President Iliana Iotova honors the rescuers of Bulgarian Jews

President Iliana Iotova laid a wreath at the Memorial Plaques of the rescuers of Bulgarian Jews near the St. Sophia Church in the capital city. Later, Bulgaria’s head of state will deliver a speech at the Monument of Salvation in the St. Kliment Ohridski Garden.

Wreaths were also laid on behalf of caretaker Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov, and the parliamentary group of BSP–United Left. The ceremony was attended by MPs, representatives of the Jewish community and citizens.

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March 10 is the Day of the Rescue of Bulgarian Jews, the Victims of the Holocaust, and the Crimes against Humanity. On this date in 1943, Deputy Speaker of the 25th National Assembly Dimitar Peshev sent a letter to the Prime Minister, supported by 43 members of parliament, opposing the deportation of Bulgarian Jews. Nearly 50,000 Bulgarian Jews were saved from deportation thanks to the active efforts of Metropolitan Cyril of Plovdiv, Exarch Stefan I, and the wider public, according to BTA.

“Every year on March 10 we come to this monument to bow before the victims of the Holocaust and declare – never again”, Bulgaria’s head of state said at the Monument of Salvation in the St. Kliment Ohridski Garden.

In her speech, she recalled that 83 years ago the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, along with clergy, politicians, public figures, and ordinary people, showed solidarity, compassion, and love for their fellow human beings and prevented about 50,000 Bulgarian Jews from being sent to the death camps.

Iliana Iotova quoted the words of Prof. Michael Bar-Zohar: “Bulgaria showed that a small David can defeat a giant Goliath when it comes to saving lives.”

''Have we overcome hatred and denial? Unfortunately, our conclusion is a bleak one'', President Iotova emphasized, adding that the world is once again torn by hatred, division, and conflicts, and seems not to remember the lessons. According to Iliana Iotova, our great responsibility is to stand up and face hatred wherever it appears.

Edited by Diana Tsankova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov