The 45th anniversary of the flight of the first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov was celebrated on Wednesday in his hometown Lovech.
"His flight to the stars is an example for the young generation," said Lovech Mayor Stratsimir Petkov at a military ritual at the beginning of the event.
In his words, Lovech has given a lot to space science - both with the first Bulgarian who flew into space and with the overall contribution of Acad. Dimitar Mishev to space research and the scientific programmes for Bulgarian space flights.
On behalf of Georgi Ivanov, who could not attend the ceremony, greetings were given by Col. Krasimir Stoyanov. "I do not perceive April 10 as my personal holiday, although on this day my greatest dream came true, I take it as a triumph of Bulgarian science, of our great scientists and specialists who created a scientific programme including experiments and instrumentation for our flight with my commander Nikolai Rukavishnikov," Ivanov's address said.
The ceremony was also attended by a representative part of the Lovech Garrison and the Georgi Benkovski Higher Air School in Dolna Mitropolia, as well as the Bulgarian Air Force Band.
The Mayor of Lovech presented a plaque, made for the 45th anniversary of Georgi Ivanov's flight, to the official guests: the Commander of the Joint Forces Command, Major General Krasimir Kanev, the Head of the Georgi Benkovski Air School, Brigadier General Julian Radoisky, the Commander of the 12th Air Base, Colonel Petar Bankov, Col. Krasimir Stoyanov, Prof. Dr. Georgi Zhelev, Director of the Institute for Space Research and Technology, Maj. Yordanka Semkova, Director General of the BTA Kiril Valchev.
Georgi Ivanov also received a plaque, which was presented to his grandchildren. They were accompanied by his son Ivan Ivanov.
BTA is the media partner of the events in Lovech for the anniversary.
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