SPEECHES AND STATEMENTS

Address by President Rosen Plevneliev at the official inauguration ceremony of the newly-elected President of the Republic of Bulgaria

Alexander Nevsky Square

Honorable Mr President
Honorable Madam President of the National Assembly
Honorable Mr Prime Minister
Honorable Madam Vice President
Honorable Members of the European Commission
Honorable Ministers
Honorable Members of the National Assembly
Your Eminences
Honorable representatives of religious communities
Honorable sirs, Generals, Admirals, officers, NCOs and other ranks
Dear compatriots

There is no Bulgarian whose heart is left unmoved when he passes by the battle flags. Irrespective of the victories and the defeats, the crises and the successes, the rise and fall, their majesty endures and reminds us of our glorious history. The history of a people who founded one of the first states in Europe, a people living at the crossroads of civilizations, a people who are a symbol of multiculturalism and ethnic understanding. It is precisely this history that Paisii Hilendarski wrote 250 years ago, to revive the Bulgarian spirit and consciousness during times that were difficult. It is precisely that history that takes us back more than 100 years, when Jire?ek wrote: “Bulgaria has succeeded in uniting, because everyone, from the Prime Minister to the last cart-driver, gazed in the same direction”. A history of people with strong roots, and when the foundations are strong, the building may begin.

Today we live in peace and we are a member of the dignified and free democratic European family. We want to demonstrate, to prove, that we are a successful nation. To this end, we return to the old Bulgarian virtues – industriousness, honesty, hospitability, patriotism.  Because the past teaches us that we have succeeded only when we stood together, when we had a goal, and when we knew that each on his own could not forge ahead. And so as President I shall unite and not divide, will work according to a vision and will seek agreement on national priorities. Europe has its own 2020 programme, and Bulgaria too will develop its own national development programme towards 2020. This will be shaped with a broad public debate, we shall unite around it and will follow it irrespective of whoever is in power.

A few days ago, from the highest platform, I pledged to be a pragmatic President of a modern Bulgaria. I will work for growth, I will work for employment, I will work for fairness and justice efficiently administered in the interests of citizens, I will work for balanced development of the regions, for an improved business environment, for more investment in education, innovation, for a Bulgaria with modern infrastructure, for the cultural and spiritual development of the nation, for a country with a good name and reputation in this globalized world.

All of you always have supported and always will support Presidents as people, as an institution directly elected by the people, and so I will open my presidency to you all. I urge you all, make use of this, because people set the agenda for the institutions and because citizens have the right to expect politicians to be consistent, to be open and for there to be results on national priorities.

I have no doubt that Bulgaria will develop, the question is how fast we shall achieve our national goals – to an honorable member of Europe, of average wealth, with a developed economy, with good quality education, a country that is a place of honour for its people, where young people stay because they see prospects for development. Let’s build this Bulgaria together!