https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/rss Sat, 22 Aug 2026 20:40:47 +0300 en hourly 1 https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1190196-navy-teams-respond-to-two-reports-of-drone-debris-found-along-bulgarian-black-se https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1190196-navy-teams-respond-to-two-reports-of-drone-debris-found-along-bulgarian-black-se Sat, 22 Aug 2026 18:42:00 +0300 Bulgarian Navy personnel responded to two reports of objects found along the Black Sea coast, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday. A specialised team from the Varna Naval Base inspected and transported parts of an unmanned aerial vehicle found on the seashore between the Albena resort complex and the village of Kranevo in Dobrich District. The team classified the object as a decoy drone, with no explosive material on board. Specialists from the Varna Naval Base also examined parts of a drone washed ashore and found on the beach in the Rakitenika area near Varna. The servicemen acted on a report received from the Varna Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry. To ensure the safety of tourists, the specialised Navy team transported the objects to the Varna Naval Base, strictly observing safety measures. The teams acted on orders from the Chief of Defence and following instructions from the Commander of the Bulgarian Navy. Earlier, the Dobrich Regional Administration reported that drone debris had been found on Saturday on the beach between Kranevo and the Albena resort complex. The report was made via the emergency number 112. Dobrich Regional Governor Ruslan Tomov was informed of the incident. In accordance with established procedures, the Bulgarian Navy was notified and the area was cordoned off by police officers. An inspection found that the object had been washed ashore from the sea. The drone debris was removed from the beach. On August 8, a drone entered Bulgarian airspace and crashed metres from the border with Romania near the Kardam border crossing. On August 13, a report was received of an object resembling an artillery shell floating in the sea near Tyulenovo, Shabla Municipality. Bulgaria Metodi Yordanov BTA correspondent Pavlina Zhivkova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1190184-33rd-national-gathering-of-bulgarian-sarakatsani-takes-place-near-sliven https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1190184-33rd-national-gathering-of-bulgarian-sarakatsani-takes-place-near-sliven Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:45:18 +0300 The National Gathering of the Sarakatsani in Bulgaria was held on Saturday in the Karandila area above the city of Sliven. This year marked the 33rd edition of the event, bringing together members of the Sarakatsani community from both Bulgaria and Greece.                                 Among the official guests were Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev, Municipal Council Chairman Dimitar Mitev, Greek Ambassador to Bulgaria Alexios Marios Lyberopoulos, MPs Ivaylo Hristov and Desislava Taneva, the Director of the Regional History Museum in Sliven. Nikolay Sirakov, and others. In his address, Archimandrite Stefan, speaking on behalf of Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven, emphasized the importance of faith, memory, and tradition in preserving the community. According to him, the true wealth of a nation lies not only in its past, but in its faithfulness - to its traditions, customs, language, and culture, and above all, to God. "Preserving our folk traditions is a noble mission, but even more important is preserving the sacred tradition of our Holy Church," Archimandrite Stefan said. He encouraged the Sarakatsani to pass on to their children not only their cultural heritage but also the faith that has sustained generations. The participants were also addressed by Dr. Atanas Grunov, Chairman of the Federation of Cultural and Educational Societies of the Sarakatsani in Bulgaria. He welcomed the guests and participants and stressed the importance of the gathering as an event that unites people through their shared origins, the memory of their ancestors, and their love for their traditions, language, and culture. Dr. Grunov highlighted the importance of passing on the values of the Sarakatsani community to the younger generations, who will carry its history forward and preserve the identity of the Sarakatsani people. Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev welcomed the participants in Greek and noted that the Sarakatsani community enriches the city through its culture, entrepreneurial spirit, and energy, as well as through its commitment to preserving family and traditional patriarchal values. "I believe that the Sarakatsani community can serve as a successful bridge and ambassador between Bulgaria and Greece, contributing to the well-being and prosperity of our two brotherly nations," Radev said. Greek Ambassador Alexios Marios Lyberopoulos said that it was a great joy and honor for him to attend the 33rd Sarakatsani Gathering. He noted that this was the third time he had participated in the event and that the Sarakatsani community had given him a strong sense of brotherhood and family. Ambassador Lyberopoulos emphasized the importance of preserving traditions, family love, and hope for the future - values that the Sarakatsani pass on to their children in both Bulgaria and Greece. He said that, as the Ambassador of Greece, he holds in his heart the example set by the Sarakatsani community and encouraged that these messages of brotherhood continue to be passed on to future generations. The Ambassador wished good health to all families and stressed the importance of looking to the future with love, guided by the support of the Church. The National Gathering of the Sarakatsani in Bulgaria is organized by the Federation of Cultural and Educational Societies of the Sarakatsani in Bulgaria. The Sarakatsani of Bulgaria are a Greek-speaking nomadic population originating from the region of South Pindos, who after the establishment of the Balkan states chose to remain in Bulgaria. According to a 2011 census, Sarakatsani in Bulgaria numbered 2,556. Culture Petya Petrova Sabina Stefanova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1190039-introduction-of-virtues-and-religion-subject-will-not-make-bulgarian-education-l https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1190039-introduction-of-virtues-and-religion-subject-will-not-make-bulgarian-education-l Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:26:45 +0300 The introduction of the new Virtues and Religion subject will in no way undermine the secular nature of Bulgarian education, Education Minister Prof. Georgi Valchev said on Nova TV on Saturday. "On the contrary, as it is conceived, every parent and every family will be able to choose what their child studies. Of course, they should also consult the child," Valchev said. He recalled that the subject will have two main modules, Virtues and Religion. Even where the Religion module is chosen, however, its content will overlap with the teaching of virtues, the Minister explained. Work on textbooks and teaching materials is currently proceeding "extremely actively", while additional training programmes for primary school teachers are also being launched. Valchev said the new subject could be introduced once preparations are complete, within one or two years. He also linked the initiative to efforts to address aggression among children. In the same interview, Valchev commented on programmes concerning the history and traditions of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, stressing that their development would not turn Bulgarian schools into "military barracks". He noted that such programmes have existed in Bulgarian schools since 2017 and currently comprise five classes in Grade 10 and another five in Grade 11. The number of classes will not be increased, he said. According to Valchev, the purpose of the programme is primarily to teach children how to respond in crisis situations, including what to do in an emergency and what behavioural procedures to follow. He cited the deadly flooding in the village of Biser, Haskovo Region, caused by a dam failure years ago, recalling that retired police officers and military personnel were among the first to organize assistance at the scene. The programme is also being expanded to cover the traditions of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, which Valchev described as including "glorious pages of Bulgaria's past". At the same time, students should learn about the tragedies caused by military conflicts, he said. "We should not only admire military victories, but also realize that war is, in principle, a tragedy - one of the greatest misfortunes," Valchev said. Students will also learn about everyday life in today's Armed Forces and the military as a professional career. In cooperation with teachers, representatives of the relevant institutions will be invited to speak to students about their work, Valchev said, stressing that the programme would not involve "shooting, commands and so on". Culture Yoanna Vodenova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189609-burgas-to-host-young-filmmakers-from-42-countries-during-who-creates-internatio https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189609-burgas-to-host-young-filmmakers-from-42-countries-during-who-creates-internatio Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:37:41 +0300 Nearly 190 films from 42 countries will be screened in Burgas from August 25 to 27 as part of the first Who Creates? International Youth Film Festival, the organzers from the local charitable foundation Youniverse said here on Friday. The festival brings together films created by young filmmakers aged 10 to 25, offering audiences a glimpse into how a new generation sees and interprets the world. The selection features works from countries including Bulgaria, the UK, Spain, South Korea, Japan, India, the United States, Mexico and Argentina. The programme spans a wide range of genres and approaches, from live-action and animation to music films and experimental works, with several productions exploring the themes of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The Who Creates? International Youth Film Festival aims to give young people a space to tell their stories, experiment creatively and connect with an audience, the organizers emphasized. The festival is part of Youniverse’s broader work supporting children and young people in developing their creative potential and making their voices heard. Culture BTA correspondent Maya Stefanova Filip Pavlov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189583-innovation-minister-bas-president-discuss-need-for-closer-cooperation-between-s https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189583-innovation-minister-bas-president-discuss-need-for-closer-cooperation-between-s Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:50:40 +0300 Innovation and Digital Transformation Minister Ivan Vasilev and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) President Evelina Slavcheva discussed the need for closer cooperation between science and business, as well as the development of technology transfer, the ministry said. According to Vasilev, scientific research should find practical application more quickly and generate market value. Among the options discussed was encouraging the creation of spin-off companies—new independent businesses established by separating from a larger organization or institution, such as a university, research institute (including the BAS), or corporation, based on research developed by scientific organizations. Another topic of the meeting was the Hemus supercomputer operated by BAS and ways to promote it more widely so that businesses and other interested users can take advantage of it for research. The participants also discussed increasing awareness of the country’s competence centres and centres of excellence. “We have the infrastructure. Our task is to inform the public how to make the most of its full potential,” Minister Vasilev said. The minister noted that one of the priorities of both the ministry and the government is transforming the Bulgarian economy toward higher value-added manufacturing and services. Deputy Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation Mira Yosifova also took part in the meeting. Culture Petya Petrova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189498-winner-of-sundance-film-festival-to-open-7th-sofia-documental-in-september https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189498-winner-of-sundance-film-festival-to-open-7th-sofia-documental-in-september Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:44:28 +0300 To Hold a Mountain, the documentary that won the Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema Documentary at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, will open the 7th edition of Sofia DocuMental at Sofia's House of Cinema on September 24, the organizers said. The screening of the co-production between Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Croatia will be attended by some of the film crew. Directed by Tutorov and Petar Glomazic, the film depicts the lives of a woman and a girl in the mountains of Montenegro, which are under threat of being turned into a NATO firing range. The camera takes in the mountain landscape and the people who inhabit it. Thus, a seemingly ordinary story becomes an epic. Two thousand metres above sea level in the mountains of Montenegro, 13-year-old Nada lives with the elderly Gara, whom she regards as her mother. The two make a living from their livestock. Culture Nikolay Zabov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1189430-green-balkans-proposes-bearded-vulture-as-eurovision-2027-symbol-hoping-it-will https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1189430-green-balkans-proposes-bearded-vulture-as-eurovision-2027-symbol-hoping-it-will Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:35:36 +0300 The Green Balkans environment protection organization has proposed the bearded vulture as a symbol of Bulgaria for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, hoping that it will enhance the protection of the species. The organization cites conservation efforts to restore the vulture population in Bulgaria and the remarkable story of a bird named Boev, which travelled more than 14,000 km across Europe this summer, for the first time in its life, before returning to Bulgaria. Boev was among eight vultures which died after feeding on poison bait in the Central Balkan Range national park earlier in August. The deaths sparked a national outcry. The organization said in a social media post that the bearded vulture could become a recognizable symbol of the country, embodying freedom, courage, travel, return and hope. The bearded vulture is listed as an extinct nesting species in Bulgaria. Its reintroduction represents a crucial common goal for environmental protection organisations and institutions. According to Green Balkans, the joint efforts of people and organisations from more than 10 European countries serve as an example of how a cause can grow into international cooperation. Green Balkans links the Boev bird’s story with the essence of Eurovision, as the competition brings together different countries and cultures. In this sense, the bearded vulture can represent Bulgaria not only through its natural heritage, but also by carrying a message of unity around a common goal, the organisation highlighted. Moreover, the sea will add to the symbolism of the bird, portraying Bulgaria as a country open to the world while preserving its natural heritage, Green Balkans further explained. According to the organisation, if the bearded vulture were selected as the Eurovision 2027 mascot, the extinct species would gain wider public attention. On August 16, the State Puppet Theatre in Burgas proposed that the gull from the street performance Burgas Gulls become the Eurovision 2027 mascot. According to the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), a total of 321 bird species have been recorded at the Poda Protected Area near Burgas, and any of them could be chosen as the Eurovision 2027 mascot. “The nature in the region is not merely a background, but a home to pelicans, herons, cormorants, spoonbills, birds of prey and many more bird species,” BSPB stressed. On August 13, Burgas was selected to host the Eurovision 2027 Song Contest. Bulgaria Nadezhda Filipova Yoana Kancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189455-bulgarian-students-win-three-medals-at-international-geography-olympiad-in-istan https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189455-bulgarian-students-win-three-medals-at-international-geography-olympiad-in-istan Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:28:00 +0300 The Bulgarian national team returned with one bronze and two silver medals from the International Geography Olympiad in Istanbul, the Education Ministry’s press service said on Friday. Silver medals were won by 12th-grade students Boris Donkov (National High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Acad. Lyubomir Chakalov, Sofia), and Zvezdemir Penev (High School of Mathematics Dr Petar Beron, Varna). Eleventh-grader Lachezar Mitev (Sofia High School of Mathematics) was awarded a bronze medal. The team’s supervisors were Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Zhelev and Assoc. Prof. Kaloyan Tsvetkov from the Faculty of Geology and Geography at Sofia University. Bulgaria will host the prestigious event in 2029. Culture Yoana Kancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188971-eurovision-2027-preparations-underway-in-burgas-with-eur-20-mln-earmarked-as-sof https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188971-eurovision-2027-preparations-underway-in-burgas-with-eur-20-mln-earmarked-as-sof Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:12:00 +0300 The State has earmarked EUR 20 million for preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 through the end of this year, Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov said in Burgas on Thursday, as the host city began work on the organization of the event and Sofia Municipality sought detailed feedback on why its competing bid had not been selected. Earlier on Thursday, Sofia Municipality said it had formally asked Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director General Milena Milotinova for detailed feedback on the assessment of the capital's bid, including the scores awarded under the individual criteria and the reasons for them. It also requested permission to make public those parts of its proposal not covered by confidentiality requirements. Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said the capital would help make Eurovision a success for Bulgaria but argued that greater transparency would build trust in the selection process. Later in Burgas, Hristov, who chairs the interagency organizing committee for Eurovision, said the State would play a full role in preparations. Of the EUR 20 million allocated through the end of 2026, EUR 15 million will serve as the guarantee that must be deposited before the organizational process begins, while the remainder will cover ongoing needs. Additional funding will be included in the 2027 State Budget, although Hristov said no figure could yet be given. The funding will cover needs related to infrastructure, transport, accommodation and promoting Bulgaria as a tourist destination. Hristov defended the selection of Burgas, saying the city had demonstrated a functioning economic model and a proactive approach to its bid. He said BNT, as the Bulgarian broadcaster responsible for the host-city selection, could provide details about the decision. Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said preparations now need to proceed quickly because of tight deadlines for administrative procedures and public procurement. No final estimate of the overall cost is available yet, he said. The aim is to have the venue ready by the end of the year for a test concert attended by European Broadcasting Union experts, allowing potential problems with internal logistics and acoustics to be identified and addressed in time. Nikolov said at least five ministries are involved in preparations and stressed that hosting Eurovision should be regarded as a national rather than solely a Burgas initiative. He said the contest has the unanimous support of the parties represented on the Burgas Municipal Council, as well as neighbouring municipalities along the Southern Black Sea coast. Later on Thursday, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said in a Facebook post that he doesn’t expect praise from the government, he expects partnership. He was responding to remarks made by Deputy Prime Minister Hristov, who said that the capital is facing a "management crisis". Sofia's Mayor said he hoped this would not be yet another government that needs to be reminded that the city should not be isolated because of "political ambitions". "Sofia is not the mayor. Sofia is not its problems. Sofia is its people," Terziev said. He noted that nearly two million people live and work in the capital, which generates almost half of the country’s economy. Terziev said Sofia supports Burgas as the host of the contest and added that the capital would also celebrate Eurovision in May 2027. He said Sofia would make use of the best elements of its bid and turn them into music, events and experiences for residents and visitors. Culture Yoanna Vodenova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189104-bulgaria-after-the-prague-spring-remembering-a-student-protest-in-1968 https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1189104-bulgaria-after-the-prague-spring-remembering-a-student-protest-in-1968 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:18:00 +0300 On August 20, 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia (CSSR) and brought the political reforms, initiated during the Prague Spring, to an end. Bulgaria was among the USSR satellites which participated in the suppression of the protests across the CSSR. Although the cultural and social soil in Bulgaria was incompatible with cultivating fierce public resistance, the topic did not go unnoticed among young people in the country. In two separate BTA interviews, the historian and Archives State Agency Director, Assoc. Prof. Mihail Gruev, commented on the political background of the events in Czechoslovakia in 1968 and their impact in Bulgaria, while illustrator Veselin Pramatarov told the story of his graphic novel On Strings. 1968. A True Story. The book tells the story of three Bulgarian history students who protested against their country’s involvement in the military operation in CSSR and took a stand against the authorities’ decision. “This book describes how the civic sense of justice survived even within the limits of a totalitarian society”, reads the official website of Kibea publishing house. The students’ protests were unprecedented for the time. The actions that once led to university expulsions, detentions and prison sentences are now not only praised and commemorated, but also held up as examples of civic courage. Socialism with a Human Face The “spring” began in February after students and intellectuals in many Czechoslovak cities advocated the “socialism with a human face” concept which was at the heart of Communist Party leader Alexander Dubcek’s reform programme. The idea aimed to liberalize Soviet socialism. The Warsaw Pact troops sent to “aid their Czechoslovak brothers”, as the regime would later justify its actions, crushed the wave of civil protests within two days in August. While Western countries condemned the aggression, the Eastern Bloc satellite states remained largely restrained in their response. The concept called “socialism with a human face” was the primary source of the strong civic activism that emerged in many Czechoslovak cities. What stood behind this vague notion, and was it not contradictory to speak of ‘socialism with a human face’ when the ideology’s supporters claimed to represent the underprivileged? “The architects of the Prague Spring faced this issue as well because they were not sure what would come of their experiment,” Mihail Gruev said in his interview with BTA. “For this reason, both the Soviet leadership and the communist parties in the satellites initially watched the situation in CSSR, beginning in January 1968, passively. Some time had passed before they recognized in the actions of Dubcek and his entourage an attempt to destroy the political status quo. There are clear similarities between the reforms proposed by Dubcek and those pursued during the Khrushchev Thaw.  Dubcek, however, sought a more liberal version of the regime than Khrushchev in 1956. At a certain point, he questioned the Communist Party’s leading role and the single-party system in general. As of today, it is impossible to say how and where his experiment would have ended if it had not been for the Soviet tanks”, Gruev underscored. The reformist energy in CSSR was unprecedented among Eastern Bloc satellite states. This raises the question of whether it was contagious enough to spread to a loyal Soviet ally such as Bulgaria. A BTA report from the summer of 1968 transmitted an order of then Communist Party leader Todor Zhivkov, according to which “the cooperation with intellectuals, young people and especially with students, should be enhanced”. Some crucial differences, however, distinguished the two Soviet satellites, namely the active civic community in CSSR and the lack of cultural and political conditions for such a reformist movement in Bulgaria. “As there were poor social conditions for such protests here, I would suggest that the order was precautionary, considering that students were the driving force of the protests in Prague and other Czechoslovak cities,” the Archives State Agency President noted. Ninth World Festival of Youth and Students in Sofia  The summer of 1968 in Bulgaria was marked by the ruling authorities’ joint efforts to deliver an important message to the world, namely, that the socialist state was looking after the well-being of its young people. Thus, the Ninth World Festival of Youth and Students, held from July 28 to