Bulgaria’s National Day was marked in Sofia with the laying of flowers and wreaths of gratitude at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier and a flag-raising ceremony. The event was attended by Vice President Iliana Iotova, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, Bulgarian Patriarch and Sofia Metropolitan Daniil, and the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov.
A salute of 20 artillery volleys was performed during the national anthem by the Guards Representative Brass Band. Minister Zapryanov was welcomed by the National Guard. He congratulated the troops and made the traditional review of the military formation.
Patriarch Daniil told journalists that March 3 should unite Bulgarians. He stressed the importance of gratitude, the sense that people gave their lives for those living now to exist. This calls for humility and understanding that freedom is a gift, the Patriarch added. He said that it is not right under political freedom to give in to dependence or addiction of any kind, for those warp the human soul. “Destructive forces are present in each one of us, but we should fight them. There is no higher virtue than that which God gives to man,” the Patriarch added. “I hope that when we assume our responsibility as human beings, God will provide the much-awaited unity, the long-awaited understanding and consensus on important things in Bulgarian history, so that March 3 will not be a day of controversy, but will be celebrated with gratitude and joy by Bulgarians,” His Holiness said.
Vice President Iliana Iotova told journalists after the ceremony that for her, this is the most sacred date because March 3 is the resurrection of a people and a country. Asked to comment on Sunday’s meeting in London of heads of State and government about Ukraine, Iotova said it was difficult for her to fit Bulgaria’s National Day into the topic of global security, but “if we have to make one reference, it is first of all the defence of the national interest, it is the defence of our common European family for a stable and strong Europe with leadership positions.” She added that she sees the celebration of March 3 as one for a sovereign Bulgaria that has its self-confidence, knows how to defend its interest and can have a strong voice within the European family, and not wait for those inside Europe to decide for Bulgaria. Iotova does not consider it a bad sign that Bulgaria did not attend the meeting in London. “When the unity of Europe is threatened, it is not good to gather and group different countries. The place for such discussions is at summits”, she added.
Minister Zapryanov told journalists that March 3 “is indeed a historic date, Bulgaria gets its independence, it is reborn, we create the third state.” “We have a lot to be proud of, this holiday is not for nothing,” he added. “At Mt. Shipka we pay tribute to those who died in the battles, who held the victory, the war and freedom were won there,” Zapryanov noted. In his words, this year’s March 3 is different because the Armed Forces are entering a constructive stage. “We hope to increasingly fill the vacant positions in the Armed Forces, to have more modern weapons,” he said.
From the point of view of the global security environment, what is more special is the situation around Ukraine, the Russia-Ukraine negotiations, the contradictory opinions of the various actors in this very complex process, the Minister said and expressed hope that peace and justice will prevail. According to him, the fact that Bulgaria did not take part in the London meeting on Sunday is not a bad sign, because a coalition of the willing is still being created and it is yet to be decided what its mandate will be. He described the talks as political. The Armed Forces are ready to do their duty and the defence of the country is assured, Zapryanov added.
Politicians Congratulate Bulgarians on National Day
National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova said in an address from Mt Shipka: “In order for our Bulgaria to take a worthy place in the modern world, we must remember the past and the achievements of our ancestors and consistently defend our national interests. March 3 is a day (…) of tribute to the Bulgarians, Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians, Finns, Poles, Serbs and other nationalities who died in the Russo-Turkish War. There are events which, from the distance of time, continue to seem as significant as they were when they took place. Both for us and for the contemporaries of the Treaty of San Stefano, the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation led to the restoration of the Bulgarian State and opened up the possibility for the Bulgarian people to develop as free and equal with other nations.” Earlier in the day, at the Nativity of Christ memorial church in the town of Shipka, Kiselova stated that this day is very important not only because “we are at Shipka but also because it shows that the desire for freedom goes hand in hand with peace. Peace is what should give us the strength to move forward”. Kiselova added that the volunteers in the Battle of Shipka demonstrated that “freedom is not given for free, and today’s occasion serves as a reminder that we should be part of the coalition of those who desire peace, not war”.
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on the Facebook page of the Council of Ministers: “Bulgaria – the home that we live in, where we want our children to live better – is the greatest asset for which we must make efforts together every day. Our future is encoded in Bulgaria’s heroic past. The best way to honour the memory and preserve the legacy of our ancestors who put the Fatherland before all is to focus on the prosperity of our country today. We honour all heroes – enlighteners, spiritual leaders, revolutionaries and soldiers – who won our freedom and passed on to us the unifying power of the national ideal. Our freedom was won with the last bullet, the last piece of bread, the last breath of those who did not surrender. They also showed us that freedom always goes hand in hand with a sense of honour and dignity. History has repeatedly shown that we in Europe love and value freedom. Today’s challenges are different, but once again the stake is lasting peace on our continent. Only unity, foresight and leadership in our democratic European family will guarantee a prosperous and strong Europe.”
