site.btaBolhrad Celebrates 203rd Anniversary, 80th Anniversary of Liberation from Nazi Occupation

The predominantly ethnic Bulgarian-populated town Bolhrad in Ukraine has celebrated its 203rd anniversary, as well as the 80th anniversary of its liberation from the fascist invaders with a number of cultural events. The date of June 25 celebrated as the date Bolhrad was founded. It is also the date on which the town was liberated from Nazi German occupation during World War II.

The celebrations began in the central square with a minute of silence and laying of flowers at the memorial to the heroes of Ukraine fallen 80 years ago and nowadays. 

The right to raise the flag of Bolhrad was given to three ethnic Bulgarian students, multiple winners of Olympiads and intellectual competitions, as well as scholarship holders of the Bolhrad City Council. 

A festive liturgy was celebrated in the Transfiguration Cathedral for the health and well-being of Bolhrad's citizens.

One of the celebration’s central events was the opening of a photo-documentary exhibition about the Bulgarian folk singer Elena Yankova titled The Song’s Path - a Link with Generations. The exhibition was created by Yambol State Archives and Tundzha Municipality, which donated a copy of this exhibition to Bolhrad. 

The celebration was attended by Bolhrad Mayor Sergey Dimitriev, the Consul General of Bulgaria in Odesa, Svetoslav Ivanov, the First Secretary of the Bulgarian Consulate General, Boris Borisov, Bolhrad District Council Chairman Mihail Sadakliev, among others.

Bolhrad was founded in 1821 by Bulgarian settlers, considered as the unofficial capital of the Bessarabian Bulgarians and as the cultural centre of the Bulgarian colonies in Bessarabia.