site.btaVP Iotova: Let Us Restore Trust Among Ourselves and in State's Strength

“Let us restore trust among ourselves and in the strength of the state,” Vice President Iliana Iotova wrote on Facebook on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of Bulgaria’s Unification.

“I cannot reconcile with the fact that 140 years ago our ancestors built and strengthened Bulgarian statehood, while today we are tearing it down, driven by personal or political interests. There cannot be such a huge gap between the ‘builders of modern Bulgaria,’ as Zahari Stoyanov immortalized them, and our generation," Iotova wrote. 

"Even today, we have the strength and the will to build a bridge over the muddy ground of malice, confrontation, and hatred. Because we realize that we are not just citizens of a geographical territory, but a community. Together we can restore the frayed fabric of social relations and the crumbling statehood. Let us restore trust among ourselves and in the power of the state to guarantee security, justice, and development,” Iotova stressed.

She noted that 140 years ago, instead of a barrier, the border between the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia became a bridge between Bulgarians striving for unification and common progress, and that back then, Bulgarians sought the strength of consensus, not the strength of division. “If we have learned this lesson, Bulgaria will not be a country of conflicts, but a country of creation,” the Vice President said.

“The Unification is that magnificent date in Bulgarian history when the people’s will turned into a mighty force, compelling both local and foreign politicians to overcome cowardice, fear, and doubt, and forcing governments and empires to abandon their schemes and interests and recognize the unification of the Bulgarians,” Iotova added.