Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

30 years since the historic visit to Bulgaria by Francois Mitterrand

Photo: French embassy in Bulgaria

It is 30 years today since the historic visit to Bulgaria by French President Francois Mitterrand which gave an impetus to the democratic processes in the country.

During his visit in January 1989, President Mitterrand invited 12 Bulgarian dissident intellectuals to breakfast at the French embassy in Sofia, among them the future first democratically elected President of Bulgaria Zhelyu Zhelev. At their meeting they discussed the problems of societal development in Bulgaria, as well as the persecution the opponents of the regime were subjected to. Later, Francois Mitterrand met with Bulgarian students at the St. Kliment Ohridski University in Sofia.

President Mitterrand’s meeting with Bulgarian intellectuals is regarded as a key moment in the overthrowal of the Todor Zhivkov communist regime in Bulgaria, which took place in November of the same year. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Galin Tsokov

2% of teachers in Bulgaria are working pensioners

“You have the challenging but noble mission to mould knowledgeable, competent and highly responsible individuals, but most of all good and honest people, worthy citizens of the country and of the world,” said Education Minister Galin Tsokov in an..

published on 10/5/24 1:21 PM
Deputy PM and Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova

Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova: We expect to meet inflation criteria for accession to Eurozone by December

In December this year the Ministry of Finance will have covered the last of the criteria for accession to the Eurozone – inflation, said caretaker Deputy PM and Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova. Two weeks after fulfilling it, Bulgaria will ask..

published on 10/5/24 10:30 AM

One more group of Bulgarian citizens return from Lebanon

The first group of Bulgarian citizens evacuated from Lebanon with the help of Canada came home last night, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has announced. This took place in close coordination between the Foreign Ministry’s Situation Centre, the..

published on 10/5/24 9:25 AM