22.09.2023
Speech
Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov
On the occasion of the 115th anniversary of the proclamation of Bulgaria’s Independence
It was on this day 115 years ago that the sublime dream and the sublime goal of the Bulgarian revivalists materialized: King Ferdinand’s Manifesto to the Bulgarian People proclaimed the creation of the independent sovereign Bulgarian state. Over the preceding thirty years, Bulgaria was a subordinate vassal principality of the Ottoman Empire. There followed long and difficult months of diplomatic negotiations and, consequently, next year, in 1909, the Great Powers and Russia recognized the proclaimed independence.
This diplomatic success was preceded and supported by the amazing economic and industrial progress made by the young Bulgarian state. In the period between the Reunification and the Independence Bulgaria was one of the fastest developing countries in Europe and in the world. It is a fact that was duly recognized in both – the impartial economic statistics and the European press.
This instilled self-confidence into the political elite and contributed to the achievement of the important goals to become equal to the other European nations, to be able to sit like them at the negotiating table and to forge by ourselves our destiny. Unfortunately, in subsequent years this self-confidence led to attempts to resolve the Bulgarian national question in a way that brought two national catastrophes.
There are three political lessons from these events that we all should remember. The first lesson is that when the Bulgarians unite around common goals, when they work together, when they want their country to advance economically and industrially, nothing can stop them.
The second lesson is that some of the major foreign economic and political achievements can be made by the methods of diplomacy alone and without a drop of blood being shed and without a single bullet being fired.
The third lesson that has been repeatedly confirmed by the other European countries of the EU is that if we want success rather than rivalry with our neighbors instead of measuring which of us is the better one, we may work together so that we all move forward and help each other.
I hope that all politicians understand today the importance of these lessons for if we want to move forwards, if we want to be successful, if we want not just to repeat but also to build on the success that we had a century ago, we must use them and apply them to the modern world. The success today is based on real lessons from history and not on some pseudo patriotic myths.
We will avail of all the political lessons so that in the coming years Bulgaria may occupy its deserved place on the European map as a sovereign, independent and successful state where we, our children and our grandchildren choose to live because it is the best place to live in.
