
Dimitar Nikolov: Happy Liberation Day, citizens of Burgas
"Dear fellow citizens,
I heartily congratulate you on the occasion of the Day of the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke. On the third of March, the foundations of the modern Bulgarian state were laid. It is a long-awaited ideal of the Bulgarian people, who have been fighting for its resurrection on the map of Europe for five centuries. This date should always be a cause for pride for every Bulgarian because the Liberation of our people did not come for free. It is signed with the blood of thousands of known and unknown revolutionaries who gave their lives in the name of Bulgaria. The liberation is also the result of the persistent enlightenment and spiritual activity of our national revivalists, who with their words kept the Bulgarian spirit awake during the centuries of oppression. Today we pay tribute to our liberators who shed their blood during the Russo - Turkish War of 1877-1878. We pay homage to the self-sacrifice and work of all Bulgarian revolutionaries, educators, and clergy who worked for the cause of Free Bulgaria. Their work will never be forgotten. Liberation is among those pages of our history that unequivocally show that Bulgarians are a people with dignity, a strong spirit, and rich traditions. It obliges us to keep our memory and to work tirelessly for the good of Bulgaria.
Happy holiday, citizens of Burgas! ”