At an official ceremony, Roumen Radev stepped into office as President of the Republic of Bulgaria. At Sofia’s St. Alexander Nevsky Square, President Rosen Plevneliev and President Roumen Radev 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 Honor.
Presidents Rosen Plevneliev and Roumen Radev delivered speeches after which the Guards’ representative 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. A minute’s silence was held in tribute to those who died for the freedom of Bulgaria.
The ceremony ended with the formal march-past by the Guard of Honour. While the guardsmen re-formed for the march, the bell of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was ringing.
At the end of the ceremony President Rosen Plevneliev, President Roumen Radev and his wife Desislava Radeva exchanged greetings with the two Vice-presidents Margarita Popova and Iliana Iotova and also with the official guests. After that the two Presidents and their Vice-presidents went to the “St. Alexander Nevsky” Cathedral, where they lit candles for health and success. Patriarch Neofit blessed the President-elect and said a public prayer.
President Rosen Plevneliev and Vice-president Margarita Popova welcomed President Roumen Radev and Vice-president Iliana Iotova in front of the parade entrance of the Presidency. President Rosen Plevneliev and President Roumen Radev held a meeting in the Green Hall, while the two Vice-presidents – in Vice-president Margarita Popova’s office.
After the meetings were over, President Roumen Radev escorted President Rosen Plevneliev to the parade entrance and so did Vice-president Iliana Iotova for Vice-president Margarita Popova.
The inauguration ceremony of President Roumen Radev was attended by outgoing Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, outgoing Cabinet members, Speaker of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva and MPs, senior magistrates, the acting Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Emil Eftimov, high-ranking military officers, Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, Patriarch Neofit, clerics, Ombudsman Maya Manolova, former Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, diplomats, citizens.