In connection with the publication "Rositsa Kirova (GERB) wants to raise fins like the Eiffel Tower near Kyustendil" Mediapool published the right of reply of the investor "Venti Group", which is solely owned by Rositsa Kirova, a GERB MP:
Bulgarian business has been presented more than once as an ecological invader. This keeps us in a vicious circle of stagnation in road construction and the development of green energy. Who benefits from renewable energy business ventures going to the wind?
A wind farm project in Osogovo has caused a stir even before the facts surrounding its construction were clear.
The project for 24 wind turbines in the Osogovo Mountains represents a significant opportunity for the Kyustendil municipality to develop sustainable energy sources while preserving the region's natural resources.
The planned change to the zoning plan affects only 22 decares of over 9,000 decares of land, which represents less than 0.25% of the total area.
Modern technologies and good practices from across Europe show that such projects can exist in harmony with nature and local communities while bringing significant economic and environmental benefits.
The land on which the wind farm is planned to be built has been privately owned for more than 10 years, and during this time access of tourists and nature lovers has never been restricted, which was entirely at the will of the owner.
It is important to note that of the total area of over 9000 acres, more than half are rock formations without vegetation, which means that the project does not affect arable agricultural land.
The project has been developed with particular attention to the protection of the natural environment in the area. Not a single tree is planned to be cut down for the purposes of building the wind farm.
The strength of the wind along the ridge of the Osogovo Mountain naturally determines both the sparse vegetation and the presence of animal species in this area. Visible evidence of this is that even the bushes in this area have fallen down from the constant strong wind.
For the needs of the park, a large-scale reconstruction of the networks of the Electricity System Operator (ESO), to which the park will be connected, will be carried out.
Let us recall that the existing networks in the region left thousands of households without electricity last winter due to their poor condition. In this regard, the investor will finance with its own funds the reconstruction of state facilities worth over 17 million leva, which serve the Kyustendil region.
The direct benefit for the local community from this improvement in infrastructure is undeniable. The wind farm is located kilometers from Kyustendil and other settlements. There is no basis for the claims that the facilities will have a direct impact on the residents of the region. At the same time, there are hundreds of examples of wind farms in the immediate vicinity of densely populated areas in Europe.
The approval for the development of an amendment to the General Development Plan of Kyustendil is only the initial step in a series of studies, consultations, EIA, environmental assessment, public discussions.
A wind farm on a mountain ridge has a different impact than offshore wind turbines, which are placed in marine spaces or on agricultural lands. In the case of the park in Osogovo, the existing ESO networks will be used (after reconstruction) without building new, previously non-existent routes. The only new connection will be the underground connection of the 24 wind generators themselves.
The substation for the park will be built on land that is currently designated for a similar electrical facility. And at the moment there is a substation there that has not been functioning for years.
At the investor's suggestion, the commitments for the activities for the benefit of the municipality and its residents will be included in a memorandum. The memorandum has already been discussed and has specific parameters. A month ago, a meeting was held between the experts working on the project and the municipal councilors. Every question raised was answered there.
Rositsa Kirova bought the land in 2014 from a public national auction, at which over 154,000 acres of land (agricultural, pastures and meadows) were sold. Before becoming a member of the 45th National Assembly, she was engaged in private business for 30 years.
She was repeatedly checked by all institutions until 2018 on all kinds of reports and signals, both for her personally and for the companies she manages. Result - no violations found.
Her brother filed a lawsuit against BYRD for defamation and slander, the decision of which is expected to be issued any moment. The allegations circulated by BYRD have been disputed as false and tarnishing his name, including that of Ms. Kirova.
The activities and actions of Rositsa Kirova as a public figure and politician are undeniable; unlike many politicians, she does not hide behind front persons and has always claimed that she is first a businesswoman, a public figure and finally a participant in the political life of the country.
Regarding the project, she is convinced that regions that rely heavily on wind energy are economically strong and energy independent.
In Denmark, over 50% of electricity comes from wind, in Germany 25 - 30%, in Spain - 20 - 23%. Don't they care about the birds, the vegetation and the soil there?
At the same time, in Bulgaria we are at the bottom with a 2.5-3% share of wind energy in the energy mix.
Do we want to be less dependent on fossil fuels and global price shocks?
The EU Green Deal and national plans require Bulgaria to quickly expand the share of renewable energy sources by 2030. This was also the meaning of the changes to the Renewable Energy Act, which implement the European Directive (EU) 2023/2413 in Bulgarian legislation. Bulgaria needs to catch up in this direction with rapid steps, which means opportunities for growth.
Myth 3: Wind farms endanger birds and wildlife
There are effective measures to reduce bird collisions with wind turbines. Painting the rotor blades black significantly increases their visibility. This leads to a 71.9% reduction in the number of dead birds found around treated turbines. Another method is to temporarily stop wind turbines when birds are observed nearby. This can reduce mortality by 50% while reducing energy production by just 0.07%.
Bulgaria already has successful experience with the construction and operation of a wind farm in a mountainous environment. "Buzludzha - Vetrokom", located on the ridge of the Stara Planina Mountains, east of Buzludzha Peak, includes 20 wind turbines with a total capacity of 50 MW, located at an altitude of about 1490 meters.
Each of the generators is 85 meters high and the rotor diameter is 80 meters. The investor in the project was the Swiss concern "Alpic" through its subsidiary company "Vetrokom" EOOD, with an investment of about 80 million euros. The park was put into operation in 2010 and was subsequently expanded with an additional 9 wind generators, reaching a total capacity of 72.5 MW.
The park generates an average of 135 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, which is a significant contribution to the Bulgarian energy system from renewable sources. It has been operating for more than 14 years without serious negative consequences for the environment. Moreover, the Buzludzha region continues to attract tourists, which shows that wind turbines can coexist in harmony with tourism activities in the area.
The Handalm Wind Farm is supported by a European grant of €11.3 million, with a total investment in the project amounting to €58 million. The park showcases a number of innovative technologies specifically designed for high-altitude conditions, and proves that such projects can be successfully implemented even in difficult terrain.
In Scotland, tourists can mountain bike and hike around an onshore wind farm, while in Denmark they can even climb a wind turbine. In the UK, there is the opportunity to sail right under the blades of a turbine. These examples show that wind farms can become a tourist attraction and contribute to the local economy.
The planned amendment to the development plan affects a minimal part of the territory and, as shown by numerous successful examples from Europe and Bulgaria, can be implemented with minimal impact on the environment and without endangering the national security or defense of the country.
More news from Bulgaria
On the 143rd birth anniversary of foremost Bulgarian painter Vladimir Dimitrov-the Master
an award ceremony will take place at the art gallery in the town of Kyustendil
at which the national prize for painting for 2024 will be awarded
Five prominent artists have been nominated for the award – Bogdan Alexandrov
the name of the award-winner is announced at a ceremony at the gallery in Kyustendil on 1 February
the birthday of Vladimir Dimitrov-the Master
On the same day an exhibition opens in Kyustendil
featuring works by last year’s holder of the national painting award – Dimitar Cholakov from the town of Popovo
who has more than 50 solo exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad to his name
when the prize was established by the Union of Bulgarian Artists
among them emblematic names like Zlatyu Boyadzhiev
During the following years the prize has been awarded to Svilen Blazhev
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova Photos: BTA
A pianist and conductor with a world-class career
Ivan Yanakov has been performing on several continents for decades
He has played as a soloist with prestigious orchestras in famous halls
The Night of Musicals takes place tonight at the Vasil Levski Palace of Culture and Sports in Veliko Tarnovo
The first major ballet event in the festive jubilee programme celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Stara Zagora Opera is the premiere of "Parisian Nights"
english@bnr.bg
Investing in knowledge today means children of tomorrow will grow up prepared and able to lead the community
said Kyustendil Mayor Ognyan Atanasov during a local conference as part of BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project
The conference took place at the BTA National Press Club here on Thursday
He recalled a quote by Bulgarian actor of Serbian origin Djoko Rosic
who has said that it is not borders that are important
because a person must have access to adequate education in order to know who he is and where he is going"
stressing that the town is over 2,000 years old
while the settlement has over 8,000 years of history
He pointed out that even during Ottoman slavery Bulgaria's ancestors have always strived to be educated and develop Bulgaria
Kyustendil Municipal Council declared August 15 an official holiday in Kyustendil
inviting more municipalities to follow this example
as he emphasised that this should be a spiritual holiday for the entire country
“I think we are going in the right direction and I am convinced that one day it will become an official spiritual holiday as it should be,” he said
Atanasov added that renovations of two schools in the town have recently been completed
and the building of the Language High School is currently being renovated
as is the school in the village of Razhavitsa
He pointed out that Kyustendil is one of the first municipalities that has started the implementation of construction and installation activities under the programme for energy renovation of Bulgarian homes
financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan
Kyustendil Municipality also works in sync with neighboring municipalities from the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia
One is extremely important for the emblematic place in the Forest Park Hisarlaka
which combines a lot of history and mysticism as a place and
adding that the Municipality has a ready-made project for cross-border cooperation for the Ezerata eco-park with the Republic of North Macedonia as well
work is being done effectively on many projects with European funding
but those under cross-border cooperation programmes are also important because they bring peoples from the three sides of the border closer together
"I dare to say that at the municipal level
the mayors from the three sides of the border maintain very good contact
and I have always appealed to the authorities at the national level from the three sides of the border to take an example from the municipalities," Atanasov stressed
BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy
and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities
The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024
The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events in the following cities: Blagoevgrad
Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade
The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects
Contacts +359 2 9262 210
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has issued an order prohibiting the use of drinking water for purposes such as irrigation
Violators of this order face fines of up to BGN 5,000
with repeat offenders required to pay the maximum penalty
Recent weeks of high temperatures and drought have significantly reduced the flow of water from sources in Kyustendil and its surrounding region
measures may be implemented to regulate water usage in areas experiencing shortages of drinking water
The decision to potentially introduce water usage regulations will be left to the mayors of affected localities
villages like Sovoliano and particularly Katrishte faced critical water shortages
resulting in prolonged water management restrictions throughout the year
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria
The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria
The weather across Bulgaria on May 1 will begin with sunshine in the morning
followed by an increase in cloud cover during the afternoon
Bulgaria will experience mostly sunny weather
accompanied by a light to moderate east-northeast wind
Bulgaria will experience a chilly morning followed by a sunny and mild day
accompanied by a light to moderate easterly to northeasterly wind
Saturday: The day will start with mostly sunny conditions
but thunderstorms are expected by the afternoon
the weather will be mostly sunny—around and after midday
cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds will develop
Bulgaria and Greece have signed a draft Joint Declaration regarding the use of the Arda River waters over the next five years
following a decision by the Bulgarian Council of Ministers
The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria has repealed legislative changes made two years ago that permitted the installation of photovoltaic (solar) systems on arable agricultural land
Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update
Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase
Gusty winds and small hail are possible on Wednesday
Glow Up For Mother's Day: 15 Beauty Gifts She Will Adore
Best Mother’s Day Flower Delivery Services
Help Control Symptoms With These Air Purifiers
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The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview
Ognyan Atanasov has been the mayor of Kyustendil municipality for a little over half a year now
a municipal councilor and a prominent public figure
During the round table event "Realization of opportunities - Kyustendil"
Economic.bg spoke with Atanasov about the future of his city
whether the energy transition is fair for Kyustendil and how important European funds are for the development of the city
I am above all a project manager and I manage things before they happen
we are trying to design the perfect cherry harvesting
plant protection and other institutions that are engaged in this sector
We want to ensure that the cherry output will be
We are also engaging in a wide-scale campaign with the wholesale buyers of cherries so that they can state their conditions - what sizes of cherries will be bought
how it is planned and above all – we want to make sure that we will not see Greek and Turkish trucks importing cherries on the territory of Kyustendil municipality
We’re also beginning to research the possibility of geographical denomination protection for the Kyustendil cherry
but very often they come from Greece or other countries
I think I started from day one - November 10
the Bulgarian Communist regime began the changes towards democratization of the country)
we have awarded the public tender for the development of a land use plan of the municipal industrial zone of Kyustendil
It is extremely important for us to have an industrial zone in order to have land that we can offer to future investors
Every single investor wants to get a building permit within two months
so that they can choose your city as a destination and build something there
I had a specific inquiry from a German investor who was looking for 30 acres of industrial land and to date we are still unable to offer him that
We also hope to receive funding from the Just Transition Fund
under Integrated Territorial Investments or the Recovery Plan
so that we can get money to build the internal and external infrastructure of the industrial zone
we will also have estimates of how much the grid network would cost
We have already picked a suitable terrain for the industrial zone
5 km from Kyustendil and is a former military shooting range
Its road connection is located 200 m from the international road to Gyueshevo and following the ring road
the loading depot of the train station in Kyustendil
We are currently in talks with a representative of the German company in question so that they can rent a private property with a much smaller area where they can start production
The company is a manufacturer of thermal insulation materials
We are in talks with several other companies that are interested in entering the planned industrial zone if they receive funding from the Just Transition Fund
They can hire the very people who are expected to lose their jobs as a result of the not-so-fair transition
There are companies willing to make an entrance in Kyustendil municipality
It is extremely important to me that the people who are employed receive adequate remuneration
when the "big crisis wave" hit Kyustendil with the closing of the mines
the Bulgarian state did not give any compensation
The miners tried to work in some of the Kyustendil enterprises
but when they saw the low wages offered to them
because they were used to higher remuneration
there will be no problem with the labor force in Kyustendil
we even have a Public Council of Business at the city hall
We have a disagreement with it on one topic – local businesses do not want us to have an industrial zone
but my interest is that citizens receive adequate remuneration
All the companies that complain about the lack of staff simply do not give adequate remuneration
is to turn a defect into an effect - because it can be said that the worst times have already passed us
because in Kyustendil the big crisis wave - a tsunami really - passed 7-8-10 years ago
That big blow led to the start of depopulation of the entire region
This type of crisis that is still about to sweep over other regions happened here without funding aid
The difference is they can meet the trouble in a better position thanks to the grants
which currently does not have a fair policy towards the satellite cities of Sofia
The capital is currently suffocating - there is a shortage of schools
And if the government would direct investors and finances to Pernik
will stay in their hometowns and not leave
I sincerely hope that it will work as long as possible
given that investments are being made in solar parks and gas facilities at the Bobov Dol TPP
The region has an extremely high interest in the continuing operation of the plant
According to the numbers in the Territorial Plans
a total of about 1,000 people will lose their jobs - directly and indirectly
as mayor of the municipality of Kyustendil
is to get adequate funding from the state to attract private companies that want to come and invest in our region
with which we can attract them and as a result they can take over the unemployed workforce
and it is extremely important that we get funding
there will be funding for the project proposal for a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in our hospital
funding for the Regional Historical Museum "Acad
for the façade renovation of the "Dr
Petar Beron" Foreign Languages High School
More than 4,000 participants from 52 masquerade groups from all over the country will take part in the Jamala National Masquerade Festival in Kyustendil on 15 and 16 February
A children's folklore procession will start from Velbazhd Square at 10.30 a.m
The festival is organised by Kyustendil Municipality
the Community Centre "Bratstvo 1869" and Jamala groups from the municipality
Only on the Day of Bravery and Holiday of the Bulgarian Army (May 6)
we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three of perhaps the most interesting machines from our outdoor exhibition
Dozens of enthusiasts and nature lovers will kick off the 44th edition of the Move and Win campaign with a spring hike to Bozhur Hut
The meeting point will be the Vladishki Bridge in Veliko Tarnovo
The third edition of the Samardala Festival will be held on 3 May in the central square of Nova Zagora
is used as a spice and is harvested at the peak of its flowering in May
we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three.
