An exhibition dedicated to Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day opened in Budapest on Monday, marking the 10th anniversary of the joint celebration and forming part of the 21st World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Budapest and Esztergom on October 19-20. Speakers at the opening highlighted the Bulgarian community’s contribution to Hungarian society and its role in strengthening ties between the two countries, while a prayer service in Esztergom underscored their shared spiritual and cultural heritage.
Hungary’s Deputy Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Laura Gyeney said the centuries-long history of Bulgarians in Hungary reflected the image of a united and hardworking community that zealously preserved its identity and traditions. She noted that although Bulgaria and Hungary had adopted different branches of Christianity, the two countries had maintained close relations over the centuries, citing the alliance between Tsar Simeon the Great and Prince Arpad in the early 10th century. Gyeney also recalled the contribution of Bulgarian gardeners to the development of vegetable production and culinary traditions in Hungary during the second half of the 19th century, as well as the life of Istvan Dunyov, a Banat Bulgarian who took part in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-1849 and later served as a colonel under Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Andre Paloc, Chair of the Hungarian Parliament’s Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Group, said the Bulgarian community enriched Hungary’s cultural life and served as an important bridge between the two nations. He described the 10th anniversary of Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day as an opportunity to reaffirm the countries’ longstanding ties, rooted in mutual respect and cooperation. Personal encounters and appreciation of each other’s culture made friendship tangible, Paloc said, expressing hope that the exhibition would encourage further discovery and dialogue. He also highlighted the parliamentary friendship group’s work to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Szimeon Varga, parliamentary advocate for the Bulgarian national community in Hungary, said Bulgarians living in the country had earned the respect of Hungarian society and won its trust. Bulgarians in Hungary had worked hard to preserve their community across generations, building a church and a cultural centre, among other buildings, Varga said. With support from the Hungarian and Bulgarian governments, the community opened its Bulgarian Cultural and Educational Centre in 2024, which has since become a vibrant gathering place.
Official guests at the exhibition opening included Bulgarian National Assembly Deputy Chair Ivan Angelov; MPs Ivan Golomeev and Boyko Mladenov; Milena Dimitrova, the President’s Secretary for Culture, Education and Relations with Bulgarians Abroad; Prof. Veselina Valkanova, Dean of Sofia University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication; Dr Gabriela Naplatanova, Chair of the Council for Electronic Media; Bulgarian National Radio Director General Milen Mitev; Rayna Mandzhukova, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad; Bulgarian National Television Director General Milena Milotinova; and Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe.
Speaking to journalists during the media forum, Hungarian Minister of Social Relations and Culture Zoltan Tarr said the Bulgarian community played an important role in strengthening relations between the two countries and could help deepen dialogue and exchanges. Historical ties and the Christian faith had brought the two peoples closer over the centuries, while EU membership provided an additional framework for cooperation, he said. Tarr recalled maintaining close contacts with the Bulgarian delegation during his time as a Member of the European Parliament in 2024-2026, citing the many issues of common interest. He also pointed to Bulgaria’s accession to the euro area as a source of valuable experience for Hungary, where the country’s possible future adoption of the single currency was also under discussion.
Tarr received a commemorative tablet depicting St John of Rila from Szimeon Varga during the media forum in Budapest. The minister emphasized the importance of national communities to Hungary, describing Bulgarians living in the country as a bridge between the two nations, both in the past and today. He said their interests and concerns were represented through Varga’s work in Parliament and noted that the importance of the country’s various nationalities would also be reflected in Hungary’s national budget for the coming year. Citing Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban’s visit to Bulgaria on Monday as an example of the two countries’ excellent relations, Tarr expressed confidence that their ties would continue to grow stronger.
Marton Hajdu, Chair of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Hungarian Parliament, told participants in the BTA forum that Bulgaria and Hungary were celebrating a friendship rooted in centuries of coexistence. He said the two peoples had lived alongside each other for more than 600 years, forging strong bonds reflected, among other things, in words borrowed into the Hungarian language. These ties could not be broken by any authority, Hajdu said, adding that both countries were members of the European Union and NATO, faced similar challenges and were connected by the Danube River.
In Esztergom, Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe called for unity, mutual support and peace among nations during a prayer service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and Saint Adalbert. The service, which he led together with Father Csaba, episcopal delegate for Esztergom Basilica, was followed by a flower-laying ceremony at the memorial plaque dedicated to St John of Rila in the cathedral as October 19 marks the feast day of St John of Rila. Also, 2026 marks 1,150 years since the saint’s birth and 1,080 years since his death. Metropolitan Anthony said Bulgaria and Hungary shared longstanding spiritual and cultural ties that transcended borders and remained a source of mutual respect and friendship. Speaking on Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day, he stressed that true national greatness lay not in overcoming others but in supporting them, and not in building walls but in building bridges. He also praised Bulgarians living in Hungary for preserving their national identity while enriching the country’s public and cultural life, saying that loyalty to one’s roots and respect for one’s adopted country could go hand in hand.
BTA is organizing the 21st World Meeting of Bulgarian Media in Budapest and Esztergom, Hungary, on October 19 and 20, with the support of DSK Bank, OTP Group, Aurubis Bulgaria, A1, SOF Connect – the operator of Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, Geotechmin, Postbank and the 13 Centuries Bulgaria National Endowment Fund. This year’s meeting is mottoed “Media and Leaders”. The forum is expected to bring together participants from 25 countries, both in person and online.
Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day Highlights Shared History, Community’s Role in Bilateral Ties THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-19 18:08:00
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