NEWS

The President: Relations between Bulgaria and Hungary Are Much More than Economic Cooperation, because There Is a Centuries-old Spiritual Connection and Sincere Friendship between Our Countries

On the first day of the official visit of Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok in our country, he and President Rumen Radev visited an exhibition in Smolyan dedicated to the Hungarian poet associated with Bulgaria, Laszlo Nagy

The relations between Bulgaria and Hungary extend far beyond intensive economic cooperation, trade, and energy and transport connectivity, because we have a spiritual connection dating back centuries, an interweaving of cultural and historical ties, and above all, purely human dimensions of closeness and friendship. This was stated by President Rumen Radev in Smolyan, where, together with the President of Hungary, Tamas Sulyok visited the exhibition "In Memory of a Charm" and a musical and poetic concert dedicated to the Day of Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship and the centenary of Hungarian poet Laszlo Nagy. The events were initiated by the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Sofia. President Rumen Radev was accompanied by his wife Desislava Radeva.

Today I am a symbolic guest of the Hungarian President, who chose to celebrate together the centenary of Laszlo Nagy and the strong cultural and purely human connection between our countries, Rumen Radev told journalists before the event. At the invitation of the Bulgarian head of state, the President of Hungary is on an official visit to our country, with the first day of the visit coinciding with the Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day - October 19.

The Rhodopes are a mountain that for millennia has awakened the human spirit, enchanted, inspired and is the cradle of many poets and artists from antiquity, Rumen Radev pointed out in his speech, adding that it is no coincidence that it was here that Laszlo Nagy found his Bulgarian home.

The Hungarian poet Laszlo Nagy (1925 – 1978) translated over ten thousand lines of Bulgarian poetry into Hungarian, thus making Bulgarian folklore part of Hungarian culture. In the period 1949-1951, Laszlo Nagy lived in Bulgaria as a scholarship holder, where he studied Bulgarian language and literature in depth. Through his translations, Nagy introduced the Hungarian public to numerous Bulgarian folk songs and poems, thus contributing to the strengthening of cultural ties between the two peoples. For his activities in 1970, he was awarded the Order of Cyril and Methodius. A special place in Laszlo Nagy’s work is occupied by the city of Smolyan, where in 1976 he was awarded the highest literary recognition - the International Botev Prize and was declared an honorary citizen of Smolyan. A house-museum was established in his honour in the city, which was renovated and enriched with a permanent exhibition in 2019.

Like every great artist, Laszlo Nagy transcends national boundaries and builds bridges with other worlds and cultures, the president noted in his speech. The head of state added that even at a young creative age, the poet discovered Bulgarian traditions, became acquainted with the rich soul of the Bulgarian people and unfolded the beauty of Bulgarian folk art and poetry in Hungarian.
 
Rumen Radev highlighted as indicative of the centuries-old good relations between Bulgaria and Hungary the fact that the first state cultural representation abroad is the Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Budapest. The Bulgarian community in Hungary dates back to the 14th century and to this day remains an active and respected part of Hungarian society. The head of state also highlighted the traditions of Bulgarian gardening, which were recently entered into the National Register of Hungary for the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.
 
We have wonderful friendly relations with the Hungarian president and he understands everything, said Rumen Radev in response to a journalist's question about the transport arrangements for the Bulgarian delegation during Tamas Sulyok's official visit. According to the Bulgarian head of state, the Hungarian side is aware of what is happening in our country.

Earlier on the first day of Sulyok's visit in our country he visited, together with Rumen Radev, the Laszlo Nagy House Museum in Smolyan, as well as the Bachkovo Monastery Assumption of the Virgin Mary. In addition to the Day of Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship, the visit also coincides with the day of St Ivan Rilski, whose relics also resided in Medieval Hungary. The holiday was celebrated in the monastery, and the abbot, Bishop Sionius, introduced the two presidents to the miraculous icon of the Holy Mother of God of Bachkovo and the relics of St Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo, exhibited in the temple.