site.btaUPDATED National Assembly Chair Nazaryan Attends Independence Celebrations in Veliko Tarnovo

National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan attended the solemn liturgy in the Forty Holy Martyrs Church of Veliko Tarnovo, North-central Bulgaria, on the occasion of Bulgarian Independence Day.

Raya Nazaryan commented to journalists that this is an extremely special day for Bulgarian history. Unified and united, 116 years ago Bulgaria put the last element in its crown and became independent, sovereign and equal in the European family and opened the paths to its development, she said.

Veliko Tarnovo Mayor Daniel Panov stated that 116 years later, the Bulgarian spirit is felt most strongly in Veliko Tarnovo, and called on all those who will be headed to the National Assembly after the elections on October 27 to observe the covenants of their ancestors, not of division, but of union, not of destruction, but of construction.

Later, actors from the Veliko Tarnovo Theatre recreated the events of the memorable September 22, 1908, and read the Manifesto which proclaimed the country's independence.

The festive day continued at the Tsarevets fortress with the raising of the the national flag.

"Independence is not a gift, but a covenant, it is defended every day, said Raya Nazaryan in her speech at Tsarevets Fortress. The national flag was raised on the historic hill with a military ritual. Nazaryan greeted the honor guard, made up of cadets from the Vasil Levski National Military University.

According to the tradition of the ceremony, hundreds of flags with the colors of the Bulgarian national flag were released into the sky by the children from the Veliko Tarnovo schools.

Bishop Matthew of Nicopolis gave a blessing. The participants in the celebration laid wreaths and flowers in front of the pyramid of Independence at the foot of Tsarevets and joined the solemn procession to the Mother Bulgaria monument in the centre of Veliko Tarnovo.