Samenvatting

Libya and Bulgaria have been actively involved in mutually beneficial political and trade relations in the past. These were based on the numerous agreements established notably between the two leaders - Muammar Gaddafi and Todor Zhivkov and their totalitarian regimes. The two dictators took the bilateral relations beyond the level of partnership. Mutually lucrative trade agreements, high-level visits, complemented by political support in difficult and contradictory issues - all of these deeds speak for themselves for the strong commitment that the two statesmen had towards each other.
One has to wonder: how did such a strong political bond fall apart so miserably that it came to five Bulgarian nationals being tried for nine years and sentenced to death several times? Was there anything that could have been done to prevent this much undesirable situation? Finally, did the two countries seek an opportunity to improve, even revive their once excellent relations, after the trial was resolved successfully?
All of these issues will be scrutinized through a European perspective - while examining the various time periods with their respective issues, the role of the European Union will be sought in all of them. Has indeed the EU played any role whatsoever in the relationship between Bulgaria and Libya? Should it have been involved more and if so, how? What relationship did Europe maintain with the Jamahiriya over the years and what is the reasoning behind that?
Finally, is there any prospect for the revival of the relationship between Bulgaria and Libya? In the complicated circumstances currently surrounding Libya and given the many questions yet to be answered, it is difficult to know what the future of the country will look like, however one must wonder, what is the possibility of the Balkan state seeking political and economic relations with the Jamahiriya? In any case it is easy to assume that the European Union has in the past and will continue to seek a relationship with Libya and, as a consequence will always be an important factor in the Jamahiriya's relations with Bulgaria (particularly in the context of its membership), therefore it would be interesting to assess the exact role that the Union has played in the relations between the two states until the present moment and to draw some conclusions on what it might be in the foreseeable future.