The 103rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey was celebrated with a reception organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Sofia, at the “Ramada“ hotel.
The reception, organized by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Bulgaria H.E. Mehmet Sait Uyanık and his wife Mrs. Eda Uyanık, was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Velislava Petrova and the Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Demerdzhiev, as well as deputy ministers, members of parliament, representatives of local authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the business community and numerous other guests.
The reception began with the reading of the message on the occasion of the Republic Day of the President of the Republic of Turkey H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after which Ambassador Mehmet Sait Uyanık delivered a welcoming speech.
In his speech, Ambassador Uyanık emphasized that the Republic is the fruit of the Turkish people's aspiration for independence, their belief in freedom and equality, and their ideal for a modern future. He also emphasized the special significance of celebrating Republic Day in Sofia, where Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk once served.
Speaking about the friendship and cooperation between Turkey and Bulgaria, Ambassador Uyanık emphasized the strong ties between the two countries with the words: “Our neighborhood is the fruit of geography, and our friendship – of our common will.“ He noted that bilateral relations continue to develop in a wide range of areas, particularly in the fields of defense, security, trade, energy and transport.
Concluding his speech, Ambassador Uyanık expressed his hope that the new century of the Republic will bring a brighter future for Turkey, an even deeper friendship between Turkey and Bulgaria, and more peace, security and prosperity for the Balkans and the world.
Ambassador Uyanık also expressed his gratitude to Alcomet, D Bank, Duygu İnşaat, Klas Gıda, „Ramada“ Hotel, „Tekfen“ Foundation, Türkerler Holding and Ziraat Bank for their valuable contributions to organizing the reception.
The Republic Day celebration continued with a musical performance by the Tekfen Brass Ensemble and a dinner for the guests.