site.btaBorissov in Mt Athos: Government Will Continue Supporting Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Mount Athos/Sofia, May 6 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Sunday greeted the monks at the Zographou Monastery in Mt Athos and participated in the unveiling of the south wing of the building, repaired with support from the Bulgarian government, the government information service said. Named after an icon of St George, the monastery celebrates its patron saint's day, May 6. It is the only Bulgarian monastery in the Monastic Republic in Northern Greece.

The Prime Minister said the government had always supported the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and would continue to do so. He stressed that the Christian Orthodox faith had most helped the Bulgarians cope in hard times and that it preserved the nation.

In 2017, the Bulgarian government allocated 940,000 leva for an overhaul of the south wing of the monastery which burned down in 1976 and had been disused since then. The Prime Minister said he was impressed with the restoration, and the inhabitants of the monastery thanked him and the government for the financing.

Borissov and his delegation held a meeting with Mt Athos's clerical leadership in Karyes.

The government and the Sofia Metropolitanate also put up 120,000 leva for the restoration of the east wing of the St Ivan of Rila Monastery in Gherman, near Sofia, which is a convent of the Zographou Monastery. Since 2009, the Bulgarian Sunday school in Thessaloniki, which is affiliated with the monastery, has received 400,000 leva. Some 100 children attend the school. A Zographou digital archive project at the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia has received 100,000 leva for digitization of the cultural monuments at the monastery.

Borissov was accompanied by Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski, Regional Development Minister Nikolai Nankov and Culture Minister Boil Banov. The delegation was accompanied by Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis.

Earlier in the day Borissov attended a liturgy and a procession marking the patron saint's day of the monastery.

In a telephone conversation Borissov wished Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras a happy St George's Day, a Christian feast day celebrated in both countries, the government information service said. Borissov thanked his Greek counterpart for the hospitality offered him in Mt Athos.

Tsipras said he highly appreciated Borissov's and the Bulgarian government's commitment to the repair of the Zographou Monastery.

The two government leaders discussed the upcoming EU-Western Balkans Summit, which will be held in Sofia on May 17. Tsipras stressed that stability, peace and development in the Balkans are a priority both for the Bulgarian and the Greek government. He confirmed his participation in the meeting, which both prime ministers expect to give the region a new impetus for development.

Tsipras also noted the efforts of Borissov and the Bulgarian EU Presidency to focus the attention of the institutions on connectivity projects in the region. He said this priority of the Bulgarian EU Presidency was working for the future of Europe.