Today our call is to return the value of diplomacy, human rights throughout the world and peace, said President Iliana Yotova at the traditional reception on the occasion of March 3 at the Central Military Club in Sofia.
There are many dates in the history of every nation. For us, March 3 is the sacred date. We have chosen our national holiday on a day when we talk about peace and truce, Iliana Yotova also said, quoted by BTA.
In her words, in the worrying and dangerous time in which we live, each of us is once again weighing the word freedom for ourselves. "The most important thing is to be free within ourselves. Then our hearts and souls will be open to the virtues and values that make us human. This is our great responsibility. Our parents made sure that we grew up as worthy people. They gave us the enormous privilege and happiness of living in a world of peace. This is our responsibility to our children and grandchildren today. We must bequeath peace, tranquility and opportunities to develop - each according to their talent", commented the head of state.
Iliyana Yotova noted that there is no reason or cause that can justify that "in recent years, children have been born who know nothing but the ashes of war". This is not within the power of one person. This is within the power of all of us, wherever we are in the world. May this day and the symbol that Bulgaria presents to the world with the date March 3 be a place and space in which people will join hands from all over the world, so that there will be a future for our children and prosperity, the President said.
There is no Bulgarian heart and soul that does not tremble today with the power of the Bulgarian heroes who left their blood and bones. The monuments today are silent witnesses, but they are not just monuments of granite and stone, they are witnesses of greatness and glory, Iliyana Yotova also said.
The President thanked those present for being at the reception and pointed out that their presence means a lot. She also thanked the acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, as well as the Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov, for taking time "in these troubled and dangerous times".
The reception was also attended by the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, the Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev, ministers from the acting cabinet, members of parliament, constitutional judges, commanders of various branches of the armed forces, the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Kamelia Neykova, the Director General of BTA Kiril Valchev, the Director General of the Bulgarian National Radio Milen Mitev, the Director General of BNT Milena Milotinova, and diplomats.
Earlier today, President Iliana Yotova accepted the honorary rank of the representative units of the Bulgarian Army. March 3 is not just a special date in the Bulgarian calendar, but is a measure for us, our belonging, our memory and our identity, she said in her speech.