Balgarianovinite.com Ireland will work for a prosperous, secure and democratic European Union, Ambassador of Ireland to Bulgaria Catherine Bannon said on Thursday. Bannon symbolically took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Ambassador of Cyprus to Bulgaria Haralambos Kafkarides. The handover took place at a special event of the Varna Summer International Music Festival.
Kafkarides said that the event marked the conclusion of Cyprus’s six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union, noting that, by way of a symbolic gesture, the Presidency would be handed over from Cyprus to Ireland. He added that culture was once again being placed at the forefront of their respective Presidencies and that it was an honour for them to hear, that evening, the soprano Chryso Makariou from Cyprus, who lives and works in Austria.
Bannon stated that she was pleased to attend the event marking Ireland’s assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time in its history. She noted that, over the preceding six months, Cyprus had worked diligently on behalf of the EU Member States, and that Ireland would continue to devote energy and commitment to advancing the excellent work undertaken by Cyprus. This is being done not solely for Ireland, nor solely for Cyprus, but for all citizens of the EU Member States, who share a common interest in a prosperous, secure and democratic future, achievable through sustained effort, Bannon said.
The concert, titled From Cyprus to Ireland, featured the Vratsa Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hristo Pavlov, with soloists Patrick Rafter, an Irish violinist, and Chryso Makariou, a Cypriot soprano.
Festival Artistic Director Mario Hossen said that he is very pleased, as part of the programme of the Varna Summer International Music Festival, to dedicate a concert for the second time to the presidency of the Council of the European Union through the symbolic passing of the baton between two countries that have the responsibility to chair the Council in the same year. The programme is designed to express the hope that in future all EU nations will feel they are part of one large European family.
The concert opened with a suite from Zorba the Greek by Mikis Theodorakis, after which Makariou performed Desdemona’s aria and Ave Maria from Act IV of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Otello. The conductor noted that the scene is set in Cyprus.
Rafter performed The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sospiri for violin and orchestra by Edward Elgar. Makariou sang two songs by Mikis Theodorakis. Rafter also performed popular Irish tunes, one accompanied by harp. The concert ended with Irish Rhapsody by Victor Herbert. Varna Summer Festival Hosts Symbolic European Union Council Presidency Handover from Cyprus to Ireland 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-02 20:59:02 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