News - South Africa, Pretoria, Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria

On 28 August 2026, Ambassador Maria Tzotzorkova attended a farewell brunch hosted by Mr Alvin Botes, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, in honour of the outgoing Ambassadors of Bulgaria, Slovakia and Cyprus to the Republic of South Africa.

In his address to Ambassador Tzotzorkova, Deputy Minister Botes spoke highly of the traditionally friendly relations with Bulgaria and acknowledged the contribution of the Bulgarian people to the South African struggle for democracy and the dismantling of the apartheid regime. He highlighted Ambassador Tzotzorkova’s role in deepening bilateral cooperation and revitalising political dialogue during her tenure. Particular emphasis was placed on the historic visit of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to South Africa in 2023, the first bilateral visit to South Africa by a Bulgarian head of state, and its positive effect in accelerating trade and economic cooperation, establishing sectoral partnerships and elevating bilateral relations to a new level.

In her response, Ambassador Tzotzorkova highlighted her commitment and the considerable efforts made to strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote dialogue between the two countries. She also expressed her appreciation for the South African Government’s decision to introduce visa-free short-term travel for Bulgarian citizens, which has created favourable conditions for expanding tourism and trade between and further strengthening the momentum in bilateral relations.