Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria marks Diplomatic Service Day on Sunday commemorating the establishment of the country’s first foreign policy administration by Decree No. 1 of Prince Alexander I of Battenberg on July 19, 1879, the Foreign Ministry said on its website.
Since then, Bulgarian diplomacy has consistently defended the country’s national interests and contributed to establishing Bulgaria as a respected member of the international community, the Ministry said.
Over the past 146 years, Bulgarian diplomats have worked to strengthen the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, secure Bulgaria’s accession to key international organizations and initiatives, build relations of friendship and cooperation with countries around the world, and assist Bulgarian citizens and communities abroad.
July 19 was officially designated as Bulgarian Diplomatic Service Day by then Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mihaylova through a resolution dated April 21, 1999.
Bulgaria’s first diplomatic agents were Dragan Tsankov, Evlogi Georgiev and Dimitar Kirov, while Konstantin Stoilov was appointed to St Petersburg in 1883.
Following the Unification of Bulgaria in 1885, Grigor Nachovich was appointed to Vienna, Petar Dimitrov to Athens, Ivan Geshov to Paris and Spas Konstantinov to Cetinje.
Under the Regulations on the Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Religious Denominations, approved by Prince Ferdinand on December 14, 1897, Bulgaria’s first-class diplomatic agencies were those in Istanbul, Vienna, St Petersburg and Paris, while second-class agencies were established in Bucharest, Belgrade, Athens and Cetinje.
Until Bulgaria proclaimed its independence in 1908, Bulgarian representatives abroad were known as diplomatic agents, while foreign representatives in Bulgaria held the titles of diplomatic agents or consuls general. Following the declaration of independence and its recognition by the Great Powers, Bulgarian representatives abroad and foreign representatives in Bulgaria became envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary.
By decree of Tsar Ferdinand on May 21, 1909, Bulgaria’s diplomatic missions abroad were redesignated as legations. Following the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1947, diplomatic representatives were given the title of ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary, while legations became embassies.
On the eve of the Second World War, Bulgaria maintained diplomatic relations with 32 countries. By 1979, the number had risen to 109, and by 1993 to 142.
Modern diplomatic relations are governed by the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, ratified by Bulgaria on October 19, 1967, and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, ratified on May 25, 1989. Bulgaria Marks Diplomatic Service Day 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-19 10:04:21 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law