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International
Interview with His Excellency
Yuri Sterk
Ambassador and the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United
Nations Office at Geneva
Your Excellency, could you tell us a little about You have been Ambassador of your country
yourself? in several locations, as well as ambassador of
I was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest the European Union to Uzbekistan. How can
city - one of the oldest (8000 years) in Europe, you describe the differences and similarities of
and a meeting point of different cultures, being an ambassador of a country and of the
religions, and ethnicities. I attended the European Union?
English Language School in my hometown Heading the diplomatic representation of a
and later pursued my university studies in supranational entity like the European Union
Sofia, Moscow, Stanford and Strasbourg in is a unique and unparalleled experience:
the fields of international law, diplomacy it requires a combination of various skills
and European integration. I joined the and competences and ability to draw
Bulgarian Diplomatic service by the end of from the “toolboxes” of both bilateral and
1989, when the winds of change swept away multilateral diplomacy. Certainly, there are
the Iron Curtain and opened the avenue for similarities between a “regular” embassy
reunification of previously divided Europe. and EU Delegation: both are tasked with
My diplomatic postings include Strasbourg the same main functions as defined by the
(the Council of Europe), Israel, Uzbekistan, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Morocco and since January 2021 - Geneva. I However, the specific nature and architecture
have also held various positions at the Foreign of the EU with its supranational European
Ministry in Sofia, including Political Director Commission, the intergovernmental Council,
and Deputy Minister, among others. the elected European Parliament, the sui
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generis External Action Service (EEAS), “As long as nation-states exist the
make a difference. Alongside representing
all these European bodies and managing the essence of diplomacy will not change
implementation of their respective “external substantially.”
actions”, EU ambassador has to ensure the
overall coherence of the Delegation’s activity. I
had to chair the regular coordinating meetings
of ambassadors of EU member states in
Tashkent. Moreover, the European Union
is world’s leading development aid provider
and as EU Ambassador I was also responsible treaties on good neighbourly relations and
for properly managing the Union’s technical cooperation.
cooperation with Uzbekistan.
You got the appointment to the Permanent
Bulgaria, having succeeded in maintaining its Mission of Bulgaria to the UN Office in
stability over the decades, is recognized as one Geneva during a very special time – pandemic.
of the most peaceful countries globally, with Have you found the role more exigent during
one of the highest ratings on the Global Peace pandemic than during any usual time?
Index. What is the secret? Strong preventive I took up my duties in Geneva in mid-January
diplomacy? Wisdom? Culture? Education? 2021, amidst strictest anti-pandemic measures
The nature of its diverse population? in force. Most of the diplomatic activity was
All of these are relevant factors. My country taking place online, including traditional
has a longstanding track-record of ethnic courtesy calls by newly arrived ambassadors;
and religious tolerance. For example, Nazi no delegations were travelling from the
propaganda never took root in Bulgaria and capitals to attend high-level conferences and
during WW2 the Bulgarian Jews were rescued meetings; multilateral events were conducted
from the Holocaust. Having been part to major virtually or in a “hybrid format”. Only few
regional and global conflicts that devastated the social, cultural or entertainment activities
Balkans and Europe throughout the first half of could be organized – mostly online. Face-to-
the 20th Century, Bulgaria learned its lessons face contacts and communication lie at the
from History. This may explain my country’s heart of diplomatic intercourse, opportunities
peaceful transition in the 1990-ies from to meet with multiple interlocutors formally
totalitarian rule and state-controlled economy and informally are essential in multilateral
to democracy and free market, in spite of the diplomacy; yet, this “normal” way of
disastrous turbulences in our neighbourhood. communicating was not possible for most of
Bulgaria’s European and Euro-Atlantic the first half of the year. Challenging times!
integration was a major stabilising factor and a
powerful driver of reforms in all areas: NATO You are a career diplomat, with the classical
and EU membership ensured the peaceful diplomatic education (one of the best in the
political and socio-economic development of world!). Could you ever imagine that one day
the country. Maintaining good neighbourly you will have to do ‘online’ diplomacy. What
relations with surrounding states was and is your assessment of this innovation?
remains an essential requirement for adhering Bulgarians have a popular saying: “Trouble
to the European Union, which is based on is the best teacher”. With the pandemic
shared values - peace, rule of law, democracy, affecting the entire world we, diplomats, like
solidarity, human rights. That is why Bulgaria many others had to shift our daily activities
is a strong proponent of EU enlargement with online, acquiring new skills and getting to
all countries in our neighbourhood. On the master various digital tools of communication
understanding, of course, that they have to and information. In fact, the pandemic only
meet accession criteria, including compliance accelerated trends and processes that had
in good faith with their international already been unfolding. Since the last decade
obligations, particularly those stemming from of the 20 century, the fast advance of ICTs
th
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