site.btaPresident, Vice President Present Certificates to Students Who Were in Their Shoes for One Day

President Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliana Iotova Monday presented two students with certificates for participation in the Manager for a Day initiative. Adelina Kaneva from the Baba Tonka High School of Mathematics in Ruse (on the Danube) and Dimitar Marchev from the Yane Sandanski High School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Gotse Delchev (Southwestern Bulgaria) Monday took up the roles of President and Vice President of Bulgaria, respectively.

In his speech, Radev said that more than once when faced with great challenges, humanity has relied on young people, on their energy and new ideas for overcoming those challenges. "Today, we see with great satisfaction that you bear these ideas and energy," he told the students. "Mrs Iotova and I got inspired by your youth enthusiasm and fighting spirit and to, respectively, continue fighting in such a way that young people like you can see a prospect to implement their talent and qualities in Bulgaria," he added.

In the President's words, the great challenges that Bulgaria faces in today's dynamic world include, as correctly noted in the students' Manager for a Day application letters, the deepening demographic crisis, the lack of enough funding for education, science and innovation, and the political instability continuing for a third year that obstructs the formation of a stable government. "Ahead of us we have a long process of building a modern Bulgaria with which to be proud of, a worthy member of the European family and a Bulgaria where young people truly want to stay. I believe that this time will be successful precisely thanks to young people like you," Radev told the students.

In her speech, Iotova said that her conversation with Dimitar Marchev was very interesting, and there actually was not enough time to tell each other everything they wanted to say. Both sides were enriched by the joint work on Monday. "They charged us with so much desire, ambition and a sincere and genuine view at everything that is happening not only in Bulgaria but also in the world," she commented.

"I have always aimed to have young people in my team because we, the adults, should keep up to date with their requirements and, most of all, with their way of thinking," Iotova added. She wished the two students to develop themselves, have dreams and not be afraid to make them a reality.

Adelina Kaneva said that as a young person who intends to stay in Bulgaria, she is interested in the country's future. In her words, young people's ideas and strives for a better future are the basis on which Bulgaria of tomorrow will be built. According to Kaneva, leadership is not just a title but also an image that inspires, leads by example and takes responsibility. A true leader should take well-informed decisions, she argued, and added that on Monday, she got to experience the mechanisms of state governance.

Dimitar Marchev said that through the Manager for a Day initiative, the presidential institution has once again proven that it is directly linked not only to the govenance processes in the country but also to the development of Bulgarian society and young people. "The role of Vice President for a day was an opportunity to improve my leadership skills as well as those for teamwork and good understanding of political processes in the country," he added.