site.btaCelebrations of Bessarabian Bulgarians’ Day Begin in Taraclia

The celebrations of the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians began on Wednesday in Taraclia, the centre of the Bulgarian community in Moldova, with a ceremony of laying flowers at the monument to General Ivan Inzov, the protector of the Bessarabian Bulgarians. The day is traditionally marked on October 29.

Event host Vitaliy Ivanov recalled that in the early 19th century, General Inzov became the chief guardian of the Bessarabian settlers. Under his patronage, thousands of Bulgarians found a new home and land in Bessarabia, as well as the opportunity to preserve their faith, language, and culture freely.

After the official speeches, guests laid flowers at the monument to General Inzov and were then invited to the auditorium of the Taraclia House of Culture for the opening of the Second International Festival of Children’s Folk Art Besarab-Folk Taraclia 2025.

Among the official guests were Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev and Bulgarian folk singer Ilia Lukov, who will give a concert in Taraclia at 6 p.m.

In 2021, the Association of Bulgarians Around the World donated the monument of General Ivan Inzov (1768–1845) to the Bulgarian community in Taraclia. The statue, made of patinated bronze on a 4.7-metre pedestal, was created by sculptor Nadezhda Antova, a lecturer at the National School of Arts in Varna. The donation was made to mark the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians.