site.btaVice President Iotova Joins Bulgarians in Barcelona for Unification Day Celebration

Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova joined members of the Bulgarian community in Barcelona for a celebration of September 6 - the Day of Unification of Eastern Rumelia with the Principality of Bulgaria, the President's Press Secretariat said on Saturday.

Iotova greeted the Bulgarians on behalf of President Rumen Radev and assured them that together they will continue to address expat communities' problems. "We want to create all conditions for the preservation of Bulgarianness, for keeping the Bulgarian language alive. Bulgarians abroad should be self-confident as exponents of a long and rich history and culture," the Vice President said.

She described the system of Bulgarian Sunday schools as one of the most successful policies of the Bulgarian State for Bulgarians abroad. "The Bulgarian language is fundamental for the preservation of Bulgarian self-awareness. Spare the time to tell your children in Bulgarian about Bulgaria," she called on those present.

"President Radev and I do not discriminate between Bulgarians in Bulgaria and Bulgarians abroad," Iotova said. "Bulgaria is everywhere where Bulgarian is spoken, where there are Bulgarian associations and Bulgarian schools that keep and promote the Bulgarian language and culture," she added.  

In her greetings address, the Vice President described the Unification as "one of those pinnacle moments where there was no division among politicians, elite, and no geographical distinctions."