A New Look At Bulgarian-South African Economic Relations

Bulgaria realigned its foreign policy following the demise of communism in 1989. That year marked the end of 45 years of one-party dictatorship under the Bulgarian communist party (BKP) and Todor Zhivkov’s rule. As the country held its first democratic elections, the world was changing – communist dictatorships were falling like dominos in all of Eastern Europe, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Cold War were soon to be history as well. Significant changes were also occurring outside of Eastern Europe – in Latin America and Africa. Particularly in South Africa, the apartheid dictatorship was on the verge of being dismantled, and the National Party’s 42-year rule was nearing its end. Bulgaria and South Africa were embarking on their paths of democratization, which created opportunities for them to establish official political and economic relations in a new geopolitical environment. The present article will explore the different aspects of South African-Bulgarian relations with an emphasis on the economy in order to provide a better understanding of the status quo, challenges, and future perspectives, thus ultimately contributing to and fostering a broader academic debate on the topic not only in Bulgaria but also in South Africa.