site.btaDeputy PM Nikolova Speaks in Hungarian Parliament about Battle of Varna

April 25 (BTA) - Addressing a conference in the
Hungarian Parliament on Thursday, Bulgarian Deputy Prime
Minister Mariana Nikolova said the joint observances of the
575th anniversary of the Battle of Varna show that the feeling
of gratitude for the sacrifice of the warriors who took part in
the battle is still alive nowadays. "This also shows that the
historic Bulgarian-Hungarian friendship goes beyond the rigorous
 framework of official relations," she added.

The conference, entitled "Varna: The Shield of Christianity,"
proceeded under the auspices of Hungarian Parliament Speaker
Laszlo Kover and Nikolova, whose portfolio as Deputy Prime
Minister includes economic and demographic policies.

In the Battle of Varna, waged in the northeast of present-day
Bulgaria on November 10, 1444, the Ottoman army under Sultan
Murad II defeated the Hungarian-Polish and Wallachian armies. In
 the aftermath, the Ottomans removed a significant opposition to
 their expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. Nowadays, the
Battle of Varna is commemorated as the earliest instance in
which medieval Europe got united to resist an invasion which
endangered its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The whole
Christian resistance campaign is known as the Crusade of Varna.

Nikolova said that this autumn Bulgaria will host Days of
Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship which will again commemorate the
Battle of Varna. RY/VE