NEWS

Radev: The Bulgarian National Minority in Ukraine Is a Bridge for the Development of Deep Ties between the Two Countries

Ukraine's Ambassador honoured with the Madara Horseman Order, First Degree

The deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between Bulgaria and Ukraine, for which today thousands of ethnic Bulgarians in Ukraine are a bridge, are an excellent basis for the development of our bilateral relations, head of State Rumen Radev said at a ceremony in the Coat of Arms Hall at the Presidency, at which he conferred the Madara Horseman Order, First Degree, on Ukraine's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Vitaly Moskalenko. The Ambassador is honoured for his dedicated work and great merits for the deepening and expansion of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Ukraine.

In his speech, the head of State pointed to the dedicated and consistent work of the Ukrainian Ambassador within his mandate to deepen the relations between Bulgaria and Ukraine at all levels, which, in the President's words, will become increasingly important in today's complicated security environment in our region. The state award is also an expression of the appreciation of Ambassador Moskalenko's activity for the furthering of the traditionally good relations and friendly ties between Bulgaria and Ukraine in an extremely difficult period, marked by the global challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic and energy crisis, and especially the invasion and war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. President Radev reaffirmed Bulgaria's principled and consistent support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, its European and Euro-Atlantic perspective, as well as Bulgaria's continued assistance to the citizens of Ukraine and the thousands of Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge from the war in this country.

Radev also noted the development of bilateral ties in education and culture, as well as the increased trade amid the severe crises. The head of State hailed the decision of the Ukrainian authorities to preserve the territorial and administrative integrity of the Bolhrad region, inhabited mostly by ethnic Bulgarians, due to which they had been given the opportunity to actively participate in solving problems of local importance.

Ambassador Moskalenko highlighted the deep connection between Bulgaria and Ukraine, recalling that the relations between the two peoples began to be built precisely on the literature based on the work of the Holy Brothers SS Cyril and Methodius, their disciples and followers. The Bulgarian diaspora in Ukraine is a very powerful and serious bridge that unites us and contributes to the mutual understanding and enrichment of our peoples, Ambassador Moskalenko stressed. He expressed his appreciation for Bulgaria's consistent support for Ukraine's EU and NATO membership aspiration and thanked for this country's support to Ukraine since the beginning of the war.