Bulgaria inaugurates Honorary Consulate for Baden-Württemberg, Germany

An official ceremony marking the appointment of Dr. Marc Hacker as Honorary Consul of Bulgaria for the German state of Baden-Württemberg took place in Stuttgart, Bulgaria's Consulate General in Munich announced on its Facebook page.

The event was preceded by the blessing of the Honorary Consul's office, conducted by Father Rayko Sinev of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community in Stuttgart.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Father Rayko and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community in Stuttgart for their spiritual support and for preserving the Bulgarian faith, spirit and community in Baden-Württemberg," the Consulate General said.

As a token of appreciation and friendship, Bulgaria's Consul General in Munich, Stefan Yonkov, presented Dr. Hacker with a sculpture of the Bulgarian lion in the colours of the national flag. He expressed the hope that the lion would symbolize strength, dignity and friendship, as well as Bulgaria's growing presence in Baden-Württemberg.

Baden-Württemberg was Bulgaria's largest trading partner among Germany's 16 federal states in 2025, with bilateral trade exceeding €2 billion. The state also accounts for a leading share of German investment in Bulgaria.

In his address, Consul General Yonkov also highlighted the strong Bulgarian community in Baden-Württemberg. Nearly 55,000 Bulgarian citizens live, work and study in the state, contributing through their professionalism, dedication and hard work to its economic and social life.

Among the pillars of this community are the eight Bulgarian Sunday schools, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community in Stuttgart, student associations, cultural organisations and folk ensembles, all of which preserve the Bulgarian language, faith, traditions and cultural identity while helping make Bulgaria more visible in Baden-Württemberg.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova