site.btaUPDATED New Building of Bulgarian Cultural and Information Centre in Skopje Unveiled

The new building of the Bulgarian Cultural and Information Centre (BCIC) in Skopje was officially unveiled on the Day of St Kliment Ohridski, November 25. Attending were many local and Bulgarian media under heavy police presence. 

BCIC Director Antonia Veleva said in her address that the representatives of the two countries in attendance were there to show that culture is important for the two societies and is that sector of the bilateral relations that brings them closer together. She specified that the BCIC's new space in downtown Skopje gives opportunities for presenting artists from Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia with the ambition for closer cooperation and commitment to more joint events.

Veleva presented the idea for a joint project between the BCIC and the Republic of North Macedonia's cultural and information centre in Sofia related to the presentation of young musicians from the two countries. The project could be implemented by this year's end.

Bulgarian caretaker Culture Minister Velislav Minekov said that the BCIC, which is one of the 11 cultural institutes representing the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture abroad, has existed in Skopje for nearly 20 years and finally gets its deserved place in the city centre, just like North Macedonia's cultural centre is in the heart of Sofia. In his words, Bulgaria attaches primary importance to the development of its cooperation with the Republic of North Macedonia and the Western Balkan countries. The renewed programme for cooperation in culture between Sofia and Skopje for the 2022-2025 period and the need established by the two countries for creating preconditions for strengthening the partnership between representatives of the cultural circles, has led to the allocation of resources for joint cultural projects to be presented both in North Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Minekov went on to say that he and North Macedonia's Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska Stojcevska attended the opening to reconfirm that culture is "that bridge through which we all have the opportunity to become even closer, to direct our gaze and hope for a common future - a future when we will be together, closer than before, having learned our lessons and ready to work together, side by side, to affirm our common goals for strengthening the place of culture in our societies". 

Bisera Kostadinovska Stojcevska called for the doors for culture to be opened wide in the name of friendship. She expressed the hope that the BCIC's new space in Skopje will generate new energy in the bilateral cultural relations and light the spark of passion for cultural creativity as a space for cultural competition where culture will be the winner.

The attendees of the ribbon-cutting ceremony heard a congratulatory address by Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova to the BCIC Director. "Our country is sincere in its wish to support the European integration of the Republic of North Macedonia even when our gestures are met with jealousy and when hate speech is used against Bulgarians," Iotova's address read. Cultural diplomacy and information are the most honest path towards overcoming Balkan prejudice. By strengthening the BCIC in Skopje Bulgaria yet again confirms its goodneighbourly relations, the address read further.

On behalf of the Macedonian Scientific Institute, journalists Kostadin Filipov presented the BCIC with an icon of St Kliment Ohridski and the Institute's honorary sign for development of Bulgarian culture. 

Bulgarian Ambassador in Skopje Angel Angelov read a congratulatory address by caretaker Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev. The opening of the BCIC's new building is a significant occasion for pride and satisfaction. It affirms Bulgarian traditions and is a centre for artistic works related to Bulgaria, the address read.

Ambassador Angelov recalled that Kliment Ohridski is one of the historical figures in the two countries' common history for which in 2019 the joint historical commission reached an agreement for joint marking. The Bulgarian diplomats in the Republic of North Macedonia are working to preserve and development the bridges between the two countries, and the BCIC is a European bridge.

The ceremony was also attended by EU Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia David Geer, Bulgarian National Assembly Deputy Chairs Nadezhda Semerdzhieva and Tsoncho Ganev, representatives of the Foreign Ministry and the joint historical commission, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, former and current Bulgarian MPs, representatives of Bulgarian and Macedonian cultural and public organizations and of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia, Bulgarian and Macedonian artists, and many guests.