site.btaNational Hero Hristo Botev Honoured on 177th Birth Anniversary

Bulgarians across the country commemorated the 177th birth anniversary of poet, revolutionary and national hero Hristo Botev on Monday. People laid floral tributes to Botev monuments, read Botev poems and paid homage to his work as a revolutionary and a poet.

In Sofia, Mayor Vassil Terziev attended celebrations in the Borisova Gradina park in the capital. "We are here to honor his work, to bow our heads to his feat and sacrifice, and to stand stronger and wiser," he said.

In Veliko Tarnovo, a city-wide pilgrimage and a military ritual took place in honour of the anniversary. The guard of honour was saluted by the head of the Vasil Levski National Military University, Brigadier General Ivan Malamov. The organizers emphasized that Veliko Tarnovo is the first city in Bulgaria which honoured the memory of Hristo Botev after the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, noting that his wife Veneta and his daughter Ivanka, the poet's closest relatives, lived in Tarnovo at the time.

The Stara Zagora Municipality and the Stara Zagora Military Garrison organized a solemn city-wide ritual, with actor Ivelin Keranov hosting the event in the Metropolitan Metodiy Kusev park. Stara Zagora Deputy Mayor Milena Zheleva said that Botev had one big dream: to see Bulgaria a free, prosperous, European country.

In Pleven, Regional Governor Nikolay Abrashev, Municipal Council Chair Dr Ivan Malkodanski, Mayor Dr Valentin Hristov and residents of the city of different ages gathered in front of Botev's monument in the city to bow their heads before his work and pay their respects. Wreaths and flowers were laid in front of the monument as well.

The anniversary of the birth of the revolutionary poet was celebrated in front of the Hristo Botev monument on Svoboda Square in Smolyan with a guard of honour performed by the 101st Alpine Regiment. Wreaths and flowers were presented on behalf of Smolyan Regional Governor Zahari Sirakov and Mayor Nikolay Melemov.

In Varna, the anniversary was celebrated with a military ritual, which was attended by Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, Regional Governor Andriana Andreeva, representatives of the Navy, the Holy Metropolis of Varna and Great Preslav, as well as municipal councillours and residents of the seaside city.

Hristo Botev was born in Kalofer on January 6, 1848. He worked as a teacher in the Bessarabian Bulgarian village of Zadunayevka before taking over his father's teaching position in his hometown.

From late 1867, he was in Romania (in Bucharest and Braila), where he became actively involved in the Bulgarian revolutionary community. Botev published the newspaper Duma na balgarskite emigranti (Word of the Bulgarian Emigrants) in 1871 and several more newspapers, including Zname (Banner) from December 1874 to September 1875, which was the mouthpiece of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee.

In 1875, Botev became a member of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Committee. He participated in the preparation of the April Uprising of 1876. Botev organized a detachment of 200 men, with whom he commandeered the Austrian steamship Radetzky. On May 29, 1876, the detachment disembarked at Kozloduy on the Bulgarian bank of the Danube and headed for the Balkan Mountains.

After fierce battles with regular Ottoman troops and irregular troops known as bashi-bazouks, Botev was fatally shot on June 1, 1876 in the Okolchitsa area of the Balkan Mountains.

Traditionally, June 2 is commemorated every year as the Day of Botev and of those who fell for the freedom and independence of Bulgaria.