Bulgaria (map), one of the ex-Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe, is (like many such countries) trying to find or recreate its identity now that it is independent. Bulgaria's situation looks hopeful, and echoes a few other nations in the region in that their ex-king, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, has returned after almost a half century of exile to become Prime Minister.

This doesn't necessarily mean that there are only clear blue skies ahead for Bulgaria, as this article from Bulgaria Online points out:

"But now it’s time to form a government, and Simeon will, like it or not, be forced into the stew of Bulgarian politics. He wants to see ‘a prosperous Bulgaria joining Europe as an equal partner’. Yet to attain that goal, the bright, young, Western-trained economists on his team are going to have to introduce some deeply unpopular belt-tightening fiscal reforms. They will also have to tackle some formidable vested interests, such as a corrupt police force and a bloated bureaucracy, both of which are intertwined with organised crime. While other Eastern-bloc countries, such as the Czech Republic and Hungary, have stormed ahead economically, Bulgaria languishes in corruption, backwardness and stalled reforms."

Nevertheless one gets the idea that the people of Bulgaria really want something good to happen there. The above article also presents the idea that the Bulgarian people have wanted the ex-king to be a savior, someone who comes down from the sky and fixes everything. While it is pointed out that this is not realistic, there are a number of signs that by Bulgaria's being ready for something good to happen, it will happen. For example, here is an excerpt from the Bulgarian Stock Exchange "Brief History" page:

"Unfortunately, the Bulgarian capital market is still underdeveloped and does not fulfil its important economic and social functions. Although the stock market operates in a well determined legal and regulatory environment, it still doesn’t attract the free capital resources of the local population and the business circles – both domestic and international. Due to these reasons the capital market does not play more important role in the acceleration of the structural reforms and in the stimulation of economic growth."

Although this may seem needlessly self-deprecating, it shows that the stock exchange is ready for the markets to develop. Undoubtedly they will develop - Bulgaria is slated for entry into the EU in 2007 with the proviso that it amends part of its constitution. According to this article, in the interim it is slated to receive over one billion euros of aid for "agriculture and infrastructure, and to help fund institutional reform".

While the following correspondence about FLOSS is largely symbolic, it represents a willingness and an openness of attitude which are certainly necessary for Bulgaria to find its own sense of community and place in the world. We wish Bulgaria's efforts every success in this regard.

Willy Smith, reporting from Costa Rica

OpenFest under the aegis of Bulgarian President Mr. Georgi Parvanov (English)

author: yovko | 9.9.2003

To: The President of the Republic of Bulgaria

Dear Mr. President,

I am addressing to you in the name of the Initiative Committee of individuals and entities, who have supported the idea to turn one day of the year into a World Day for Free Software.

We are different, but we are united by this common idea - the freedom and the willingness to do something together to start from here - from our Bulgaria. The Free Software is not just a model for creating programs, it is not just an industry, nor a simple technology, it caries the idea for the "human way" of knowledge, documentation and software sharing. This is what has united us, too - the ones who support this idea - we are not just followers of the Free Software, we welcome the concept for having a right of a free choice.

The Free Software phenomenon is not just exotics - it triumphs already all over the world. The governments are interested in the Free Software, huge software corporations base their business on open technologies, the number of users of free operating systems and software grows increasingly in all the parts of the world, including Bulgaria.

The Free Software does not have a celebration day - so far... Our idea OpenFest.org is to turn one day of the year into a World Day for Free Software. We have the ambition to receive as wide as possible international support and response - we are inviting individuals and entities from the European Union countries, the USA, Russia, Asia, but we do want that this idea takes its roots from Bulgaria, from all of us, who support it and who want to turn it into reality.

We are inviting you, Mr. President, to become a Patron of this Fest; let the World Day for Free Software not only receive a Bulgarian start, but that it is also performed under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria. Let's make together one more step towards approaching Bulgaria to the other nations: let the general mission of the Free Software - the sharing - close to the Bulgarian nature and to its Christian customs as well, contribute to build our friendship with other nations.

The Internet itself as a phenomenon exists and is born in the same atmosphere in which the Free Software concept derives. Internet and the modern technologies have provided us with the chance to feel as citizens of the world, to overcome the limits and the discrepancies among us. OpenFest.org will not be held on the Internet - the global network will only coordinate the events within the different parts of the world. The fest will happen among the people - it will make them feel powerful and strong. It will show them that they can learn and develop, that their knowledge is accessible and it is all around them. It will prove them that based on other people's knowledge they can develop their ideas further. And last, but not least, it will become evident, that it is possible that a good idea could initiate from Bulgaria, and could go around the world and help unite it - even if only for a day - with the idea for freedom, with sharing, with the desire for knowledge and development.

Mr. President, help us to break the myth that the Bulgarian society is a culture of reflections. We have the chance to make something unique and original happen - a celebration with its own style - a number of different events, held in different parts of the world, united by the OpenFest idea - a World Day with Bulgarian initiation.

Mr. President, we rely on your support!

Yours faithfully,

Yovko Lambrev

Initiative Committee for OpenFest - the World Day of the Free Software
Board Member of Free Software Association - Bulgaria

The Letter from the Bulgarian President Mr. Georgi Parvanov
To Free Software Association - Bulgaria (English translation)

Оriginal letter can be found here. (Bulgarian)

To: Free Software Association - Bulgaria and the Initiative Committee for
OpenFest - the World Day of the Free Software

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Without a doubt, the idea of Free Software Association - Bulgaria and the Initiative Committee for OpenFest - a world day for Free Software, is very original. This idea will help for the popularization of the achievements of the Free Software in Bulgaria.

On other hand, it is necessary to respect the fact, that in the modern information era, the open character of the programs provides in a global dimension with a fast transfer of knowledge, opportunities for free access in the education process, and a manifestation of artistic activity of millions of computer science students, of young people interested in the area of Information Technologies.

I support to highest extent your ambition to popularize this form of "human way" of knowledge, documentation and software sharing, your willingness to fulfil your right of choice while encouraging all interested around you to do the same.

It is indeed necessary that the Free Software projects are popularized and institutionally supported, because they help for solving such important problems as the transparency, the alternativeness and the free access of citizens to the public administration. I believe that the development of programs based on Free Software will contribute to the overcoming of the sequences of the "digital divide" caused on society.

In this context I accept your offer that the initiative called OpenFest - the World Day of the Free Software - is performed under my aegis.

I hope that in this way we will encourage bringing people who are related to Free Software together in an international dimension. Through this event we will facilitate the development of Bulgaria and the participation in many of our information [technology] talents in the Free Software movement.

Yours sincerely,

Georgi Parvanov

President of the Republic of Bulgaria