Vice President Iliana Iotova told journalists after the flag-raising ceremony at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Sofia: “For me, this is the most sacred date because March 3 is the resurrection of a people and a country.” Earlier in the day, Iotova wrote on Facebook: “March 3, 1878, heralded the resurrection of the Bulgarian state after five centuries of bondage and fulfilled the long-suffered dream for a free Bulgaria. March 3, 1878, paved the way for the Bulgarian Unification of 1886 and Bulgaria’s Independence in 1908. March 3, 2025, is a tribute to the heroic Shipka – the peak of freedom. March 3, 2025, is the conscious responsibility towards the generations before us and those after us – let’s work together for the dream of a just, dignified, secure and modern Bulgaria, where truth and justice have found their temple.”
Education Minister Krasimir Valchev told those attending the celebration in Stara Zagora (South Central Bulgaria): “March 3 is the day when we honour, are proud of and praise the fighters for our national liberation. March 3 is something more, it is the embodiment of our national ideal, of our dream of freedom. March 3 is the embodiment of the narrative we tell our children. The narrative of our national heroes, of bravery, of sacrifice, of the struggle for the liberation of our homeland, of the fighting spirit of our military, the narrative of the spirituality that has preserved us through the centuries.” “Today, our duty is to continue as parents, as teachers, as citizens to tell this story to our children. But not only as a tribute, but also with an eye to the future. We must make our children, Bulgarians, knowledgeable, capable people. We have to make them good people and individuals. Only then will we live in a strong and independent country, with a harmonious and prosperous society, with free citizens,” the Minister added. He said it was Bulgarians’ patriotic duty to make every effort to make children knowledgeable and capable. This is what the schools, kindergartens, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and cultural institutions do, he noted, adding: “We do it all together.”
GERB leader Boyko Borissov congratulated Bulgarians with footage from Bulgaria on his Facebook page set to the country’s national anthem. The video starts with the national flag and the inscription “March 3”, followed by views of Sofia and Veliko Tarnovo and landscapes from across the country.
Continue the Change Co-leader Kiril Petkov said on Facebook: “Happy National Day to all Bulgarians in Bulgaria and around the world. This morning we bowed in tribute to the heroes who fell for Bulgaria’s freedom.” In a photo posted on his page, he can be seen at Mt Shipka, one of the central locations for the National Day celebrations.
Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said on his official Facebook page: “Happy National Day, Bulgarians! 147 years of freedom!”. He posted a photo on his personal Facebook profile of a flag sewn by Stiliyana Paraskevova in Braila in 1877, which he said served as a basis for the Bulgarian national flag.
MRF-New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski said in an address released by the press office of his parliamentary group: “Peace, freedom, a strong family and faith are the foundation of a state that thinks and works for the benefit of the people, for a better future and prosperity. Today, 147 years after the Liberation of Bulgaria, as we honour the memory and deeds of all the heroes who sacrificed their lives for its freedom, we must think once again about the most valuable assets – peace and freedom, which have no alternative.”
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Chairman Atanas Zafirov said on Facebook: “Let’s remember the deeds of our ancestors, but let’s not forget our responsibility to our children.” He paid tribute “to our ancestors and our Christian and Slav brothers, who sacrificed their lives for the resurrection of Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War (…) and to the builders of Bulgarian statehood, because freedom is not only won, it is defended. (…) Bulgarians must declare that real freedom is achieved when guns stop firing; that the brightest minds of the Bulgarian Liberation movement held guns but thought about the future just and fair organization of the state and the world; that “Eastern Europe is an eternal crossroads, but it depends on our maturity for it to become more of a peaceful crossroads”.
MRF-Democracy, Rights and Freedoms said in a Facebook post: “Let March 3 remind us that only together – with respect, tolerance and understanding – can we continue to build a modern, democratic, European Bulgaria. This is a day to commemorate all who, with faith, self-sacrifice and a desire for justice, contributed to the freedom of our homeland. Freedom is the highest value, but also the greatest responsibility. It obliges us to safeguard peace, unity and the democratic foundations of our society. Today, more than ever, we must unite around national ideals, building a state where every citizen has equal opportunities for development, dignity and security.”
There Is Such a People leader Slavi Trifonov said on Facebook: “Today, we celebrate the restoration of Bulgarian statehood in 1878 with the Third Bulgarian State. Because, unlike all Europeans, we have had a state for 1,344 years, and it has always been called Bulgaria. (…) We have been, are, and will be Bulgaria. That is why today is a special day. The National Day. Bulgarians will never forget the role of Russia and the Russian people in Bulgaria’s Liberation, sealed with the death of 67,495 Russian soldiers.” Trifonov recalled that contemporary Bulgarians, as a people, once again defended their national holiday: “Just two years ago, a group of traitors tried to cancel March 3 as our National Day and even attempted to enshrine this national betrayal into the Constitution. And then, we Bulgarians, the whole nation, did not allow them to do so. Because we are a people of pride and honour and know how to fight for it.”
Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) party leader Radostin Vasilev wrote on Facebook: “March 3 is the date when we bow to the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation so that Bulgaria would exist. This is the date that bears the huge symbol of the valour and bravery of our ancestors, who had the courage to walk the long road to the most sacred value – freedom. Freedom was bred in the monk’s cell of Paisius of Hilendar, passed through the gallows of the revolutionary Vasil Levski and the bravery of the revolutionary Hristo Botev. We shall not stop going back to their greatness because whoever forgets his past is doomed to have no future. But no nation can rely only on its dead heroes. (…) In these difficult times, one of our main tasks is to defend the national interest of Bulgaria and to preserve our national memory.”
