SPEECHES AND STATEMENTS

New Year’s Address of President Rosen Plevneliev

Dear Compatriots,

By tradition, we are with our beloved ones this evening. Together we experience the important moments in our lives, some of which are full of joy, others of anxiety, yet we always cherish hopes for a better life.

We live in a difficult time of geopolitical changes and a record number of crises in Europe and in the world. History teaches us that lasting peace can be established only if we cooperate and observe rules which are valid for all and the differences should be resolved in a peaceful manner, not by using force. Weapons are not an argument, they show the lack of arguments. The strong person should lend a hand to the weak one. The strength of a nation should not be measured in terms of territory and military power, but in terms of the people’s culture and education, in terms of the people’s faith and inspiration.

The state’s success is measured by the success of the ordinary person. You achieve success if you give, not take, if you progress and do good things. At times of hardship we should fulfill our dreams, not be filled with fears. We should no longer lose the rights, freedoms and achievements we have attained. We should not go back to ideas and ideologies of past times, because the new era requires new ideas. Although there are no big and small peoples, there are peoples which have big dreams and ambitions and it is precisely such peoples that succeed.  

Currently not a single country, even the most powerful one, can cope with the challenges on its own. No nation is immune against terrorism, climate changes, economic stagnation, the migration wave. Only together can we set the world in order and can we make it a better place to live in. Our dreams are closely linked to the dreams of billions of people on the planet for peace, rule of law and human progress. We expect that everyone will adhere to the principles of the international legal order. We would like to address the international problems by holding a dialogue and ensuring cooperation, not by establishing spheres of influence.  The rich and the poor, the strong and the weak should feel the progress. Nature also should benefit, so that we exist tomorrow.  

We should look ahead, be open to the future. Technologies, science, internet, human mobility are only the beginning of a rapid development. They will change the world and the way we travel, work, study and live. We can be successful in the future only if we ensure good education and international cooperation, not isolation, populism and nationalism. We do not need strong people, but strong institutions. The democratic institutions which serve the people are a symbol of a successful state. Our democracy is not perfect, it does not always function well. However, it is namely democracy that makes us strong, free, humane. The Bulgarians’ strength lies in their strong roots, in their spirituality and values, in their tolerance to and respect for the different. We should know that we have an ideal, a goal and a direction for “a pure and sacred republic and we should be equal to the other European people.”  Although we should integrate with a modern, democratic Europe, we should also remember the message of our predecessors. We should implement the National program “Bulgaria 2020” and soon we should come up with and agree on a plan for the development of Bulgaria by 2030.
 
We should improve democracy and set the state in order. The entrepreneurs should be successful by sticking to rules, not by pulling strings. The institutions should work by facing the people and addressing their problems. The young should see they have prospects and stay in Bulgaria. We should clean the Bulgarian sea, land and nature. We should make our cities and villages more modern and cozy. We should give way to the capable and knowledgeable people, to the hard-working and good people, so that their deeds can multiply.  

We, Bulgarians, are people with a rich history and strong roots. We have experienced a lot of hardships and therefore I am sure that on New Year’s eve we are optimistically-minded about the coming year and expect that it will be better, calmer, more fruitful and will bring health and hope to everyone. The people crave for justice and expect real results.

In politics compromises sometimes seem difficult to reach, sometimes they are useless. However, they are sensible if they are directed towards the big goal – to ensure that the people live a better life, that our country will be modern, socially responsible and fair. We have waited for quite some time and currently we are more impatient. We were often lied to and are therefore more distrustful. However, we have also become wiser. We know that if we are patient and consistent, we will build a Bulgaria our ancestors dreamed of, a country which we want to leave to our children. The great responsibility today’s politicians have is to respond to impatience by showing resolution, to mistrust by showing sincerity and to the behind-the-scene arrangements by showing morale. We can no longer postpone changes and resort to piecemeal solutions not only in the Bulgarian judiciary, but also in the healthcare sector, education and energy sector. It is high time that politicians gave meaning to the word “reform.”   

Success does not come easily and promptly. Democracy cannot be installed from outside, wealth cannot be granted. Democracy should be defended on a daily basis by everyone. Wealth is ensured by hard work and good education. What is important today is that we do not waste the public energy for change and that each one of us encourages and promotes it.  

It is namely this energy for change that we saw at the voting at the national referendum. Almost two million Bulgarians said “yes” not simply to online voting, but also to democracy and the future. This was undoubtedly a success for the active civil society. We should continue to seek more opportunities so that the citizens can become an active part of finding solutions for the country. This is the only way we can achieve the political stability we are looking for.

The people say that the difficulties make us wiser. The lessons we have failed to learn from life are the most valuable ones. The past year reminded us that nothing is granted – neither peace, nor democracy, nor human rights and freedoms. It is our commitment to protect what is really valuable – the children, faith, democracy, freedom, our homeland.   

Today the Bulgarian citizens, no matter what their religious denomination is, overcome the difficulties life presents together. In Bulgaria we share both the holidays and the wear and tear of life by cherishing the values and traditions and building our common house together, united and showing respect for diversity.


Dear Compatriots,

We are about to greet each other on the occasion of the new 2016. I wish all Bulgarians, wherever they are in the world, health and happiness, wisdom and conviction about what they think and do. May peace, love and prosperity reign in our homes.

Happy New Year!