A driver is being investigated for a traffic accident with intentional causing of death
the Kyustendil prosecutor's office announced
has been brought in as a defendant in the case
on a municipal road in the area of the village of Gorna Grashtitsa
violated the traffic rules and thereby intentionally caused the death of 33-year-old K.M.
A scene inspection was conducted in the case and witness statements were collected
The driver was tested for alcohol and narcotics
which established the presence of alcohol in his exhaled breath
A forensic medical examination has been ordered
having been convicted in 2019 for driving a vehicle after consuming alcohol
The act committed by the accused constitutes a serious intentional crime within the meaning of the Criminal Code
for which a penalty of “imprisonment“ for a term of 10 to 20 years is provided
The supervising prosecutor filed a request with the court for a preventive measure “detention in custody“ against D.N
More news from Crimes
Like many other political figures in his country
the Vice President of the Sbranie - Bulgaria's Parliament – had favored Bulgaria's alliance with Germany
and when Yugoslavia was divided between the Axis powers
Bulgaria regained the territories that it had lost in the Balkan war of 1912-3
Peshev's party which was the government majority party enacted anti-Jewish legislation
such as the 1940 Law for the Defense of the Nation
which restricted Jews' participation in the country's economic and social life and imposed a special tax on Jews
In addition Jews were ordered to wear a Jewish star and male Jews were drafted for forced labor
The proposed bill produced mixed reactions
There was a certain support for the anti-Jewish measures
as well as protests by organizations such as the Bulgarian Writers Union and the Physicians Union
as he explained in his post war memoirs: 'I was of the firm conviction that all this was indeed about bringing Bulgaria's policies in line with those of Germany...No one imagined that the measures would become permanent
let alone that they would take the same forms and proportions as those that were being carried out in Germany'
Faced with the complexities of the political situation
Peshev believed that the price the Jews had to pay was justified as it was balanced against what Bulgaria was to gain
In February 1943 the Bulgarian government agreed to deport 20,000 Jewish from Thrace and Macedonia
since there were nowhere near 20,000 Jews in these provinces
it was agreed to make up the difference with 6,000 Jewish from Bulgaria itself
The first such group of Bulgarian Jews was to come from Kyustendil
When rumors about the intended deportations reached Peshev he acted promptly and traveled to Kyustendil
There he met with the assistant chief of police who told him about the planned roundups
He also received delegations of Jews and non-Jews who implored him to intervene
who two years earlier had accepted the anti-Jewish measures as necessary
felt that he had reached a point where acquiescence was no longer an option
Rather than shut his eyes and continue to persuade himself that the alliance with Germany benefited Bulgaria
he confronted the consequences of this pact and decided that it was his responsibility to act
He organized a parliamentary delegation and went to see Petr Gabrovski
Peshev did not satisfy himself with the Minister's assurance
He decided to bring the matter to the parliament
On 17 March he wrote a letter of protest and had 42 parliamentarians sign it
He ignored the Prime Minister's request not to submit the letter
and it was discussed by the majority caucus in its meeting on 23 March 1943
The session turned into a confrontation between Peshev and the Prime Minister
who in order to intimidate the signatories of the petition
insisted on having each one of them stand up and announce their support of the letter
the debate actually focused on the parliamentarians’ loyalty
the party declared its support of the Prime Minister and decided to censure Peshev
On March 30 he was forced to step down as the Parliament's vice president
and his request to be allowed to speak was rejected
but his protest was echoed by other political and clerical voices and the Bulgarian government had to abandon its plans to deport the Jews of Bulgaria
The deportations from Bulgaria were suspended
but while the political negotiations were going on
the Jews of Thrace and Macedonia were being deported by the Bulgarian authorities
The last transport to the death camps left on March 29
Peshev was charged with anti-Semitism and collaboration with the Germans
In 1973 Peshev was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem
The Yad Vashem website had recently undergone a major upgrade
The page you are looking for has apparently been moved
We are therefore redirecting you to what we hope will be a useful landing page
For any questions/clarifications/problems, please contact: webmaster@yadvashem.org.il
The Association of Restaurants in Bulgaria is preparing to block dozens of road junctions and busy intersections in over 30 settlements in protest against the return of the 20% VAT rate on their services
as some have decided that it is not the right time to protest
not all local restaurant associations will take effective action
Representatives of the restaurant sector in Plovdiv will protest on March 19 and 20 at 4:00 p.m
Deputy Chair of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association
protests in Veliko Tarnovo will begin in front of the Mother Bulgaria Monument at 3:30 p.m.
said Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Chair in Veliko Tarnovo Petar Stefanov
a procession will start along Nikola Gabrovski Street
with nearly 2,000 people working in the restaurant and hotel business expected to walk to the Kachitsa Intersection
effectively blocking part of the main Sofia-Varna road for half an hour
About 60 cars with representatives of the Association of Restaurants in Southwestern Bulgaria will set off on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m
member of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Organization
They will be joined in stages by their colleagues from Dupnitsa
Blagoevgrad and the entire Southwest region
Members of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Organization in Haskovo will not participate in the protest
said Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Chair in Haskovo Stoycho Ganashev
The decision was made to support the position of the Association of Restaurants in Bulgaria
with severe unrest around the world and war on the territory of Europe
against the backdrop of the huge tragedy that occurred in North Macedonia with the loss of dozens of young people
there is no point in further inflaming the tension and boycotting in streets and intersections
We decided that we should rather be reasonable and empathetic to the pain of the people," Ganashev commented
"We stand in solidarity with our colleagues from the country
but we will not protest effectively," said Milen Tsonev
He stressed that the higher VAT will lead to many problems in the industry
"Our country is one of the few in the European Union with a high tax rate for tourism and establishments
it is differentiated and they keep it low," Tsonev pointed out.
The VAT rate for restaurant and hotel services was reduced to 9% during the COVID-19 pandemic
It was returned to its pre-COVID rate of 20% in July 2024 for tourist services and in January 2025 for restaurant and catering services
with the Finance Ministry expecting the measure to generate BGN 371.5 million in additional revenues for 2025
The restaurant sector has repeatedly said that the VAT rise will lead to bankruptcies
and will not help achieve the revenue projected in the 2025 State Budget Bill
His mother Efrosina knew over 500 Radomir folk songs
He writes many songs for anniversaries of musicians
Mirela Kostadinova Nikola Atanasov is the author of three symphonies
many pieces and arrangements for mandolin orchestra
he is known as the author of the first Bulgarian symphony
Nicola Atanasov Kitanov is from Kyustendil
Poverty forced Efronsina to become a maid in a village near Kyustendil
she remarried in order to be able to provide for her children more easily
She knew over 500 folk songs from the Radomir region
The future composer completes his high school education in 1901 and enrolls in the Pedagogical School in his hometown
He eagerly awaits his lessons in solfeggio and music history
where his teacher Badev tells him about composers from different eras
he quickly learns everything that his teacher Mahan teaches on the violin and soon becomes the best in the class
In addition to the two teachers Badev and Mahan
the mandolin orchestras in Kyustendil play an important role in his creative biography
often participating in festivals and parties
Their repertoire includes small excerpts from the opera and operetta classics
Nikola Atanasov takes his first steps in composing
The mandolin orchestra creates its first piece
"Student Sigh" - a mazurka for two mandolins and guitar
They are not particularly different from the polkas
and waltzes played by Czech and Bulgarian conductors at that time
recognizes the talent of a few boys from Kyustendil and decides that they must go to Zagreb to continue their musical education
Bulgarian students were studying in Zagreb
often organizing literary and musical programs
There is a conservatory and an opera house there
sells their only possession - a small house - to send her son to study. His friends organize a concert
Atanasov begins to seriously study the violin with Professor Vaclav Hummel
Studying Harmony with Professor Kiril Yunev
and History of Music with Professor Wilko Novak
under whom Atanasov was introduced to the art of counterpoint and musical forms
The future composer lived in poverty in Zagreb
he didn't have enough money to return to Bulgaria
he managed to come back for a short vacation
he wrote several pieces for a mandolin ensemble
With the income from concerts that the orchestra performed in the city garden and Dupnitsa
Atanasov returned to Zagreb to continue his studies
the mandolin orchestra in Kyustendil organized concerts entirely featuring works by Atanasov
few of his works from that time are preserved until today
a theater hall was discovered in his hometown of Kyustendil
and the performance was prepared by a choir and a conductor
who had just finished his third year at the Zagreb Conservatory
someone explained that the newcomer was a student-violinist in Zagreb
Tylbizov apologized and entrusted the entire leadership of the rehearsals to Atanasov
he was forced to look for work in Bulgaria
he was appointed as a teacher in Varna. Together with Alexander Krastev
they become friends and delve into the musical tradition of the seaside capital
He soon replaces the private orchestra and starts playing at Saturday parties
he marries Eva Pancheva Andreeva - a German language teacher at the gymnasium
who is the director of "Bulgarian National Credit"
takes care of all of Atanasov's expenses. In the autumn of 1910
he returns to Zagreb to finish his studies at the conservatory
he finally determines his creative path as a composer - he changes his main instrument from violin to composition
He starts intensive lessons with Professor Robert Fuchik and together they dedicate themselves to musical creativity
Vekoslav Ruzhich and under his leadership composes numerous small instrumental pieces
He takes his first steps in symphonic composition and in less than a year writes three parts of his First Symphony
Nikola Atanasov graduates from the Zagreb Conservatory in the composition class
the student symphony orchestra performs three parts of the First Symphony
neither the Croats nor the Bulgarians have a symphony
but the modest composer remains unnoticed in his homeland
He was discharged from the army as a non-combatant and assigned as an intern at the Stara Zagora Girls' Gymnasium
he spent one year doing an internship with his former teacher Atanas Bozhinov from the Kyustendil Pedagogical School
he became a regular teacher at the girls' gymnasium
Atanas has been teaching in Stara Zagora for ten years
He becomes close with the Czech conductor Heinrich Spusta and with Todor Pandev
Atanas is involved in the city's cultural life
organizing parties and chamber music concerts for violin
he completes the fourth part of the first Bulgarian symphony
some of which are already included in collections
fate brings him to the Pleven Male Gymnasium
golden-haired man who plays Grieg's compositions on his violin as soon as he enters the classroom
He works with individual students on harmony and composition
He also conducts the choir and orchestra at the gymnasium
Among his friends in Pleven are violinists Alexander Kolev and Dimitar Horachek
but the days spent conversing with poet Nikola Rakitin
who is a literature teacher at the same school where Atanasov teaches
the song "Your Image Is Always Before My Eyes" is born
The two creators lead a literature-music circle with the most talented students
and hold discussions on literary topics. One of the students is the future poet Sergei Rumyantsev
he was mobilized in Kyustendil and sent to the 13th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Rila Division
As an assistant conductor of the wind orchestra
he participated in all of the regiment's campaigns and battles
The soldiers playfully called him "Corporal Burlovsky"
performing Sarasate's "Andalusian Romance" and mazurkas by Wieniawski
He was appointed as a singing teacher at the primary school in Demir Hisar and remained there until the end of the war
He writes marches for a brass band and songs
The march dedicated to the heroically killed lieutenant Mitrushev becomes especially popular
the First Bulgarian Symphony is performed for the first time in our country on January 18
1918 by the Guard Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Georgi Atanasov
Here's what Nikola Atanasov says: „On the evening before the performance at the Military Club
the Maestro met me on the stairs and shouted: „Kolyo
where are you going?“ I said: „I was kicked out.“ He took me with him and explained to the duty officer: „Mister Colonel
They are performing his work here - the First Bulgarian Symphony.“ "Then the colonel let me in"
Reviews about the composer and his work appear in Czechia and Denmark
Atanasov returns to Stara Zagora again as a teacher in the male gymnasium
the gymnasium orchestra performs works by Haydn
Mozart and Beethoven. Outside of school
he continues to teach violin lessons and works intensively on his Second Symphony
which in 1922 is presented for the first time by the opera orchestra under the direction of Todor Hadzhiev
where he is appointed at the First Sofia Male Gymnasium
He teaches alongside composer Dragiya Tumanngelov
"Then the colonel let me in". He also becomes a teacher at the First Sofia Male Gymnasium
Atanasov is chosen as the conductor of the Bulgarian Philharmonic
and he leads the orchestra in performances all over the country
and five years later as a professor of music theory
In the capital he finishes his first overture "Hristo Botev"
and in 1931 his second one - "The Moan of the Forest"
Many of his vocal works show the influence of folk creativity. He also creates four of his most popular songs - "Last Night You Were"
He is the author of a singing textbook for the first and second high school classes
He faces two personal tragedies in 1956 and 1958
Then he left his teaching job and spent the rest of his days seeking refuge in music
Critical point for Europe was the decision for full and unconditional support ..
We have reached a point where parties with single-digit results
People from television - the paradise - seem to be finally convinced that ..
The last 2-3 years have shown that we can enter a period of very high inflation ..
Прокуратурата е започнала разследване по случая
В събота семейството на детето потърсило медицинска помощ във Филиала за спешна ..
но настоява за обединение с Молдова и казва: "Русия е най-голямата заплаха за нас като народ"
Лидерът на "Алианс за обединение на румънците" е смятан за тръмпист и ..
MRF - NEW BEGINNING proposes strict requirements and strict control for the use of scooters
България и САЩ държат на нещо много важно - технологичната неутралност при производство на електроенергия
Битовите потребители остават на регулирана цена
Bulgaria is for open dialogue and a stable transatlantic partnership
The main topics on the agenda of the meeting will be security and defense
but I wouldn't enter a trench with our politicians
The state of our army and armed forces cannot be subject to political ..
Russia does not have the military and economic capacity to engage in a real war against the Old Continent
the instilled fear leads to irrational thinking
The hundred days of the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov seem like a real detoxification
Television channels have long become brokers of the Distorted Truth
The page you're looking for does not exist
The 20th edition of the Srebarna Pafta International Folklore Festival is taking place in Kyustendil July 25 to July 28
The festival will be opened with a traditional parade of the participants in the city centre
Moldova and Kazakhstan will participate in the festival
which has been preserving and spreading the folklore traditions of the world for 20 years
The festival is organized by the Pautalia - 2008 community centre and Kyustendil Municipality.
BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party for all constituencies for the June 9 parliamentary elections
The information about the candidates is provided by the respective party/coalition
the candidates themselves and other official sources of information
A total of 31 parties and coalitions have registered for the June 9
according to the Constituency Election Commission
The order follows the sequential numbers on the ballots
as drawn by the Central Election Commission:
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cherries ripen in Bulgaria and everyone knows that the sweetest ones are the cherries from the region of Kyustendil
The Cherry Festival is also held there every year
it is a continuation of the First National Fruit Growing Exhibition held in Kyustendil way back in 1896
cherry growers from all over the country will gather in Kyustendil
as the celebrations will be accompanied by a rich cultural program on the central square of the city
Many tourists are attracted by the market of cherries
Traders and craftsmen from all over the country present their products and guests can participate in competitive games dedicated to cherries
There are about 3 thousand acres of cherry orchards in the region of Kyustendil
About 5,000 tons of fruit are produced but this year the yield is lower because of the heavy rains in the spring
This is also the reason for the high retail price of cherries - between 2.5 and 3.5 euros per kilogram depending on the quality
Fruit growers from the region and the country complain that their costs have greatly risen
"Ammonium nitrate last year was 15 euros and now it costs 65 euros a bag
Herbicides and other products have become 50% more expensive
while inflation also affects harvesting and it is increasingly difficult to find seasonal workers," farmers say
Due to the problems with selling the cherries in recent years
many farmers lost interest in cherries and started selling their orchards
which also thrive in Kyustendil's gardens
agronomists from the Institute of Agriculture in the city expect a decline of the areas with cherry trees
"The cherry harvest this year went well; there was a serious load of fruit on the cherry trees
but there were problems as a result of the heavy rains," Prof
Director of the Institute of Agriculture in Kyustendil says and adds:
"We have not had such a year for a long time
which led to massive cracking of the cherries
This is a very serious problem for farmers
because buyers do not want cracked or damaged cherries
Such cherries cannot be used for direct consumption
There are juice factories in the area that will buy some of the harvested produce
a well-kept orchard yields about 2 tons of cherries per decare
but high-quality produce can currently fall to 500 kg
312 liters of rain per square meter have fallen and we haven’t seen such high amounts for years
These are climatic anomalies that farmers can hardly cope with
There are products containing calcium that are harmless and when the cherries are sprayed they become more resistant to moisture
Selection is aimed at finding varieties that do not crack as much
even the best variety is affected,” Assoc
Professor Krishkova says and points out another problem - the lack of sufficient processing capacity
At least 15 years are needed to create a new variety
This is the main activity of the Institute of Agriculture
The area here is extremely suitable for growing cherries
because there are specific climatic conditions which allow the fruit to accumulate the maximum amount of sugars and this way it gets a very nice taste
Associate Professor Iliana Krishkova says and adds:
but there are no such cherries like those in Kyustendil anywhere else
The local cherry is a domesticated form of wild varieties that existed in the region in the past
The local people started cultivating them and this is how we gradually got to today's cherry
Every year during the Cherry Festival we show at least 100 - 120 varieties of cherries
Visitors have the opportunity to try them and get acquainted with the characteristics of different varieties
thanks to the specialists of the institute who are present at the stand
We participate in the jury evaluating the produce
We measure the cherries and choose the largest
we also give prize for the best arranged stand
The festival is very beautiful and colorful
We expect even more tourists to come this year
as the popularity has increased and whoever came wants to come again and taste the cherries in Kyustendil."
If you are wondering how to recognize the typical cherry from Kyustendil
Associate Professor Krishkova describes it as follows: "It is hard
the stone is easily separated and it has a characteristic ruby red juice when the cherry fruit is broken."
the Czech artist and folklorist Ludvík Kuba travelled to Bulgaria with one goal in mind: to explore the country's rich song heritage
The melodies he collected were published in a separate volume of his Slavic Song.
the feasts of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday are related holidays
From Lazarus Saturday (Lazarovden in Bulgaria)
which is performed on the morning of Palm Sunday
In April and May the visitors of the Strelcha Historical Museum will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the traditions connected with the Easter holiday cycle through the exhibition A Fine Easter
The municipality of Kyustendil published an online map
including paid parking spaces and instructions for their usage
the implementation of the "Blue Zone" was already initiated in the past
after a decision approved by the Municipal Council in 2016 and confirmed in 2022
The parking fee will amount to 1 lev per hour (0.50 euros)
The real-time map displays the number and duration of paid parking spaces
around 20 of these spaces are pre-paid for varying periods—three
Permits have been issued for the paid parking passes
The municipality offers the option to use these parking spaces for official purposes by both private and legal entities
The fee is fixed in the Regulation for Determining and Administering Local Taxes and prices of services within the municipality's territory
“The fee and tariff adhere to the decisions of the Municipal Council
Payments can be made through SMS using the assigned number
as well as in-person to the designated personnel in the area
commonly known as the blue and green zones
Parking in central Plovdiv is set to become significantly more expensive
Residents of Sofia's city center are urging Mayor Vasil Terziev and city council members to create a comprehensive plan to overhaul the capital’s "blue" and "green" parking zones
Sofia's Blue Zone parking area may soon be reclassified as a Red Zone
Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev has expressed support for the introduction of a “red zone” for parking in the city center
The process of introducing euro-based municipal services and tax designations in Bulgaria's Kyustendil region has sparked varying reactions
Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents
with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year
The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11
a trend that has persisted for over 30 years
A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident
it is that ingredient that makes the grape juice to vigorously ferment and become wine
In every drop of juice there are millions of ferments that are bubbling
coming to the surface to manifest themselves
only if they find the conditions to manifest themselves
Every person has a dormant genius inside of him
But if conditions are not right for it to manifest..
If the the grapes in cistern were to freeze
Or if the grape juice is diluted with water
That is why slavery oppresses and poisons people
And that is why the Bulgarian genius has not shown itself much in the past
because it was oppressed,“ – Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora (The Master) once said
as the brilliant master artist is often called
shared his thoughts in a conversation with writer and journalist Mikhail Topalov
Each time we turn to the memory of Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora
we discover something new for us as Bulgarians
The life of every resident here is invariably connected with the Master's works
with the houses and trees painted by the artist
and with the people whose faces are captured on the canvases
Life in Kyustendil is inextricably linked with the gallery
which houses most of Vladimir Dimitrov's masterpieces
"His work is a true blessing for our city and for us - the fifty or so artists here," says Evgeni Serafimov
who feels called to speak about and explore the work of his distinguished predecessor:
"This is a major holiday in Kyustendil - February 1
There is no artist in in this town who does not relate to the Master's work
and each and every one of them speaks with the same affection and admiration that I feel for Vladimir Dimitrov
Every year on the 1st of February the Master is "reborn" among us
then came back here to work and leave to us
which today make up the permanent exhibition of the National Gallery "Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora"
Every year for his birthday the gallery prepares special and memorable events
This year's event is the ceremony of awarding the National Prize for Painting in the name of the Master
This award was re-established a few years ago as the National Award for Best Exhibition by a Contemporary Artist
Its winner also gets the opportunity to arrange a solo exhibition at the Master's Gallery in Kyustendil
So this year we will see a wonderful painting exhibition of the new winner of the award - Atanas Parushev.Many artists
come to the town to celebrate the holiday and to see the exhibition of their colleague
everyone goes to the village of Shishkovtsi to the house and museum of Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora and to pay tribute to the pilgrimage site in the center of the village
It is also a nice occasion to rub shoulders with the best contemporary Bulgarian artists and sculptors who will fill the gallery
and the Master's name is constantly mentioned - so he is among us again
The atmosphere is very solemn and at the same time warm and pleasant - in the Bulgarian way."
