On June 20, His Excellency Mr. Vasil Grivna, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to the Republic of Bulgaria,

hosted a reception at the embassy in honor of the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, a national holiday of the country. The event was attended by numerous guests, including ministers, politicians, ambassadors, diplomats, public figures, journalists, and friends. Among them were the Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mrs. Iliana Yotova, the Deputy Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, Mr. Tsoncho Ganev, the Minister of Culture, Mr. Nayden Todorov, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Georgi Tahov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Maria Angelieva, and members of the parliamentary friendship group with the Slovak Republic, among others.

His Excellency Mr. Vasil Grivna thanked the guests for their attendance and explained the significance of Saints Cyril and Methodius for the Slovak people and their historical development, their contribution to education and the connection between nations. The ambassador also emphasized that the Bulgarian language has been taught at Comenius University in Bratislava for about 100 years, and the Bulgarian Secondary Comprehensive School "Hristo Botev", which was visited by our Vice President last November on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, also operates in the Slovak capital.

On behalf of Bulgaria, Mrs. Iliana Yotova addressed the guests, highlighting the "special" cultural closeness between the Slovak and Bulgarian people, a connection also fostered through the figures of Saints Cyril and Methodius. She emphasized that "diplomatic relations between the two countries have been developing positively over the past 31 years, since the establishment of the Slovak mission in Sofia." She recalled that six years ago, on the occasion of the 1,185th anniversary of the Moravian Mission, she and her colleagues from the Vice Presidential office undertook a pilgrimage mission, tracing the first steps of the Holy Brothers and their disciples to Bulgaria.

Finally, Iliana Yotova invited the Slovak ambassador and his colleagues to an international forum on the Cyrillic alphabet, which will be held at her initiative on June 27, 2024, at the National Palace of Culture (NDK). The forum will cover topics such as alphabet, language, and identity.

After the official part of the reception, the guests had the opportunity to taste a wide range of traditional Slovak dishes and favorite beverages.

Photos: Embassy of the Slovak Republic in the Republic of Bulgaria.
Top: Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mrs. Iliana Yotova, and His Excellency Mr. Vasil Grivna, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Bulgaria