With a blessing of the battle flags and sacred banners, the Day of Valour and the Bulgarian Armed Forces Day – May 6 – was marked in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Sofia with a helicopter flyover carrying the national flag of the Republic of Bulgaria. The blessing was officiated by Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil.
The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria Iliana Iotova received the guard of honour and paid tribute at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.
The expectations of society as a whole towards the Bulgarian Armed Forces are very high, but for them to be met, the State must also fulfil its duty to its Armed Forces, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Iliana Iotova said in her address at the ceremonial ritual.
“In these difficult, dangerous times, we rely on you,” Iotova said in her address to the servicemen.
“Conflicts are all around us, but we know that with boldness, honour and dignity you carry out your service and are a guarantor of the peace, security and prosperity of the Bulgarian people. We know that with your training, your ambition, patriotism and strong sense of duty, you implement difficult decisions and overcome all challenges. We believe this because we, the Bulgarian people, love our army and value it, and through your actions you show that you are a valued and worthy partner to all with whom we stand together in alliances,” President Iotova added.
She noted that May 6 carries a special significance – a beloved, eagerly awaited national holiday filled with Bulgarian pride.
“The Bulgarian tradition of the blessing of the battle flags is a long one, beginning as far back as 11 centuries ago during the Golden Age under Tsar Simeon, continuing through the ages, and today, as we mark another major anniversary – 150 years since the April Uprising, let us remember the Bulgarian clergy who consecrated the first free Bulgarian flag with the proudly raised golden lion,” Iotova said.
According to her, the glorious pages of Bulgarian history are read through the bright images and deeds of thousands of Bulgarian military leaders, officers and soldiers. “On the battlefields, they showed what it means to mobilise one’s spirit to levels the enemy could not imagine, what it means to win battles that everyone believed were lost, and what it means to give everything beyond the limits of human ability, because before you stands the homeland and its defence,” the President said.
As a sign of gratitude to the Bulgarian soldiers who died for the freedom of Bulgaria, wreaths and flowers were laid at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.
At the end of the ritual, for the first time on the occasion of Bulgarian Armed Forces Day, three F-16 fighter aircraft flew in formation over Alexander Nevsky Square.
“Six certified pilots are flying – you saw some of them in the air,” Zapryanov said. Another two will arrive by the end of this month and shortly afterwards, and a further four by the end of the year, he added. Zapryanov noted that under the contract, 32 pilots must be trained for the two groups of eight aircraft.
The Defence Minister assured that all eight F-16 fighter jets are flying. “We have over 100 flight hours. The use of kerosene has increased sharply – in addition to the older aircraft, the new aircraft are also actively flying. That is why the latest decision of the Council of Ministers is to purchase aviation fuel in this situation,” he said. “Yesterday we were at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, we saw the spirit and enthusiasm, which makes us happy,” Zapryanov said.
He added that the reason there was no military parade on Wednesday was the lack of a regular budget. He noted that he is leaving the next defence minister with a solid foundation, including positive steps in staffing the Armed Forces with personnel, the establishment of modernization foundations, ready contracts under the SAFE instrument for operational and loan agreements, as well as the task of increasing the defence budget as NATO has decided – up to 3.5% by 2035.
Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov noted that Wednesday’s aviation salute showcased equipment from different generations. Modernization projects are progressing well, he said.
