site.btaBulgarian President Iotova to Attend Opening of 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina

Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova will be in Italy for the opening of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the invitation of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, Iotova's press secretariat reported on Wednesday.

Bulgaria will be represented at the Winter Olympics by 20 athletes in the disciplines of biathlon, alpine snowboarding, alpine skiing, ski jumping, cross-country skiing and figure skating.

On Thursday, February 5, the Bulgarian President will attend an official reception given by the IOC chief for heads of state and leaders of national Olympic committees.

On Friday, February 6, Iotova will be welcomed by Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Royal Palace in Milan, where a reception will be held, occasioned by the opening of the Games. Later in the day, Iotova will attend the ceremony in the San Siro Stadium where the Games will be declared open and the Olympic flame lit.

During her visit, the President will visit the Olympic Village in Milan, where she will meet with Bulgarian athletes.

Iotova will also travel to the city of Monza, about 15 km north of Milan, to pay tribute at the bas-relief of Bulgarian freedom-fighter Vasil Levski in Piazza San Paolo. The sculpture, created by Boris Borisov and donated by Karlovo Municipality to Milan last year, is the first monument to Vasil Levski in Italy.

The line-up of the Bulgarian delegation to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina (February 6-22) was approved on January 20 by the Executive Committee of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC). Athletes from the country won 20 quota places for the Games. The whole national delegation comprises 51 people, who will be joined by BOC President-elect Vesela Lecheva and Secretary General Danail Dimov a couple of days later.