August 6 in Sofia, became a platform for this propaganda. More than 15,000 attendees from 142 countries took part in the event. “Yet, the festival failed to achieve its initial objective and had the exact opposite effect. Despite the fact that most of the selected participants were lefties and official members of Communist parties, the Bulgarian young people had the opportunity to observe hippies, beatniks and individuals denounced by those in power as representatives of ‘ideologically alien movements’. These encounters had a major influence on Bulgarian youth,” Gruev explained. The attendance of the Czechoslovak delegation was a key element of the event which kept the authorities constantly on guard. “It is known that there was a special operational plan for isolation and control of the group. Part of the delegation was not permitted to cross the border,” the historian pointed out. Nevertheless, liberal trends managed to find their way into Bulgaria and inspired Bulgarian students. Cultural phenomena like the Czechoslovak New Wave in cinema would later inspire several secret gatherings where the avant-garde films provided a basis for political discussions outside the confines of the official party line. “From a global perspective, there was an exodus from Communist parties, as people were stepping away from the idea that such a system could be synonymous with normality. Moreover, the youth delegations which had attended the festival in Sofia in 1968 returned to their homes deeply disappointed by the contrast between their idealized perceptions of the system and the unpleasant reality,” Gruev summarized. History records several radical acts of protest in Czechoslovakia and Poland, where students committed suicide by self-immolation. Czech student Jan Palach remained a symbol of the discontent with the public acquiescence to the “normalization” of an unreformable regime. “Valeri Petrov’s poem Self-Immolation represents a direct response to the student’s act, and, in my opinion, captures the impact of the Prague Spring in Bulgaria quite precisely – brief shock, followed by passiveness. Whereas in CSSR, a massive civic wave was crushed, in Bulgaria, an attempt at protest was suppressed but there was no actual civic outburst,” Gruev said. Three Bulgarian Students Did Not Remain Indifferent Eduard Genov, Alexander Dimitrov and Valentin Radev learned about the events in Czechoslovakia through reports on foreign radio broadcasts and, after a brief discussion, they concluded that they could not remain indifferent to what they regarded as a historical crime. For this reason, they decided to craft leaflets to place in the letterboxes of residential buildings in Sofia and Plovdiv. They devised a method, so that their handwriting would remain unrecognizable. Within a few days, a total of 200 leaflets bearing the message “Out with the troops of the puppet Zhivkov from the CSSR!” were distributed as research of historian Stefan Dechev shows. In October, they initiated a second action with another batch of leaflets - an action that did not go unpunished. The new leaflets read: “On October 10, five Soviet citizens who had expressed solidarity with the CSSR received harsh sentences. People, awaken!" and "Five Soviet communists held a demonstration on Red Square. What are you doing?". They referred to the Soviet citizens who dared to oppose the regime. The students made cautious attempts to attract several colleagues to join them in their protest, but the idea was soon abandoned. The turning point came with the intervention of Bozhidar Strikov, a childhood friend of Eduard Genov. After he learned of the second action, Strikov prepared a detailed report to the State Security Committee. On October 29, the three initiators were arrested and subsequently suspended from university. They received prison sentences of differing durations, with which the case, No. 370/1968, was subsequently closed. On Strings. 1968. A True Story Decades after the case was closed and the regime had fallen, the story of Genov, Dimitrov, and Radev was brought back into the public eye. Rather than being portrayed as criminals, they were depicted as heroes. In a café in the Sofia centre, Veselin Pramatarov talked to BTA about the graphic novel dedicated to the three students, and how art and history can intertwine to preserve the memory of the most distinctive voices amid the silence in Bulgaria surrounding the aggression in Czechoslovakia. The idea to create the comic originated with the Czech Centre, which, in the summer of 2020, was preparing events to commemorate the Prague Spring, Pramatarov explained. “The centre’s director at the time decided that a graphic novel would be a much more memorable way to celebrate the event than a conference, for instance”. The deadline was tight – the graphic novel needed to be completed within a month. As the graphic book adheres to historical authenticity, the illustrator’s research comprised extensive work with archive documents and conversations with historian Stefan Dechev. Alongside this, Angel Filchev’s memoir 1968 – the Crushing of the Prague Spring had a strong impact on the creative process because Filchev was a student in Prague during the uprisings. His book provided a first-hand account which affected Pramatarov’s perception of the events, despite some factual inaccuracies as Filchev was originally a journalist rather than a historian. The documentary The Aggression was also among the sources which brought the illustrator closer to the boys’ story. However, the most valuable memory of the creative process remains the the conversations with the last surviving member of the three protesters, Alexander Dimitrov. “Every word he said was enormously significant to me,” the illustrator shared. Among his most vivid impressions was that Sasho (as Pramatarov himself calls him) did not hold a grudge against the inspectors who had interrogated him. On the contrary, he even described one of them as ‘rather bright’”. In Stara Zagora prison, Southern Bulgaria, Dimitrov had come across interesting people, and shared that a cellmate had taught him Turkish. The illustrator admitted that at times he was surprised by Dimitrov’s remarks. “For instance, I had been picturing the agent, Strikov, as an intimidating man with a predatory expression the whole time. When Sasho looked at my illustration, he said: ‘he was in fact a plump little man with a gentle appearance’. I was bitterly disappointed that my concept was so far away from reality (he laughs). Initially, Sasho was unhappy with my portrayal of Eduard Genov: ‘Now, you made him too kind-looking, while he had always been hot under the collar’, and I had to alter the whole comic”. It turned out that the rebellious nature of Genov became more pronounced over time and did not allow him to remain indifferent to the provocations in prison, deliberately incited by the State Security Committee. Subsequently, Genov’s sentence was extended and he spent a total of 11 years in prison. Pramatarov identified the central artistic concept of his work as a search for balance between fact and fiction. “I wanted to find the thread which would lead to existential human problems. The main characters in the graphic novel are four – the three boys and their spontaneity.” What makes their act so captivating is their genuine reaction to the injustice in Prague. There were no grand preparations and the boys used materials at hand, yet their willingness to take a firm stance was unconditional. “In opposition to the propaganda which predominated during the socialist regime, here I wanted the human story to prevail,” the author added. Undoubtedly, the comic book’s title and cover allude to the socialist regime. Originally, author Anton Staykov, who was supposed to write the novel’s script, proposed the title ‘Puppets’ after the official case file name. “However, I was inspired by a song called Puppet on Strings which was popular during the period, and people have associated it with Todor Zhivkov,” Pramatarov explained. What is remarkable about the Puppet case was the spontaneity and determination behind the actions in times when complaints against the regime could be voiced in informal settings, while any act of protest would pose a risk to the personal safety: too great a sacrifice for which most Bulgarians at the end of the 1960s saw little point. As one of the students, Valentin Radev, pointed out: “Chatting over a drink was one thing but when it came to actions…”. At a 1969 meeting of the Dean’s Council, Stoyko Kolev, who at the time was standing in for the party secretary, read a report with information from the Interior Ministry on the case. He then made a notable remark: “Unfortunately, these are history students from our faculty…”. Nearly 60 years after this one-off protest action against the Prague Spring