site.btaPresident Radev: Army Will Repel Discord and Safeguard Bulgaria’s Honour

President Radev said on Wednesday that he believes the army will resist any attempts to create division or cause humiliation, will uphold military honor, and will continue to defend Bulgaria’s interests with professionalism and dedication, because the Bulgarian people rely on their army.

Radev spoke on the occasion of the Day of Valour and Armed Forces Day before the start of the military parade. He reviewed the guard of honour drawn from the Bulgarian Army’s representative units.

In these difficult times for the Armed Forces, politicians and self-proclaimed experts are once again trying to create division and have even accused the men and women in uniform, who risk their lives for the country every day, of treason, Radev said. “To the service members: as your Supreme Commander, as an officer and commander from the Bulgarian Army, and as one of you, I am confident that you will not allow any attempt to undermine your unity or dignity. I trust you will uphold your military honour and continue to serve Bulgaria with professionalism and dedication, because the Bulgarian people depend on you. May St. George watch over you and lend strength to your hand,” he added.

Radev noted that Wednesday, May 6, is the Day of Valour and said due tribute must be paid to all Bulgarians who fight for truth, stand against lies, arbitrariness and the rise of oligarchy, and defend democracy. “In them lies the hope for a fairer, more humane and modern European Bulgaria,” he said.

Radev recalled that “the memory of the Second World War—the most devastating conflict in human history—has dimmed over time, and some try to distort its story. It is an honour that a few surviving veterans stood with us today, so we could salute the bravery of the Bulgarians who helped defeat Hitler’s fascism and remember their sacrifice. Sadly, the horrors of that war did not spare Europe further violence.”

He warned that alliance membership “means little without our own defence capabilities,” noting that the armed forces are “finally a priority in State finances,” yet face new challenges: “We must turn that funding into modern capabilities and full interoperability with our allies.”

Doing so, he said, demands “substantial investment, steady modernisation, and constant attention to training and motivation. Professionalism, a clear strategy, consistency and transparency are vital. Government and senior military leaders must keep an open dialogue and respect military expertise—ignoring it always exacts a high price.”

Radev added that Bulgaria “has thrived when guided by valour and virtue, when the Army and people stood together.” On St. George’s Day, “the nation thanks its soldiers by celebrating Valour Day and the holiday of the Bulgarian Army.”

“History records many victories and some tragic defeats, but never cowardly surrender,” he concluded. “In the hardest moments, the Bulgarian soldier has been the last, selfless defender of the homeland, and the Army remains a symbol of honour, courage, valour and statehood.”

At the start of the military parade, a Mi-17 helicopter flew over the square, carrying the national flag of the Republic of Bulgaria, accompanied by two AS-532 AL Cougar helicopters.

Over 700 service personnel took part in the parade, in eight representative units from the National Guards Unit, Land Forces, Second Mechanised Brigade, Air Force, Navy, Joint Special Operations Command, Vasil Levski National Military University and Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy.

The parade also featured the Guards Representative Brass Band, the Land Forces Brass Band and the National Guards Unit colour guard, carrying the sacred flags.

The parade was commanded by Bozhidar Boykov, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command.