site.btaPresident Rumen Radev Honours Bulgarian Cultural Figures

President Rumen Radev honoured five Bulgarians with state awards on Thursday for their services to culture. 

Vice President Iliana Iotova, Culture Minister Marian Bachev, secretaries and advisors, relatives of the awardees were present.

The Order of the Balkan Range, First Class, was awarded to Kiril Topalov for exceptionally great services in the field of science and public activity, and to Georgi Yordanov for exceptionally great services in the field of Bulgarian culture and art.

The Order of St. Cyril and Methodius for particularly great merits in the field of culture and art, was awarded to pianist Lyudmil Angelov, actor Vasil Banov and Prof. Lyubomir Stoykov.

“Their undisputed achievements are the embodiment of the strength of the Bulgarian spirit, intellect and talent, united in one goal – our development as a modern European country, with rich culture and traditions, with high intellectual and creative potential,” said Radev.

“Culture and politics have always complemented each other and gone hand in hand,” said Kiril Topalov in his speech, noting that the discord currently in Parliament proves that politics cannot do without culture just as culture cannot do without politics. He spoke on behalf of all the awardees and gave a brief retrospective of the cultural and political relations in the history of Bulgaria - from the time of Prince Boris I to the present day.