Photo credit: Facebook/ Art Gallery "Vladimir Dimitrov-Maystora"
An architectural and cultural monument of national importance
the church of Saint George the Victorious in the town of Kyustendil is located at the foot of the nearby Osogovo Mountain
The study and restoration of the church have taken decades
yet the mysteries surrounding its history remain to this day
It is the oldest medieval temple in the area
If you are travelling in the southwestern part of Bulgaria
No matter how vividly the place can be described in words
nothing can replace the live contact with its ascetic mysterious beauty created by the hands of unknown masters
There are no precise reports of when the church was built
no inscription with the names of the church donors has been preserved
But murals dating back to different centuries have been discovered
which constitute rare monuments of church painting
The most valuable are the images dating to the 11th and 12th centuries
extremely rare in Bulgaria and even in the Balkans
we learn from young historian Yavor Mitov
He tells us more about the indirect sources from which researchers draw information:
"These are publications by scholars in the field of art history
as well as historians who study ancient documents”
the church was built in the late 11th and early 12th century
At that time the lands of Kyustendil and Kolusha (then an independent settlement) were under Byzantine rule
It may be suggested that a local governor made a donation and built the temple
In the Virgino Chrysobull (a decree issued in the 2nd half of the 13th century by Tsar Konstantin Assen to the Monastery of St
George the Fast near Skopje) a mention is made for the first time of a cloister of St
Nicholas in Kolusha next to Velbuzhd (the medieval name of Kyustendil)
one of Bulgaria’s great scholars in this field
believes that the temple at that time was dedicated to St
The iconographers who painted the most valuable layer were really exceptional
They are believed to have arrived from Thessaloniki or from Ohrid
They were found to have used very expensive paints containing impurities of gold
Obviously the donors were quite wealthy people
it is supposed to be the work of Constantinople masters
It is remarkable that such an exquisite church was built in such a remote place."
Later murals are also valuable because they reveal separate epochs in church painting
There are even images dating back to the 11th century
but they are fragmentary and do not provide material for scientific conclusions
The next layer (from the 16th century) has preserved beautiful images of St
The last complete painting of the entire church was made after the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke
The building itself is relatively small in size - 10 metres long
The church is a cross-dome structure of the cross-in-square type
as only several other extremely valuable historical monuments in Bulgaria
"The temple can only be compared to a few churches in Bulgaria that are of this period and have the same architecture," explains Yavor Mitov. “These are the churches in the Zemen Monastery, in the village of Patalenitsa
the recently restored church in the town of Rila (with unique murals from the late 12th century)
The value of the oldest frescoes in the Saint George Church in Kyustendil is often compared to that of those in the Boyana Church in Sofia dating to the same period
But there is a difference in construction
which is more expensive as a technique than the stone one
It is all evidence of really influential donors who were
part of the regal family or of the local provincial Byzantine aristocracy
One hypothesis is that the tomb of the Bulgarian Tsar Mihail III Shishman (1323–1330)
who was killed at the Battle of Velbuzhd on July 28
And in the church yard one can see another building called “The Renaissance School”
We do not need to travel thousands of kilometers to reach holy Christian places and “drink from the miraculous well” of Orthodox faith
Hundreds of churches and monasteries were built on Bulgarian territory with the faith and the hope.
A hard-to-reach fortress rose on a solitary ridge
which was towering above the Asenitsa River
This place built high in the rocks was once sheltering Thracians
It was in the vicinity of one of the Devnya karst springs in the Roman province of Lower Moesia (Moesia inferior) that the Roman Emperor Trajan (98-177 AD) stopped with his army
His sister Marcia sent her maid to fetch water
Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassations ruled Thursday that the trial of the notorious Galevi Brothers is within the authority of the Kyustendil District Court
The three magistrates based their decision on the fact the alleged criminal acts have been executed in the area under the jurisdiction of the Kyustendil Court
The representative of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassations argued that the Kyustendil Court was not competent to try the case and stated considerations of why it should be assigned to the Sofia's City Court
mainly to assure a fair and objective rule
Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassations' rule is final and cannot be appealed
have been investigated over a long period of time for various crimes in the southwest town of Dupnitsa
most notably racketeering and organized crime
the Galevi brothers walked out of jail after both were allowed to run for parliamentary seats and thus receiving immunity from prosecution
They failed to win seats in the new 41st General Assembly
with the prison director at Bobov dol evaluating the conditions under which Dr
Karastoyanov could resume his medical duties
the sight of the Russian flag flying alongside the Bulgarian tricolor and the flag of the European Union outside the Municipality sparked a heated debate and scandal
a young girl missing from Dupnitsa for 16 days
It has been 15 days since 17-year-old Ivana from Dupnitsa went missing
The search for 17-year-old Ivana Georgieva from Dupnitsa has entered its 14th day
with police officers continuing their efforts to locate the missing girl
An 18-year-old girl who had been reported missing in Haskovo has been found dead
A 33-year-old man from the village of Semchinovo
has been taken into custody by the police for physically assaulting a 10-year-old child
A 12-year-old boy from Lukovit has been hospitalized with two broken arms and head injuries after reportedly being assaulted and thrown from a bridge
the director of the Plovdiv Customs Office
was arrested earlier today for allegedly facilitating a new smuggling route for cigarettes
The Sofia Police has launched a targeted operation against drivers of electric scooters and electric motorbikes who engage in reckless behavior in the city's central areas
opened fire with a gas pistol near a kindergarten in Sofia's Lyulin district
The Dimitar Peshev House & Museum in the town of Kyustendil is a monument of culture
in order to be a focal point for the memory of those Bulgarians
who managed to pluck from Hitler’s grip some 50,000 Jews who were to be deported out of Bulgaria
Then Deputy Chair of Parliament Dimitar Peshev was among the people who contributed the most for the saving of the Jews
any visitor of his house learns about the other citizens of Kyustendil
who supported and assisted him for the success of that humane deed
The constant exhibition of authentic objects
pictures and stories tells about the March 1943 events and the forming of the delegation of prominent Kyustendil citizens who took the saving of the Jews as their duty
The anti-Semitic Law on the Nation’s Protection was adopted in 1940 and that parliamentary session was chaired by Dimitar Peshev
or three years later he was contacted by citizens of Kyustendil
They reported on a secret treaty signed with Nazi Germany for the deportation of some 50,000 Jews from Bulgaria to Germany in relation to the so-called Final Solution to the Jewish Question
The Kyustendil delegation involved MP Petar Mikhalev
teacher Vladimir Kurtev and lawyer Ivan Momchilov
Peshev could show no ignorance for the concern of his fellow citizens and on March 17 he wrote a sharp letter of protest against the deportation of the Jews
A few days later he was taken off his parliamentary duty
The fact that the cloakrooms of the institution saw stormy discussions of the Third Reich’s plans was one of the main reasons for the prevention of the deportation process
Author of the museum exhibition and expert on modern Bulgarian history Dr
Angel Jonev says they own two very precious draft letters
He also gives further details on those events:
“Peshev and his supporters never meant the resignation of the government
The honor and dignity of Bulgaria must be kept – that is what the letter reads
not a single Jew from the pre-war territories of the state was taken out in March 1943
That ceased the state machine and it opted for other ways to restrict the rights of the Jews – the ones from Sofia
or about half of their community were displaced across small towns and different villages in the country
the key moment of their saving was the act of Kyustendil’s first men and their authority
Documents of the exhibition testify on both the saved ones and the saviors
The largest part of the Jewish community left Bulgaria at the dawn of the new socialist regime and settled down in Israel
The Bulgarian newcomers there were a significant group in the new state
established mainly by refugees from across Europe
At the same time the Bulgarian Jews were proud to state they were not refugees
but emigrants who left voluntarily their motherland and didn’t escape any serious violence,” Dr
each of their Kyustendil saviors faced unhappy destiny
