The narrative about Europe is a narrative about Bulgaria, and there is nothing worse than moving the conversation about Europe somewhere far from us, as this would show low self-esteem and does not correspond to the facts, said the host of the weekly programme Panorama on the Bulgarian National Television Boyko Vassilev during a local conference as part of BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project. The conference took place at the BTA National Press Club here on Friday.
“Years ago, I participated in conversations in several Bulgarian cities about our upcoming entry into the European Union. Then I saw that the bad conversation about Europe resembles a conversation about the Soviet Union. We have every reason to move this narrative about us, about what we are doing and about what we can still do,” Vassilev said.
He associated Bulgaria’s EU accession with the adoption of Christianity, noting that by adopting the Christian religion in the 9th century and with the active inclusion of Bulgaria in Christian life in the 10th century, Bulgaria entered in an identical way into the big world, just as the country is doing today. "This is a path that passes through faith, through science and culture," Vassilev stressed.
He expressed disagreement with the imposed impression in Bulgaria's public life that those who support a strong Europe are not patriots, while patriots are opposed to Europe. "For me, this is a striking mistake, and it is a city like Ruse that will tell us, this was a mistake both then and now. For the great Bulgarian intellectuals on the Danube, such a division was not possible. This is the city where Elias Canetti grew up, and Zahari Stoyanov, Baba Tonka [Tonka Obretenova] and her sons created the idea of Bulgaria. It is not by chance that this happened here, where the idea of Europe is strongest. The idea of Bulgarian patriotism was born here, and nothing can separate it from Europe," Vassilev concluded.
BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024. The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