suppression, the Sofia University Rector’s Badge of Honour was conferred on Alexander Dimitrov, Eduard Genov (posthumously) and Valentin Radev (posthumously) for their civic valour, services to democracy and freedom, as well as for the stance they took during the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. At the ceremony, the remarks made regarding their revolt sounded very different than those made in 1968: it was now a source of pride rather than misfortune that the citizens who ‘awoke the dawdling conformist Bulgarian community’, as Assoc. Prof. Gruev put it, were history students. “It is an honour for Sofia University to have had such students,” then Faculty dean Assoc. Prof. Mira Markova said. Assoc.Prof. Gruev emphasizes that the protests of the “brave and selfless” Alexander Dimitrov, Eduard Genov and Valentin Radev were harshly and mercilessly punished, as they “paid for their audacity not only with their freedom but also with their health and their entangled lives”. Their act of protest was ahead of its time and foreshadowed later student demonstrations across the country, different in terms of extent, forms and motives. Culture Yoana Kancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188986-romania-s-mina-immersive-art-show-draws-60-000-visitors-during-first-year-in-sof https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188986-romania-s-mina-immersive-art-show-draws-60-000-visitors-during-first-year-in-sof Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:26:48 +0300 More than 60,000 visitors have seen MINA Sofia, a visiting Romanian show called Museum of Immersive New Art (MINA), during its first year in the Bulgarian capital, said the show's co-founder and manager Sorina Topceanu, speaking to BTA. Sofia is MINA's first location outside Romania. MINA is an immersive art space where art, sound and technology merge to transform internationally popular visual stories into 360-degree experiences. In Sofia, it is hosted by the Serdika Center, a shopping mall on Sitnyakovo Boulevard. Visitors enter a digital environment featuring projections and an original soundtrack, showcasing both the work of artists such as Van Gogh and Monet and themes related to history, nature and imagination. During the first twelve months of MINA Sofia, visitors have included families with children, young people and school groups, and older citizens experiencing immersive art for the first time. According to Topceanu, the experience of the first year has already provided a clearer picture of the local audience and of the themes and experiences that appeal to it. "One of the most important things we have learned is that Bulgarian audiences are extremely open to different types of content when it is presented through an immersive experience," Topceanu said. According to her, familiar themes are often the initial reason for a visit – a famous artist, dinosaurs, space or ancient civilizations – but it is the experience itself that sparks curiosity and a desire to return. MINA Sofia has so far presented immersive versions of the work of artists such as Van Gogh, Monet and Kandinsky, and productions devoted to space, dinosaurs, the ocean and the ancient world. When selecting themes, the crew starts with the interests of its audience, seeking to understand what sparks its curiosity. Specialists in the relevant field – lecturers, curators and other experts – are involved in the creation of each production. "Their perspective helps us understand not only which themes are current and significant, but also how they can be presented in an engaging and accessible way," Topceanu said. The team then looks for ways to transform the story into an immersive format through imagery, animation, sound and narration, without losing its connection to the original subject. According to MINA's co-founder, a cultural experience should not have to choose between accessibility and substance. The difference lies in the intention, she said. Technology can create spectacle, but spectacle alone is not enough. At the heart of every MINA production is a subject that we want people to discover – an artist, an artistic movement, a scientific idea, a historical period or a story worth telling, she explained. "The immersive format allows us to bring these subjects closer to people who otherwise would not choose a traditional museum experience," Topceanu said. If visitors are drawn in by the technology but leave wanting to learn more about Kandinsky, Ancient Egypt or the oceans, then the format has fulfilled its purpose, she said. "Technology is not the end goal. It is a means – another possible path to art and knowledge," she added. During its second year, MINA Sofia will continue to present new immersive productions and themes, while expanding the ways in which the space can be used and experienced. Educational programmes, partnerships and special events will be among the highlights. After the first year, the team has a better understanding of the local audience, which, according to Topceanu, allows the programme to be developed specifically for Sofia rather than simply transferring models that have proved successful at other venues. "Our aim is for MINA Sofia to develop its own rhythm and recognizable identity, while remaining part of the wider MINA network," she said. One of the lessons from the first year has been the need for more precise programme structuring. Initially, different themes were combined within the same time slot, but the team subsequently found that individual shows attracted different types of audiences with different expectations and motivations. "Today, we know our audience much better, so we approach both the combination of shows and their allocation to individual time slots much more precisely," Topceanu said. According to her, this seemingly minor organizational detail has a significant impact on visitors' overall experience and is one of the most valuable lessons from MINA Sofia's first year. "We don't want MINA to be a place you visit once and never return to. New shows, different themes and a programme that combines art, science, history and content for children give audiences a reason to come back and discover something different each time," she added. Sorina Topceanu is co-founder of MINA – Museum of Immersive New Art, the first immersive art centre in Romania. She has more than eight years of experience in developing artistic projects and works to promote new media art in Romania. Her focus is on creating cultural experiences that combine art, technology and education and reach a broad and diverse audience. The current programme in Sofia includes the shows "Monet", "Kandinsky", "Dinosaurs", "Ancient Egypt", "Gods of Olympus", "In the Heart of the Ocean" and "Space", which also features archive footage from Bulgarian National Television (BNT). MINA also offers special events, including multisensory experiences, immersive yoga sessions, children's workshops and immersive sound relaxation. Culture Valentin Evstatiev Vanya Suharova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1188966-bulgarian-scientists-develop-novel-bioactive-combination-for-metabolic-health https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1188966-bulgarian-scientists-develop-novel-bioactive-combination-for-metabolic-health Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:19:15 +0300 A team of scientists from the Centre for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) and the Metabolomics Laboratory at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) has secured utility model protection for a newly developed combination of natural bioactive compounds - maackiain, betulinic acid, and piperine, the CPSBB said on Thursday. The development is the result of the team's research into natural compounds with potential to support metabolic health and processes associated with healthy aging. The compounds were obtained after a five-year study through preclinical experiments using the model organism C. elegans. Extensive studies in rodents found no toxic effects under the conditions and doses tested. A clinical study involving humans is planned to validate the findings based on indicators associated with metabolic processes in the human body. Metabolic disorders and obesity are among the most serious global health challenges. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 2.5 billion adults worldwide were overweight in 2022, while one in eight people globally was living with obesity. The prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1990, and analyses indicate that the trend continues to increase worldwide. The latest World Obesity Atlas 2025, an international analytical report on global trends in overweight and obesity, projects that the number of adults living with obesity will reach approximately 1.13 billion by 2030 - an increase of more than 115% compared with 2010, when the figure stood at around 524 million. The WHO also notes that approximately 35 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2024. In this context, scientists from the CPSBB and BAS are directing their research efforts toward natural compounds that may influence these complex molecular processes, with the combination of the newly identified substances designed to produce a synergistic effect on metabolic regulation. The researchers' main goal is the pilot market transfer of the combination in the form of a dietary supplement, followed in the longer term by the development of a medicinal product. The dietary supplement will contain standardized plant extracts based on the newly identified combination and will be intended to provide general support for metabolic processes in the human body. Production is expected to be carried out in partnership with a Bulgarian company with an established background in the dietary supplement market. "Modern science shows that complex health conditions such as metabolic disorders require a multidisciplinary approach. Our goal is not to talk about miracle solutions, but to develop scientifically grounded approaches that go through all the necessary stages — from the laboratory to real-world application. For Bulgaria, such transfers of research developments to the market are an important step toward building an ecosystem for innovation with genuine social impact," the head of the research team, Prof. Milen Georgiev, said. "Partnerships between scientific organizations and industry create an opportunity for Bulgaria to develop a market in the science-based products segment," Georgi Filipov added, manager of Fortex Nutraceuticals, a Bulgarian company specializing in the production of dietary supplements, with markets in Bulgaria and nearly 30 countries worldwide. Bulgaria Kristina Ivanova Dimitrina Vetova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188964-bachkovo-monastery-hegumen-presents-bta-with-charter-of-blessings https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188964-bachkovo-monastery-hegumen-presents-bta-with-charter-of-blessings Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:33:05 +0300 The Hegumen of the Bachkovo Monastery, Bishop Sionii of Velika, presented the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) with a Bachkovo Charter on Thursday. It was accepted by BTA's Plovdiv correspondent Tanya Blagova at the monastery following the official opening of the 21st Iconography Assembly of Bulgarian icon painters and the opening of the Annual Exhibition of the Bulgarian Iconographers Association. Both events have been held for the past 12 years with the patronage of Bishop Sionii. The Bachkovo Charter was created by renowned calligrapher Margarita Doncheva. It is written in both Cyrillic and Glagolitic script and commemorates the glorification of the relics of St Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo on October 22, 2023, which are kept at the Bachkovo Monastery. The charter is presented to state institutions and seeks the prayerful intercession of St Euthymius for peace and prosperity for the Bulgarian people and for a blessing upon the children of Bulgaria. BTA extends its heartfelt thanks to Bishop Sionii of Velika for this great honour. Culture Valentin Evstatiev https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188911-archaeologists-discover-coins-ancient-building-burial-sites-during-excavations https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188911-archaeologists-discover-coins-ancient-building-burial-sites-during-excavations Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:41:58 +0300 More than 200 coins, mostly from the Constantine dynasty, were discovered by archaeologists during rescue excavations at a site located right next to the Eastern Gate of Philippopolis in Plovdiv. The coins are from the Late Antique era, when a neighborhood flourished outside the fortress walls, the head of the excavations, Lyubomir Merdzhanov, told BTA on Thursday. The team of the Regional Archaeological Museum in Plovdiv is conducting the excavations in connection with an investment intention to build a new residential building in the area. In addition to the coins, a building from Late Antiquity has also been discovered, the archaeologist said. It is still unclear what its function was, but it will be established during the excavations.  Merdzhanov added that there are two burials from the middle of the 7th century, which intersect the Late Antiquity structure. Both have grave goods. One has a silver buckle, and the other - with an unrecognizable bronze object at the moment, which will be determined after restoration. What is interesting, according to the specialist, is that although the burials are from the Christian period of Philippopolis, the orientation of the deceased's body is south - north. The burials were carried out after the buildings from Late Antiquity ceased to function. This means that at that time this part of the city changed its character and this now empty space was used as a necropolis, the archaeologist explained. "Unfortunately, as always happens with multi-layered sites, each subsequent historical site destroyed the previous one. Therefore, all archaeological layers and structures are in very poor condition. Thanks to the team's diligence, we managed to identify the trenches from the walls and restore the layout despite the lack of walls and floor levels, which carry the basic information," said Merdzhanov. The specialists have information from previous studies that the area was intensively inhabited during the Hellenistic era. Excavations are about to reveal whether such cultural layers exist at this site as well. So far, six meters of depth have been reached in parts of it. This is standard for Plovdiv, because the cultural layers are very deep, said Merdzhanov, adding that there is another sector in the site that needs to be explored by the end of the month. Culture Atanas Malakchiev BTA correspondent Irina Shopova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188870-works-by-visual-artists-from-tikla-art-residency-go-on-display-in-shiroka-laka https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188870-works-by-visual-artists-from-tikla-art-residency-go-on-display-in-shiroka-laka Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:51:00 +0300 Works by visual artists from four countries are on display in the Shiroka Laka museum-gallery in an exhibition titled "Things from Here, People from Elsewhere". The five young artists from Bulgaria, Norway, China and Hungary took part in a creative residency, Tikla, in this Rhodope village in June. Their art installations were created in the Shiroka Laka forest and various locations in the village. "The Tikla project placed foreign artists in a non-urban environment to explore how contemporary art can exist in a different context. For one week, they immersed themselves in local life and created paintings, abstract installations, objects and other works made from materials found in Shiroka Laka," Vasil Sharkov, curator of the art residency, told BTA. He said "Things from Here, People from Elsewhere" illustrates contemporary artistic expression and an abstract view of the traditional cultural heritage of the mountain region. A painting by Chinese-born and Italy-based Yutao Guo recreates a popuar local legend of the young woman named Kanya. The legend which Kanya asks God to turn her to stone to save herself from forced conversion to Islam, is associated with the The Maiden rock formation near Shiroka Laka. "In the works from the Tikla residency, we mix contemporary art practices, abstraction, but also local materials traditional to the region," Sharkov explained. The theme of traditions and modern society can also be found in a landscape by Marta Manolova, who used the technique of wet-felting wool to create it. The work by Kata Madár of Hungary mixes budding branches with decaying, hand woven rugs, which shows nature’s and humans’ labor and patience in their own way.  Hannah Siger of Denmark had a practical purpose in her work: her lighting project was created specifically for the St. Athanasius Chapel to provide a soft light around its lawn, without being bright and intrusive, but simply serving as a sort of checkpoint and marker that you have arrived.  