FUN

Ahead of the general election scheduled for 4 April, which is expected to generate a record-low turnout owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Boyko Borisov's chief prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, conducted a number of spectacular busts with an obvious potential for publicity. He cracked an alleged ring of spies for Russia, including some senior officials in the Defence Ministry and in various other state agencies. The group, according to the prosecution, sold sensitive military information to Russia – and received payments from the Russian Embassy.

1. Only one of Bulgaria's borders is with a single country. Which one?

A. The southern

B. The western

C. The northern

2. Where can you see a genuine medieval fortress?

A. Cherven, near Ruse

B. Sozopol

C. Tsari Mali Grad, near Sofia

3. The emblematic Bulgarian street food is...

A. Kepabcheta, bread, beer

No idea what the prime minister meant. Development of a Bulgarian Covid-19 vaccine is in its early stages.

Dr Angel Kunchev, Chief Health Inspector

A large facility indeed, but it will make veterinary vaccines... that have nothing to do with Covid-19.

Academic Bogdan Petrunov, immunologist

In Bulgaria freedom of speech is so free (sic) that it is incomparable to that in other countries.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov

During the centuries the natural fortification provided by the rocks was used for a military installation by whoever happened to be in power. The nearby town now finds itself in what is Europe's poorest and least developed region, but it does have good potential for tourism. The legends of the rocks will only help.

Where in Bulgaria are you? 

The picture, in oil, executed in the best (or worst) traditions of late Socialist Realism was immediately picked up by social media users. They were quick to come up with their own variants, ridiculing Bulgaria's Borisov whose authoritarian methods they claim increasingly resemble those of his Communist-era predecessors.

The Bulgarian Council of Ministers sent out a press release that the picture in question was one of a series of artworks commissioned by Arkad Engineering & Construction, the Saudi Arabian contractor for the pipeline project.

The peak of the pandmeic will come just ahead of the 4 April general election.

Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev

The prime minister is a man who puts down all fires in Bulgaria.

Nasko Sirakov, owner of Levski football club, on his request for state funding of new construction on the club's stadium

The world looks different when one's onboard Boyko Borisov's 4WD.

1. The Bulgarian army is...

A. Profetssional

B. Mercenary

C. Draft

2. Which national museum is in a former mosque?

A. National History Museum

B. Ethnography Museum

C. Archaeology Museum

3. Which is the most popular social network in Bulgaria?

A. TikTok

B. Twitter

C. Facebook

The first historians and archaeologists to survey this nation's past. The builders of some of Sofia's most prominent landmarks. The creators of some of Bulgaria's finest gardens. Artists whose paintings captured the soul of Bulgaria. They defined Bulgaria's art, culture, industry and education at the turn of the 20th century, and what unites them is that they were all... Czech.

Through the centuries, Bulgaria has changed the location of its capital city at least a dozen times. From Pliska and Preslav in the early years through Veliko Tarnovo in the Middle Ages Bulgaria's kings have ruled from various towns and cities not all of which are now in today's Bulgaria. In fact the place whence Bulgaria was ruled for the longest period of time, about 500 years, is currently a major megapolis with over 18 million people living in it. It is still referred to in Bulgaria as "Royal City."

Where in the world are you?

The overwhelming majority of Bulgarians wait in earnest for the sauerkraut, or kiselo zele, to ferment, or vtasa. Given the right preparation (in a plastic container called bidonche, stored in a basement, daily circulation of brine, or pretakane) and favourable weather conditions (neither too warm, nor too cold) the year's yield of sauerkraut should be in just ahead of Christmas.