The so-called activities of the people’s power after 9 September 1944 hit them fiercely in the back
when the state was occupied by the Soviet Union
Despite the doubtless contribution of Dimitar Peshev
regarding the Jewish Question in 1945 the illegal People’s Court sentenced him
deprived him of civil rights and confiscated all of his property
After his release from prison Dimitar Peshev lived in poverty
Angel Jonev tells us more on the documents from the exhibition:
An architectural and cultural monument of national importance
The history of Kyustendil dates back to the Neolithic period
Part of its glory over the centuries is due to the hot thermal mineral springs
even the ancient name of this Bulgarian town situated in Southwest Bulgaria
which in Roman times became an important trade center and balneological resort known in the entire Greko-Roman world as Asklepion
Times, rulers and manners changed and the local people were enriched with spiritual and material values. The historic researches in Kyustendil began in the middle of the 19th century. The first museum collection was arranged at the Pedagogical School in 1897 and a bit later, artifacts and documents of the past were collected at Bratsvo (Brotherhood) community center
Director of the Regional Historical Museum in Kyustendil told Radio Bulgaria details about the different layers of the past of the “eternal town”:
Heir to ancient Pautalia and Medieval Velbazhd
Kyustendil is a town whose history as a settlement has been around for eight millennia
That is why there is a reason to call it the “eternal town”
Many cultural values and monuments which remained from different periods are evidence of the town’s constant development
Some of them can be seen at the archaeological hall Asclepius
The exposition is a wonderful prelude to the story of our town’s history
That is why I advise the guests to start from the exposition
The name of the hall was not chosen by accident
We have indirect historical data that the so-called Asklepion was built in the 2nd and the 3rd centuries at the foot of the holy hill of Hisarlaka
This is an ancient spa complex with a stadium
baths and a temple of the god of medicine Asclepius
there was a large and popular sanctuary of god Asclepius in the same area
You can see votive stones dedicated to Asclepius and other gods of health in the archaeological hall
most archaeological sites in Kyustendil are outdoors such as the Roman Therms
parts of which can be seen in the city center
“This is a big Roman bath which covers and area of over 3,000 square meters and has an extremely interesting heating system called hypocaustum. I also recommend the most valuable monument from the Early Middle Ages – The Church St. George the Victorious
the Despotate of Velbazhd fell under Ottoman rule and Konstantin was the last Christian ruler here
This was the time when out town was called Kyustendil (meaning the land of Konstantin in Turkish)
which is extremely rare monument of Muslim architecture
I would also recommend our guests to visit the Museum of the National Liberation Struggles of the Bulgarians from Kyustendil and Kyustendil Area arranged at the House-Museum Ilyo Voivode
It is also worth immersing into the atmosphere of the Emfiedjieva House
You should be all means visit Hisarlaka Park where you can see the beautiful and fully-restored ancient fortress which was named after the ancient hill.”
"You must have strong faith and pray - then the saint will help you and carry your prayer to God," says Father Georgi Markov of the Church of St
Athanasius the Great in Gorni Lozen near Sofia
He adds that he has often witnessed the miracles of St.
marks 1160 years since the baptism of our Bulgarian people into the Orthodox faith and 1170 years since the creation of the Bulgarian alphabet and Slavic literature
the Varna and Veliki Preslav Bishopric Metropolis.
Bulgaria celebrates 149 years since the April Uprising – an event that led to the liberation of Bulgaria after almost five centuries of Ottoman rule
we must not forget that every participant in the April.
Top beauties will choose the new 52nd Miss Kyustendil Spring on March 17th
at Velbuzhdad Square in the city famous for its mineral water
the former winners of the title will choose their current heiress
And the chosen maiden will bring to life the spring and will symbolize the awakening of nature for a new life
The tradition of choosing the most beautiful girl in town dates back to 1966
The candidates this year are 14 and are aged from 16 to 19 years old
They will be shown in front of the audience and the jury in three rounds – dressed in formal clothing
Hosts of the event will be Stanimir Gamov and Diana Lyubenova
Tita and Steven Achoror will take care of the good mood of everyone with their music
The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of 1500 leva /approximately 750 Euro/
and her two runners will receive BGN 850 /approximately 425 Euro/
All participants will receive from Kyustendil Municipality as a gift and the official outfits and shoes with which they participate in the show
The audience will also be able to choose their favorite girl by voting with Sms
Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life
Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again
In every season and every region of this small country
Walking in the streets of Kyustendil in June is like taking a walk in a cherry orchard
located in the foothills of Mount Osogovo and on the bank of Banshitsa River
where conditions are best suited for growing cherries
and it is the place they are grown in greatest abundance
To bring more attention to Kyustendil cherries – which as all Bulgarians know are the sweets
tastiest and juiciest cherries of all – Kyustendil municipality organize a Cherry Festival
The festival has taken place in the town centre for 15 years
and displays an array of red and white cherry varieties grown in the region
Cherries are a source of genuine pride for the people of Kyustendil
no garden in the town is without at least one cherry tree
Cherry jam made of white cherries is a long-standing local tradition
and the locals say that if they have not made jam in the spring
Cherries are also a feast for the eyes when they are arranged so skillfully
says Dimitrinka Ukalska from the Culture department of Kyustendil municipality
and adds that this year the festival will go on for three days – from the 24th to the 26th of June
“Organizing the cherry festival is a difficult thing precisely because it takes place during cherry-picking season and the people in the town are very busy
It always falls on the last weekend of June when the biggest variety of cherries ripen here
The first fruit-growing exposition was held here in 1896
Everything we do is a token of gratitude – for the fruit the land bears.”
The second day of the festival is the most important day of the event
with all kinds of competitions taking place - for the biggest cherry
for cherry drawings and for the most beautiful veshelo
which is only made in Kyustendil and which is such an attraction for tourists
“You take a pair of cherries connected at the stem and twist them around a stick of wood to make a sort of cluster of cherries,” Dimitrinka Ukalska says
“It weighs over one kilogram and combines different varieties of cherries
the veshelo alsooffers a variety of different flavours
But you have to go to Kyustendil during cherry-picking season to see just how hard-working and generous the people in these parts are
not to mention the natural assets to be found here all the year round
different institutions also take part in the festival
which it is banking on for a promising future
As to the entertainment side of the festival
it is the local chitalishta (community culture clubs) that are most active
The “Cherries in the kitchen” competition is for the true culinary pioneers
with the Kyustendil cherry banitsa being the biggest hit from last year
While on Assumption Day thousands of Orthodox Christians and Catholics flock to church to pray
people in Kyustendil honour Panagia – another name for the Virgin Mary
Panagia is the name given to the ritual raising and breaking of bread
Panagia is a pendant depicting the Virgin Mary
Panagia brings religious and folklore tradition in one
The ritual is performed in churches and chapels bearing the name of the Mother of God
sickles in hand bring in the ears of wheat
Women make loaves the way their grandmothers once did – they start before sunup
use crystal clear water from the well and bake them in their farmhouse ovens
Rituals connected with bread very much resemble the Holy Sacrament – the wheat is thurified and the woman
the embodiment of the mother passes her “knowledge” over to the girls
The ritual of kneading Assumption Day bread will this year be performed in Piperkov Chiflik village
the women will be teaching young girls how to make bread as it was once made
The loaves will be baked in a flat clay baking dish called podnitsa as this has been done since time immemorial and will then be put on display in front of the Assumption church in Kyustendil
It is there that Panagia – the ritual raising of bread will be performed
“The bread baked on feast days is different,” says Lyubliana Nacheva
expert at the Culture and Spiritual Development department at Kyustendil municipality
the things that go into its making are no different – flour
are the semantics people used to imbue bread with
The process of making feast-day bread is connected with spiritual purification
with the prayer the mother says before starting
And it all starts with the blessing of the water
George’s Day and other Christian holidays.”
