Esteemed Mr. Prime Minister,
Your Holiness,
Esteemed Mr. Defense Minister,
Esteemed Mr. Chief of Defense,
Esteemed Mrs. Mayor,
Esteemed Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Assembly Deputies
Your Excellencies,
Esteemed Admirals, generals, officers, sergeants and first sergeants,
guardsmen, soldiers and mariners,
Dear veterans, cavaliers of the military cross, war invalids and servicemen from the reserves,
Dear compatriots,
Today is the day of the Bulgarian victory and of national self-sacrifice. Paying tribute to Saint Martyr George and marking the professional day of our Armed Forces, we bow our heads to our predecessors, who defended the Bulgarian people’s right to national self-determination. We pay deserved tribute to those who died in missions and military operations abroad. On this day we hail our worthy veterans and the courageous Bulgarian soldiers who fulfill their commitments assumed as soldiers to guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and our homeland’s development along a peaceful and democratic road.
Promptly after the Liberation, the young Bulgarian state’s ability to defend its independence was put to the test. The newly-formed Bulgarian Army underwent baptism of fire in the Serbian-Bulgarian war, staunchly defending the act of Unification in the battles at Gurgulyat, Slivnitza, Dragoman and Vidin. During the Balkan war our soldier, with his famous battle-cry “On knife”, made the whole of Europe speak about him. Our soldiers and commanders were paragons of military skills and heroism when the besieged Edirne fortress was taken, in the battles at Lozengrad, Lyuleburgas, Chataldzha and Bulair.
In 2015 we will mark one hundred years since Bulgaria took part in World War I. Despite the numerous war victims, the diseases and the penury, the Bulgarian soldier did not betray his honor and endured the fierce battles at Tutrakan, in Macedonia and for the liberation of Dobrudzha. Led by glorious generals and officers, our armies did not retreat even a single step backwards from their positions during the Doiran battle against the opponent that outnumbered them considerably.
In a couple of days we will commemorate 70 years of the victory over Nazism and Bulgaria’s participation in the last phase of World War II. Paying homage to the courage and self-sacrifice of our soldiers, we will lay 23 urns with earth from the battlefields of World War II, soaked with the blood of the Bulgarian soldiers. The people will never forget their courageous sons. As a sign of our gratitude, we should lay wreaths and flowers at the thousands of monuments set up in honor of those officers and soldiers that sacrificed their lives for our fatherland. We should neither forget the monuments on the territory of other countries. The care for them is care for national memory. We should remember that the Bulgarian battle flag has never been captured and should be proud to be Bulgarians!
Our glorious army is a symbol of the Bulgarian statehood. The people love their army and the Armed Forces, which offer timely and efficient help to the population in overcoming the consequences of the natural disasters, accidents and catastrophes, are their firm support. In times of hardship, the people rely on their army and the army is on the people’s side.
Not accidentally has the Bulgarian Army always been among the most respected national institutions. Today it is the politicians’ turn to make responsible decisions about the future of the Armed Forces.
At the Consultative Council for National Security we reached a broad political consensus on adopting a new program and plan for the development of the Armed Forces and for launching priority projects on modernization. From 2016 onwards the funds allotted to defense will gradually grow to reach 2 percent of the country’s GDP in 2024. The future investments in defense should sharply increase the interoperability with the NATO partners. As an ally, we are determined to contribute to implementing the Alliance’s adopted common decisions, directed at its adaptation to the changing security environment. Our country’s membership in the Organization of the North-Atlantic Treaty is the strongest guarantee of Bulgaria’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Army fulfills its constitutional commitments and those assumed as an ally in a dignified manner in the country’s, NATO’s and EU’s security system. Our allies and partners fully trust the Bulgarian Army, which is confirmed by the fact that they highly appreciate our contingents taking part in operations and missions abroad.
Dear compatriots,
The geostrategic situation in Europe and in the world is dynamically changing. The security environment in close proximity to our borders has lastingly deteriorated. The democratic community is facing a growing number of challenges involving guaranteeing the international legal order, based on the rule of law, the democratic values, human rights and freedoms.
Today again we observe a wave of populism and extreme nationalism, of aggressive political rhetoric and using the language of hatred. This is inadmissible and extremely dangerous. It is important that we learn and do not forget the lessons history teaches us. In the past the language of hatred and aggressive nationalism resulted in concentration camps and two bloody world wars. The civil society and the institutions of the democratic state should be aware of the risks. History has taught us that military victories come and go, while democracy and human rights should be defended every day.
Today, 70 years after the victory over fascism, it is more imperative to strengthen the principles that led to lasting peace in Europe. It is inadmissible that we observe frozen conflicts, destabilization and violation of the international legal order, of shifting of borders by force and pursuing the 19th c. policies, of the Great Powers and their primordial interests and spheres of interest. We should not allow to be diverted from the right road of European development and from the national ideal, left by Levski for a pure and sacred republic, with rules valid for all institutions that serve the people.
Today we need a new dose of modern patriotism in opposition to extreme nationalism. Modern patriots defend the rule of law because there is no peace without rules. Modern patriots support the principles of international law where the disputes are solved by means of arguments not by means of weapons, propaganda and hybrid wars. Modern patriots know that peace does not mean only the absence of war. Peace is the rule of law. Peace is human rights and freedoms. Peace is integration and cooperation between the peoples, not destabilization and frozen conflicts. Modern patriotism requires that we no longer allow wars precious victims.
Dear compatriots,
We should voice our gratitude to the contemporary Bulgarian soldiers for their professionalism, manliness and devotion whereby they contribute to accomplishing the highly noble mission of guaranteeing national security and fulfilling the commitments assumed as NATO allies.
Bulgarian soldiers, no matter where you are in the world – officers, generals, admirals, sergeants and soldiers, all of you, please accept our warmest greetings on the occasion of the day of courage and your holiday. We wish you excellent health, youth energy and confidence in performing the tasks you are called upon to perform so as to ensure the well-being of our fatherland the Republic of Bulgaria.
Happy Day of the Bulgarian Army!
Long live Bulgaria!