Balgarianovinite.com Bolhrad, a Ukrainian city that is home to a large community of ethnic Bulgarians, marked the 205th anniversary of its founding on Tuesday with large-scale cultural events attended by a Bulgarian delegation. It was led by parliamentary Tourism Committee Chair Rositsa Kirova and also included Bulgarian Ambassador to Ukraine Zlatin Krustev, Consul General in Odesa Svetoslav Ivanov, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad Executive Director Rayna Mandzhukova.
Founded by Bulgarian settlers in 1821, Bolhrad is the administrative centre of Bolhrad District in Odesa Region, where more than 60% of the population of its ten municipalities are Bulgarian. The Bulgarian spirit in Bessarabia is sustained by three key landmarks: the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord, built with the support of Bulgarian settlers and consecrated in 1838; the historic Bolhrad Gymnasium, opened in 1858 and now bearing the name of Georgi Rakovski; and the Memorial to the Bulgarian Volunteers, unveiled in 2012 in honour of Bessarabian Bulgarians who fought for Bulgaria’s freedom.
GERB-UDF MP and Chair of the parliamentary Tourism Committee Rositsa Kirova said that, for more than two centuries, Bolhrad has been more than just a geographical point on the map – it has been one of the living hearts of the Bessarabian Bulgarian community. Kirova thanked Bolhrad Mayor Sergey Dimitriev for the invitation and for the opportunity to visit the city once again. “Every time I come here, I am genuinely moved. For four years now, I have been working with Bessarabian Bulgarians in Ukraine and Moldova. During these years, I have met many people, heard countless family stories and seen firsthand how strong the connection with Bulgaria can remain, even when generations have lived far beyond the country’s borders,” Kirova said.
In a congratulatory address, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova described Bolhrad as “a place of rich history and the spiritual home of one of the largest historic Bulgarian communities outside Bulgaria”. Her message, read by Consul General Svetoslav Ivanov, praised the Bessarabian Bulgarians for preserving their language, traditions, culture and national identity for more than two centuries and for strengthening the city’s role as an educational and cultural centre. “Your devotion to your roots and your efforts to preserve the Bulgarian heritage are highly valued in Bulgaria,” Iotova said.
BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said the celebration took place against the backdrop of the continuing war in Ukraine and repeated his hope that Bolhrad would live in peace again. Recalling that air raid sirens had accompanied all 14 of his visits to the Bessarabian Bulgarians in Ukraine since the start of the war, he said: “But we in Bulgaria are waiting for the news of peace.” Valchev also highlighted the city’s historical contribution to Bulgaria, the role of the Bolhrad Gymnasium and the importance of maintaining ties between Bulgarians in the two countries.
Bulgarian Ambassador to Ukraine Zlatin Krustev said Bulgaria highly valued the Bulgarian community in Ukraine as a natural bridge between the two peoples and stressed the special place of Bolhrad in Bulgarian history. The city, he said, has preserved the qualities of its founders, while more than half of its residents are ethnic Bulgarians or have Bulgarian roots. “All this gives grounds for the city to be regarded as the unofficial capital of the Bulgarians of Bessarabia,” Krustev said, also highlighting the contribution of the Bolhrad Gymnasium to Bulgaria’s political, educational and cultural development.
Consul General Svetoslav Ivanov described Bolhrad as a link to the deep roots of Bulgarian spirituality and the ancestral homeland and congratulated the city’s residents on both the anniversary and Ukraine’s Independence Day. He said the Bulgarian settlers had transformed the city into an important administrative and cultural centre and noted that Bulgaria continued supporting the Bulgarian community in Ukraine through educational initiatives. “The residents of Bolhrad are a bridge of friendship in bilateral relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria,” Ivanov said, expressing gratitude to the local authorities for respecting the rights of the Bulgarian national minority during the war and wishing the community to preserve its national identity and language.
The Regional Centre for Bulgarian Culture in Bolhrad congratulated residents and friends on the city’s 205th anniversary on Tuesday in a Facebook post. “Happy 205th birthday, Bolhrad! With pride and excitement, we celebrate 205 years of the history, traditions and spirit of a remarkable city!” the centre wrote.
Ukrainian City of Bolhrad Marks 205th Anniversary 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-25 19:16:00
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
БЪЛГАРИЯ НОВИНИТЕ – ИНФОРМАЦИОННА АГЕНЦИЯ 2009-2026 2026-08-25 19:16:00