ДОБРОТО ДЕЙСТВИЕ: СЪЧЕТАВАНЕ НА ТРАДИЦИОННАТА ДИПЛОМАЦИЯ С ФОРМИ НА НЕФОРМАЛНАТА
GOOD ACTION: COMBINING TRADITIONAL AND INFORMAL FORMS OF DIPLOMACY

Summary/Abstract: This material is not intended to be a research article. It is rather the shared experience of the author in combining his work as Bulgarian Ambassador in Albania (1998-2006 years) and Kosovo (2010-2014 years) with forms of informal diplomacy. This practice has proven quite successful, especially in the Balkan region, where there are no negative examples from the past. It is a major contribution to the main task of any diplomatic mission - strengthening of overall bilateral relations.In their work in Albania, Ambassador Bobev and his team, have received assistance from various local companies and single contributors – Gotmar Co., local branches of First Investment Bank, Hemus Air airline, acad. Svetlin Rusev, art critic Ralitsa Ruseva, sculptor Dobromir Ivan, singer Iliya Lukov, craftsman Alexei Zhalov. Some results of this fruitful cooperation consist are issuing History of Bulgaria in Albanian, repairing training facilities for teaching Bulgarian in Tirana’s university, presentations of Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage to local population, establishing contacts and activity among people with Bulgarian origin.In Kosovo, valuable cooperation has been developed with Glavbolgarstroy Co. - the biggest Bulgarian company represented in the country at that time, as well as Bulgarians temporarily based there as part of assignments in international missions (Daniela Karamanova, Dimitar Dimitrov) and incidental visitors (amateur photographer Dragomir Bakardjiev ) . The results of this cooperation have been vastly dedicated to charity - SOS- village in Pristina, as well as presentations of Bulgarian nature, history and cultural heritage to local public.The author expresses his conviction that combining traditional with informal diplomacy in Bulgarian missions abroad only reflects positively and helps to achieve better results in bi-lateral relations worldwide.

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