site.btaBulgarian Delegation Pays Tribute at Monuments in Ukraine's Bolhrad, Banivka

A Bulgarian delegation comprising Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev, Bulgarian Consul General in Odesa Svetoslav Ivanov, and Bulgarian folk singer Ilia Lukov laid flowers at Bulgarian monuments in Bolhrad and Banivka, Ukraine, on Friday.

In Bolhrad, the delegation paid tribute at the memorial to the Bulgarian volunteer corps and at the monuments to General Ivan Inzov - the patron of the Bessarabian Bulgarians - and Bulgarian revolutionary Georgi Stoykov Rakovski.

The delegation also visited the Transfiguration Cathedral, consecrated on October 29, 1838, and restored in 2012 after a devastating fire with contributions from Bessarabian Bulgarians and Bulgaria.

Earlier in the day, the delegation visited the Georgi S. Rakovski High School, where more than 400 students study Bulgarian language, literature, and history. The school’s principal, Snezhana Skoric, guided the visitors through the school and spoke about its history.

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev presented the school with several BTA publications: Personal Stories - a collection of 55 stories by long-time BTA employees; 125 Years of the Bulgarian News Agency. History of BTA (1898–2023), chronicling the agency’s evolution; and 125 Years of the Bulgarian News Agency. The Real News. Stories on File (in Bulgarian and English), presenting major Bulgarian and international events published in BTA's newsletters. Valchev also presented copies of the Agency's LIK magazine.

Consul General Svetoslav Ivanov donated copies of Slav-Bulgarian History in Old Bulgarian and its Ukrainian translation to the school. 

Ilia Lukov presented his book Bulgaria Is My Song and a calendar featuring traditional Bulgarian folk costumes.

In Banivka, the Bulgarian delegation laid flowers at the monument to Bulgarian Lieutenant General Ivan Kolev, known as the founder of the Bulgarian cavalry. Kolev’s monument was designed by Bulgarian architect Dimitar Yankov and erected in 2010. The delegation also visited the Ivan Kolev house museum.