site.btaBTA General Director Outlines Five Connections between Author Pencho Slaveykov and Bulgaria's Southwestern Region at BTA Press Club in Gotse Delchev

During a discussion at the Bulgarian News Agency's National Press Club in Gotse Delchev (Southwest Bulgaria) on Wednesday, BTA's General Director Kiril Valchev outlined five historical and literary connections between Pencho Slaveykov and the Gotse Delchev region, even though the distinguished Bulgarian author had never visited it.

The event was part of nationwide series of discussions across BTA's national press clubs dedicated to the 160th birth anniversary of Bulgarian poet Pencho Slaveykov and to Bulgarian modernism. 

According to Valchev, one connection is the figure of another renowned Bulgarian author – Peyo Yavorov, who received his pseudonym from Slaveykov, and was the first mayor of Gotse Delchev.

Actor Krastyo Sarafov, with whom Slaveykov worked in Sofia at the National Theatre, was born in a village in the same area.

Slaveykov’s poem Rila and Pirin was given as an example by Valchev as another connection.

Valchev underscored the relation to Pencho Slaveykov's father - Petko Slaveykov who participated in the initiative for Bulgarian books to be send in schools in Macedonia, more specifically in Nevrokop (the ancient name of Gotse Delchev).

As most significant, Valchev defined the relation to poet Boris Hristov who lived in the region for years and whose creative work contains traces of Pencho Slaveykov's literary influence.

At the start of the discussion Valchev explained that the December 2026 issue of BTA's LIK magazine will be dedicated to Pencho Slaveykov. In addition to reports from the discussions, the issue will include specially written texts of 160 words each by 160 people, marking the poet's 160th birth anniversary.