Pledges to restore justice and rule of law must be implemented by the Bulgarian government and the institutions must work transparently and responsibly without hidden processes
With their hard work and qualities Bulgarians in Germany contribute to the advancement of bilateral relations and to the positive image of Bulgaria in German society. They create the most important thing - trust in Bulgarians and in Bulgaria. This is what President Rumen Radev said at a meeting at the Bulgarian Embassy in Berlin with Bulgarian expats in Germany. The event was also attended by Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe and Metropolitan Nikolai of Plovdiv. Before the meeting, performances of Bulgarian folklore groups practicing in Germany were presented: the Nestinari dance group, Bulgarian Voices choir, in which German performers also sing, as well as the Sborenka folklore group.
The Head of State is visiting the Federal Republic of Germany at the invitation of his counterpart, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom Rumen Radev is scheduled to meet tomorrow.
The Federal Republic of Germany is a strategic partner of our country and a major investor in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian President said. He recalled that during President Steinmeier's visit to Bulgaria in 2019, the two had set the ambitious goal for the trade between the two countries to reach EUR 10 billion. According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, trade between Bulgaria and Germany will reach a record EUR 9.981 billion in 2021.
The President stressed that the Bulgarian expats, who had come to the meeting from different parts of Germany, with their high education and qualifications were making the Bulgarian national identity well recognisable and with their support the Bulgarian-German relations could continue their upward development.
The Head of State congratulated the Bulgarians living in Germany for keeping in touch with their homeland and not forgetting their roots, as evidenced by the opening of Bulgarian schools in a number of German cities. He expressed gratitude for the efforts of Bulgarian expats who work to preserve the native language and to educate Bulgarian children in love for Bulgaria.
The President also mentioned the high turnout among Bulgarians in Germany during the elections held last year as a sign of the preserved connection with the homeland. An unprecedented number of polling stations were opened in that country and more than 35,000 expats exercised their right to vote, despite the severe pandemic restrictions.
During their meeting with the President, the expats asked a number of questions about the current political situation in Bulgaria. The positions I am expressing are not against a particular government, but against any flawed governance model, the Head of state said in response to a question and stressed that he would continue to follow this approach. Rumen Radev added that the first goal of the government should be to strengthen the statehood, without which any economic and social programs were doomed to failure. The President called for the pledges made by the Bulgarian government to fight for social justice and the rule of law to be fulfilled, and for the institutions to really work transparently and responsibly, without grey areas and hidden processes.
In recent years, the number of Bulgarians in Germany has grown significantly, with an over four-fold increase between 2011 and 2020. According to official data, there are 410,885 registered Bulgarians in Germany as of 31 December 2021.