious groups complained that foreign-national missionaries and religious leaders experienced difficulties in obtaining and renewing residence visas in the country; the issuance of residence visas appeared to be subject to the whim of individual authorities. New amendments to the Law on Foreign Persons, which went into effect in 2001, created problems for foreign missionaries and religious workers in the country. For example, the revised law has no visa category which explicitly applies to missionaries or religious workers, and rules for other categories of temporary residence visa (such as self-employed or business-owner) have been tightened in ways that reportedly make it more difficult for religious workers to qualify. For example, foreign evangelical missionaries in Stara Zagora, who had reported confusion, delays, and demands for unexpected fees and bribes while applying for visas, were granted 1-year visas in July following a visit to Stara Zagora by a ... [Read More]

Bulgaria (06/05)

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. The unicameral National Assembly, or Narodno Subranie, consists of 240 deputies who are elected for 4-year terms through a system of proportional representation in 31 electoral regions. Party or coalition lists, rather than individual candidate names, appear on the ballots. A party or coalition must garner a minimum of 4% of the vote in order to enter parliament. Parliament selects and dismisses government ministers, including the prime minister, exercises control over the government, and sanctions deployment of troops abroad. It is responsible for enactment of laws, approval of the budget, scheduling of presidential elections, declaration of war, and ratification of international treaties and agreements. ... [Read More]

Bulgaria
[Read More]