Balgarianovinite.com Greek writer and translator Elias Fragakis told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) that he is convinced that literature plays a major and highly important role as a bridge between Greece and Bulgaria.
“Without getting to know one another, there can be no understanding. Without understanding, there can be no genuine relationship. And when relationships are absent, conflicts, stereotypes and all those negative remnants of the past emerge, things we should forget and leave behind,” he said.
Fragakis is the editor of the anthology Bulgaria: The Land of Mirrors, which compiles memories and personal impressions of Greeks whose lives were connected to Bulgaria at different times under various circumstances.
“Bulgaria: The Land of Mirrors is a collective work created by 34 Greeks who lived in Bulgaria during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, while some of them continue to live there today. Through this book, we wanted to pay tribute to the people who spent a significant part of their lives in Bulgaria, as political emigrants, students, diplomats and in other capacities. At the same time, we wanted to talk about and tell the story of Bulgaria itself, the country that welcomed and shaped us. We also wanted to share how we saw it then and how we see it today,” he said.
“For us, there were many wonderful moments in Bulgaria, but also many difficult ones. Without any doubt, I can say that those were some the best years of my life,” Fragakis, who also completed his higher education in Bulgaria in the early 1980s, added.
Speaking about the book, he noted that it can be regarded as a hybrid work rather than a purely literary one, as it combines texts of different genres and character – stories, testimonies, personal recollections and short narratives.
“Here, in Greece, the book has been very warmly received and much loved by readers. I hope that when it is translated into Bulgarian, it will be embraced by the Bulgarian public as well,” the editor said.
“The whole idea is to build bridges, of understanding and mutual knowledge between peoples. I believe that we, Greeks who have lived in Bulgaria, are ourselves such a bridge between the two nations,” Fragakis added.
The book has been officially presented twice so far, at the Thessaloniki Book Fair in May, where Bulgaria was the guest of honour, and in Athens. The BTA National Press Club in Athens also hosted a literary discussion with the author and students majoring in Bulgarian studies at the University of Athens. Literature Is Vital Bridge Between Greece and Bulgaria, Says Greek Author Elias Fragakis 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-19 17:34:21 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law