site.btaBulgarian Diplomatic Service Day Celebrated at Boyana Residence

Bulgarian Diplomatic Service Day was celebrated at a reception at the Boyana Residence here on Tuesday. Attending the ceremony were Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, President Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova, members of the diplomatic corps, ministers, and MPs.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov highlighted democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights as the cornerstones of Bulgarian diplomacy. The Prime Minister congratulated the Bulgarian diplomats and thanked them for the professionalism with which they defend the country's interests and authority. "The role of Bulgarian diplomats, who represent and are the face of our country in multilateral or bilateral relations, is extremely important," he said.

President Rumen Radev said that "the history of Bulgarian foreign policy shows unequivocally that success has accompanied our diplomacy when it was not subject to narrow partisan interests, when it followed clearly formulated and consensually accepted national goals and ideals, when professionalism and not party loyalty was the main criterion for career development." He underlined Bulgaria's significant role as a key driver of European integration in the Western Balkans.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev noted that the diplomatic service is part of the national security system. "Our ambition is to modernize and develop it. Thank you for seeing the diplomatic service as a duty and a vocation," he told the diplomats in attendance. Georgiev highlighted key national achievements: full Schengen membership, entry in the еurozone on January 1, 2026, and significant progress towards membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with Bulgaria working towards an invitation to join as early as 2026.