On Alexander Nevsky Square, President Georgi Parvanov and President Rosen Plevneliev received the report of the Commander of the Guard and revered the national flag. The two presidents reviewed the formation and greeted the Guard of Honour.
Presidents Georgi Parvanov and Rosen Plevneliev delivered speeches, after which the Guards’ brass band played the national anthem of the Republic of Bulgaria. During the anthem, a 21-gun salute marked the change of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The two presidents laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and a minute’s silence was held in tribute to those who died for the freedom of Bulgaria.
There was a formal march-past by the Guard of Honour for Presidents Parvanov and Plevneliev. The two presidents lit candles in the Alexander Nevsky cathedral church.
At the parade entrance of the Presidential building, President Georgi Parvanov and Vice President Angel Marin met President Rosen Plevneliev and Vice President Mrs Margarita Popova.
President Georgi Parvanov and President Rosen Plevneliev held a meeting in the Green Hall and the two vice presidents in the office of Vice President Angel Marin.
After the meetings, President Rosen Plevneliev escorted President Georgi Parvanov to the parade entrance, as did Vice President Margarita Popova for Vice President Angel Marin.
President Rosen Plevneliev’s official inauguration ceremony at St Alexander Nevsky Square was attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and all Ministers, National Assembly President Tsetska Tsacheva and all Members of Parliament, the President of the Constitutional Court Professor Evgenii Tanchev and all Constitutional Court judges, the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation Lazar Gruev, the President of the Supreme Administrative Court Georgi Kolev, Prosecutor-General Boris Velchev, President Dr Zhelyu Zhelev, Chief of Defence General Simeon Simeonov and representatives of the Ministry of Defence, Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the secretaries of President Georgi Parvanov and heads of directorates, their successors in President Plevneliev’s team, and other officials.