site.btaBulgarian National Flag Raised on 21-Metre Flagpole in Etropole
The Bulgarian flag was raised on a 21-metre flagpole in the Zvezdata area near the western town of Etropole. The ceremony took place in the presence of President Rumen Radev, MPs from Sofia Region, Etropole Mayor Vladimir Alexandrov, representatives of the regional government, local authorities, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and members of the public.
Radev said at the ceremony: "I am glad that on March 1st, the day marked by one of the best loved, beautiful and ancient Bulgarian traditions, when Bulgarians start wearing martenitsa for health and prosperity, and on the eve of the National Day, I have the opportunity to share this triumph of the Bulgarian spirit and our faith in the future."
He congratulated the town's mayor for putting into practice the patriotic initiative with the support of the municipal leadership and local people. "One more Bulgarian flag is flying high over our homeland, there for all to see, signalling that Etropole is confidently moving towards the future, but also mindful of the rich spiritual heritage and millennia-old history, which should never be forgotten," Radev said. In his words, the town will continue to defend its place among the most patriotic regions of Bulgaria.
"Today, we all raise our voices to say that, in this divided world, we will stand united once again, and will face all the challenges of our time with confidence," the President said.
Addressing those gathered, Etropole Mayor Vladimir Alexandrov said: "It is hard to be a mayor nowadays. However, the task of raising the Bulgarian flag in one's hometown and one's home country proved to be even harder. My first formal letter to the local authorities asking that the Bulgarian flag be raised dates from 2011 - it took 14 years for us to gather here today and feel united under the Bulgarian flag."
/DD/
Additional
news.modal.image.header
news.modal.image.text
news.modal.download.header
news.modal.download.text
news.modal.header
news.modal.text