Sharkov himself presents a video documenting five performers communicating without speech through movement and imitation, in an attempt to achieve harmony. The work is displayed on an old television with a quiet ambient soundtrack from the recording. The works are already attracting the interest of local residents and tourists coming to Shiroka Laka. "Things from Here, People from Elsewhere" is the first temporary exhibition at the museum-gallery, and contemporary art complements its halls displaying works by Vladimir Rilski and the museum exhibitions on Christianity in the Rhodopes. The Tikla residency exhibition will remain in Shiroka Laka until October. Vasil Sharkov, who is a student at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milano, plans to continue the ideas of the Tikla art residency in future editions. Culture Hristina Georgieva https://www.bta.bg/en/bg-world/1188695-bosilegrad-based-artist-sandra-stoimenova-to-participate-in-international-waterc https://www.bta.bg/en/bg-world/1188695-bosilegrad-based-artist-sandra-stoimenova-to-participate-in-international-waterc Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:52:20 +0300 Bosilegrad-based artist Sandra Stoimenova will take part in the ‘IKAR’ International Watercolor Festival, which will take place in Gallery of the Aircraft House in Belgrade on August 31. She will present her Greek mythology inspired watercolor artwork ‘Kirena’. The festival is organized by IWS Serbia and gathers watercolor artists from all around the world. This year’s theme of the festival is ‘Icarus – Flight Beyond Boundaries’, which draws attention to the human desire for freedom, courage, dreams and the ceaseless search for new horizons.Sandra Stoimenova is a certified artist from Bosilegrad and the main focus of her art is painting, as she works with both watercolor and oil. She has already partaken in many art initiatives worldwide. Her participation in ‘IKAR’ is yet another opportunity for the work of an artist from Bosilegrad to be presented to an international audience. The official opening of the exhibition will take place on August 31, 2026, in Zemun, Belgrade, and the participants’ works will also be included in the festival’s digital catalogue. BG World BTA Correspondent Alexander Dimitrov BTA intern Ivayla Kirilova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188678-burgas-mayor-no-time-to-waste-in-eurovision-preparations-test-concert-to-be-he https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188678-burgas-mayor-no-time-to-waste-in-eurovision-preparations-test-concert-to-be-he Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:05:00 +0300 Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said after meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, who heads the interagency organizing committee for Eurovision, that there is no time to waste following the selection of Burgas as host city for the song contest next year. The two gave a briefing at Burgas Municipality on Thursday about the city's hosting of the contest. Nikolov stressed that following the selection of Burgas as host, there is no longer time to discuss the decision and the actual work must begin. "First, let’s put a full stop to this debate about the choice of city with this interview and stop looking back. We have no time to waste, we are racing against time,” the Mayor said. According to him, the main focus of his talks with the Deputy Prime Minister was on administrative procedures, public procurement and the tight preparation deadlines. "The main focus of the talks with the Deputy Prime Minister was that many administrative procedures still need to be coordinated, including strict compliance with the Public Procurement Act," Nikolov said. He added that there are currently no final figures for all the expenses related to the preparations. "As of today, we do not have a detailed estimate of how much money we will need. We have approximate figures, but at the moment the important thing is not so much the amounts we need to announce, but rather the fact that there needs to be very strict coordination and launching of public procurement procedures because the deadlines are putting us under pressure," the Mayor said. Nikolov said the aim is to complete the preparations of the venue jointly with the Bulgarian National Television by the end of the year, so that a test concert can be held in the presence of experts from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This would allow sufficient time to address any shortcomings related to the building’s internal logistics or acoustics. The Mayor paid particular attention to the delivery of equipment and supplies. "Let’s not forget that most of the facilities, technology and equipment will arrive from China. And this is extremely slow because of the complex global processes in the world," he said. According to him, Burgas needs to make up for lost time to avoid having to wait for deliveries at the last minute. Nikolov described Deputy Prime Minister Hristov’s role as extremely important for coordination between the institutions. "At the moment, at least five ministries are involved in the event, so with his authority we will streamline precisely these rapid lines of communication," the Mayor added. He said he was satisfied with his first working meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and with the understanding shown by the State. According to Nikolov, hosting Eurovision is not just a matter for Burgas or the Southern Black Sea coast, but for the whole of Bulgaria. "We have to present ourselves to the world in the best possible way," Nikolov said. He stressed that many of the guests would be visiting Bulgaria for the first time. "We have to make sure that when they come, they leave with such good impressions that they recommend us to their family and friends," the Mayor said. "This is an enormous challenge," he added. Nikolov called for Eurovision to be an occasion for unity rather than political divisions. "Enough with the divisions, enough with the fragmentation. Yes, elections are also coming, but let Eurovision be the issue that brings us all together," the Mayor said. He noted that all parties represented on the Municipal Council in Burgas unanimously support the initiative. According to Nikolov, there is also support in smaller municipalities around Burgas, including Nessebar, Pomorie, Sozopol, Primorsko and Tsarevo. "There is complete unanimity everywhere on this issue - to present Bulgaria," the Mayor said. As for the technical and creative aspects of the contest, such as choosing the contest’s mascot, for example, Nikolov said that he was dealing with the technical side. "You know what I am capable of. I’m no good as a politician, but I’m good at getting work done. Let me work. Thank you," the Mayor said. Culture Momchil Rusev BTA correspondent Maya Stefanova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188656-eur-20-mln-earmarked-for-eurovision-by-year-end-deputy-pm-says https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188656-eur-20-mln-earmarked-for-eurovision-by-year-end-deputy-pm-says Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:28:00 +0300 The state will play a full role in preparations for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Burgas next year, Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, who heads the interagency organizing committee for Eurovision, said on Thursday. Hristov and Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov held a news briefing following a meeting at Burgas Municipality dedicated to organizing the event. "Burgas won with its strong motivation and proactive approach, which we were able to see during our discussions. Thanks to the team’s operational work, we have a chance to meet the deadlines for the public procurement procedures. We have a very exciting season ahead of us," Hristov said. He stressed that the government does not divide the country into the capital and the rest of the country. "In an era of modern communications and transport, the heart of Bulgaria beats wherever the events are, wherever the people are, wherever something is happening. And Burgas is currently one of the most dynamic places in the country," the Deputy Prime Minister said. Hristov noted that the state will play a full role in the aspects of the organization involving national investments. He said that under the current budget, EUR 20 million has been earmarked for Eurovision through the end of the year, explaining that EUR 15 million is the guarantee that must be deposited before the organizational process begins, while the remainder will cover ongoing needs. "Funds for Eurovision will also be included in the 2027 budget, but the budget is due to be considered in the autumn of this year," Hristov said. He added that he hoped the government would be able to get fully up to speed, after half of the current year had passed without a budget. He clarified that he could not yet provide a specific figure for the 2027 budget, as the draft has not been prepared and still needs to go through the relevant discussion and approval procedures. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the funding will cover organizational needs related to infrastructure, transport, accommodation and branding Bulgaria as a tourist destination. "We in the government see Eurovision as an opportunity to brand Bulgaria, because we have everything to offer - the full range of tourism services. We offer delicious food, mountains, ski resorts, the sea and cultural and historical tourism, but we are still not as recognizable in the tourism market as Italy and Greece," he said. Hristov rejected criticism of the decision to select Burgas as the host city. He said the city had long demonstrated that it had a functioning economic model and that its transformation was clearly visible. He also pointed to problems with the management of Sofia in recent years as one of the reasons why the capital was not selected. "I do not accept the criticism regarding the choice of Burgas, as the city has long proven that it has a functioning economic model and that the changes are visible. In Sofia, we have had a management crisis in recent years, so the choice of Burgas is quite logical," Hristov commented. He said Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director General Milena Milotinova could explain the reasons behind choosing Burgas over Sofia, as the public broadcaster is the Bulgarian representative responsible for selecting the host city of the song contest. "She can provide you with the details, but it is enough to take a walk through the city centres of Burgas and Sofia to see the differences," Hristov added. According to Hristov, his role as chairman of the interagency committee will be to provide institutional support to the municipality and BNT in everything necessary for organizing the event. Hristov also said that the state would take all necessary measures to ensure security and safety during the contest. "I think Burgas is currently a safe city," he said, adding that the expected large number of visitors would require the necessary measures to be put in place. The Deputy Prime Minister described the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest as an opportunity for Bulgaria to showcase itself to the world. According to him, many of the visitors will be coming to the country for the first time, and the goal should be for them to leave with such positive impressions that they will recommend Bulgaria to their friends and relatives. Culture Petya Dikova BTA correspondent Maya Stefanova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1188590-sofia-municipality-asks-bulgarian-national-tv-for-detailed-feedback-on-its-bid-t https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1188590-sofia-municipality-asks-bulgarian-national-tv-for-detailed-feedback-on-its-bid-t Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:53:00 +0300 Sofia Municipality has sent an official letter to Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director General Milena Milotinova requesting detailed feedback on the assessment of Sofia's bid to host Eurovision 2027, the Municipality's press office said here on Thursday. Last week, the coastal city of Burgas was officially chosen to host the song contest. The Municipality is seeking detailed information on each of the criteria used to assess the bids, including the reasons behind the scores awarded. Sofia is also asking for permission to publicly disclose those elements of its bid that are not covered by the confidentiality agreement it signed. For Sofia Municipality, feedback from BNT is necessary to enable the city to objectively assess its performance, identify areas for improvement and use the experience gained in future bids to host international events. The request comes in the context of a procedure in which the bidders were bound by confidentiality requirements, with neither the full bids nor the scores for the individual criteria publicly available. This limits the possibility of an independent and substantive analysis of the outcome and leaves room for speculation about the reasons that led to Burgas being selected, Sofia Municipality said. "Sofia will help in any way it can to make Eurovision 2027 a success for Bulgaria, but we also have questions. Transparency does not stand in the way of success. On the contrary, it builds trust," Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said, as quoted in the press release. "At present, we do not have access to the scores or the reasons behind them precisely because of the confidentiality commitments we undertook as part of the procedure. That is why we asked BNT for specific feedback – so that we can objectively analyse our performance and build on what we have achieved. We do not believe Eurovision should turn into a competition between cities, but rather into a joint opportunity for Bulgaria," Deputy Mayor for Culture and Tourism Irina Dakova said. According to Sofia Municipality, publicly disclosing the permissible elements of the bids would allow public discussion to be based on the actual proposals and solutions put forward by the cities that took part in the procedure, rather than on unverified claims. Sofia Municipality considers this important for maintaining trust in the process of selecting a host city for an event of national and international significance. On Saturday, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said in a Facebook post that Sofia will be part of the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, but answers are needed about how Burgas was selected as the host city. Bulgaria Metodi Yordanov Marin Kolev https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188591-seal-of-byzantine-empress-irene-komnene-discovered-at-perperikon https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/1188591-seal-of-byzantine-empress-irene-komnene-discovered-at-perperikon Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:26:00 +0300 A personal seal of Empress Irene Komnene, providing evidence of correspondence between Bulgaria and Byzantium, is the latest discovery at Perperikon, excavation leader Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov told reporters on Tuesday. According to him, it is only the fifth known seal worldwide belonging to perhaps the most influential woman in Byzantine history, who was also the mother-in-law of King Ivan Asen II. Other such seals are held in collections around the world, including at the Dumbarton Oaks museum in Washington, the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and private collections. "She was the wife of John III Doukas Vatatzes, a great Byzantine emperor. This lady was the daughter of an emperor, granddaughter of an emperor, wife of an emperor and mother of an emperor. In other words, from every angle, it is hard to think of anyone more prominent in Byzantine history. At least, I cannot think of anyone off the top of my head," Prof. Ovcharov said. He recalled that the seal dates from the 13th century. At the time, Ivan Asen II had just emerged victorious from the Battle of Klokotnitsa, located only 29 km from Perperikon, while John III Doukas Vatatzes and his wife Irene ruled in Byzantium. "Clearly, there must have been some very extensive correspondence, because these seals were used to seal letters," the archaeologist said. He added that many interesting and important events took place between Bulgaria and Byzantium during those years. This was the period when Constantinople was conquered by the Latins. However, using his victory at Klokotnitsa on the one hand and the vast empire he had created on the other, Ivan Asen II decided to restore the Bulgarian Patriarchate dating back to the time of Tsar Simeon, Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov recalled. He specified that the particularly intensive correspondence took place in 1233-1235, with 1235 culminating in the recognition of the Bulgarian Patriarchate at Lampsacus, on the coast of Asia Minor, as one of the Orthodox patriarchates. "At the same time, however, the treaty also included another clause, namely the marriage of Ivan Asen II's daughter Elena to Theodore I Laskaris, heir to the throne of the Empire of Nicaea - the Byzantine Empire - and son of Irene, whose seal I am showing. These are the two events that may have prompted a letter and the seal of this high-ranking Byzantine lady to appear here," Prof. Ovcharov explained. The seal of Empress Irene Komnene bears her image wearing a crown and imperial robes on one side, and Christ, the Redeemer of human sins, on the other - an "exceptionally rare iconography", the archaeologist stressed. He added that this is the fourth seal discovered at Perperikon belonging to a major ruler. The others are a seal of Emperor Anastasius I Dicorus from the 5th century, a seal of Constantine IX Monomachos from the 11th century, a seal of Andronikos II Palaiologos from the 13th century - also a Byzantine emperor - and a gold seal of King Ivan Alexander. Culture Momchil Rusev BTA Correspondent Valentina Stoeva