Kneading the feast-day bread begins with a prayer for good will
it is then decorated with ornaments made of dough depicting different important aspects of life and is then taken to church in gratitude to the Virgin Mary
“Making bread for Assumption Day is typical of Kyustendil
all the more so that the church there bears the name of the Holy Mother of God,” says Lyubliana Nacheva
“On this day people bring their own bread to be thurified at a church service for each family and each individual
As to the cultural forum called Panagia it was created eight years ago
The idea is to show what Christian culture is all about
to demonstrate the authentic way of life and ethnography.”
Kyustendil will gather guests from near and far for a cherry party
The attractive festival will be held from 22nd to 24th June and will include various games
The beginning of the event will be given by an exhibition of students inspired by the work of Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master in the gallery of the same name in Kyustendil
the audience will be greeted with the performances by the singer Irina Florin
From 10 am on June 23 in the garden in front of the Kyustendil municipality you will also be able to see the exhibition of the cherry and cherry bazaar
as well as the exhibition of craftsmen and art workshop for children
The official opening of the festival is at 11 am
Different varieties of cherries are then presented
And the most long-awaited cherry competition will be held
the most attractive “veshalitsa” /typical for the region arrangement of cherries/ and the most beautiful cherry stand
At 12 o’clock the folk festival “Chereshchitsa rod Brodila” starts and at 3 pm the winners of the cherry competitions will be announced
The city’s guests can enjoy the sightseeing in Kyustendil for free
and the gathering point is in front of the Tourist Information Center in the city at 4 pm
The festive concert at Velbuzhd Square will start at 8 pm
The exhibition of cherries will continue on Sunday
From 10.30 am Dragomir Draganov will hold the culinary race “Cherries in the kitchen”
and at 12 o’clock are scheduled games with the sweet fruit
At 1 pm there will be a tourist group headed by the Tourist Information Center in the city to visit for free the fortress Hisarlaka
At 01.30 pm the winners of the culinary race will be announced
I love to travel because of the encounters with diverse people and cultures and the chance to touch other worlds
And this can happen even without leaving the borders of your own country
you can travel thousands of years and dozens of borders without leaving your place
the journey is not only beautiful landscapes and ancient landmarks but also thousands of human stories
most Bulgarians tend to think of mineral baths
located in Southwestern Bulgaria as a spa centre goes back to “socialist” times when holidaymakers thronged here
Back then there were many state-run clinics and departmental recreational facilities in the town that provided workers from all over Bulgaria a healthy holiday at a symbolic cost
In the years of transition however many of these facilities were abandoned and Kyustendil’s standing as a spa resort faded
In recent years however the municipality has been registering an increase in the number of tourists coming here
As it turns out people have been coming to Kyustendil not just for its curative mineral waters
but also for its cultural and environment tourism
The new spa hotels in the town offer excellent facilities with a wide range of health and relaxation programmes
Some of these 5-star hotels are very high-end and welcome the more well-to-do visitors from the country and abroad
The construction of a big municipal spa complex with a hotel that will be working with the National Health Insurance Fund
will be completed by the end of this year
The idea is to bring in guests from the EU in conjunction with the health insurance funds in their own countries – says Stoyan Dertliiski from Kyustendil municipality
so richly endowed by nature goes back thousands of years
Kyustendil is thought to be one of the oldest towns on the territory of what is today Bulgaria
the Thracians came to settle around the mineral springs here
and later attracted by the curative properties of the mineral waters
Their presence is attested to by the well-preserved remains of ancient thermae built on a grand scale
The Romans called the town Pautalia and spread the fame of its wonder-working mineral springs far and wide across the empire
tourists go to see the remains of the ancient baths in the town’s centre
Another one of Kyustendil’s emblems is the Medieval fortress called Velbuzhd on Hissarluka hill which was recently restored
The local administration has staked on cultural tourism with the idea of popularizing the historical heritage of the region
together with the negihbouring municipalities Zemen and Nevestino
a joint itinerary was put in place recently along the Strouma River passing by monasteries
“It is well worth hiking to the Polska Skakavitsa waterfall which is 50 meters high
It is a sight visitors are not likely to ever forget,” Stoyan Dertliiski says
the fresh air and the pristine Osogovo Mountain nearby are the reasons why more and more tourists have been choosing to spend their holidays in Kyustendil
The green mountain rises majestically in the border zone with neighbouring Macedonia; its highest peak
Ruen searing the sky at an altitude of 2,251 meters is on the list of Bulgaria’s 100 national tourist sites
as well as on the list of the 10 highest mountain peaks in the country
More about the ecotourism opportunities offered by Osogovo Mountain from Stoyan Dertliiski:
“It is a mellow mountain and like Vitosha its peaks are rounded
And as its highest peak is on the border with Macedonia
at the end of August each year we organize meetings with people coming from both countries up on the mountain top
The mountain has so much to offer – tourists can go hiking or stay at one of the three cabins run by the local tourist society which offer excellent conditions
The country here is marvelously suited for mountain biking
there are routes leading up to the most picturesque parts of the mountain
Bikes for hire are available at our tourist society
The municipality also has a tourist centre offering information about the local sights as well as accommodation
100,000 to 150,000 tourists come to Kyustendil every year
mostly from neighbouring countries - Greece
who come mostly for the spa and cultural tourism.”
Bulgaria’s Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism)
have officially signed the agreement for Bulgaria to host the 9th Global Conference on Wine Tourism,.
The Mini Bulgaria Park is an unusual place for a tourist tour
spiritual culture and natural landmarks of Bulgaria meet
Gorna Oryahovitsa often remains undeservedly hidden from the eyes of tourists
even though it is only about 10 km away from Bulgaria's old capital
which lies at the foot of the Balkans on the banks of the.
The government has revoked the gold prospecting permit of the Canadian company Gecon for the region of Zlogosh village near Kyustendil and the nearby terrains covering an area of 200 sq
in the municipalities of Treklyano and Kyustendil
The 3-year permit for the prospecting and exploration of gold was issued in 2018
The company was supposed to invest a minimum of 3.2 million euro
the permit has been retracted because of the danger to the environment and pollution of the rivers Dragovishtitsa and Treklyanska
Environmentalists and the local authorities in Kyustendil and the region stated they were pleased with the government’s decision
Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has left for Washington
where he will participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (May 5-7
The forum is organised by the Munich Security Conference
The foundation Unity- Kočani has sent an open letter to key Bulgarian institutions
expressing gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance provided by Bulgaria after the tragedy of the fire at a nightclub in Kočani
The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Greece Georg Georgiev and Giorgos Gerapetritis signed a joint declaration on the use of the waters of the river Arda on 2 May
the BNR reports citing an announcement published by the Greek Foreign Ministry..
people will be able to withdraw money from ATMs only in the new currency
according to the website of the Bulgarian.
helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force will fly at low altitude over Sofia in preparation for a military parade marking the Day.
The Bulgarian student teams that participated in the European Olympiad of Experimental Sciences EOES 2025 in Zagreb have returned with.
For the 51st time in Kyustendil will choose the most beautiful girl in the city in the competition “Maid Kyustendil Spring 2017”
The tradition to choose the most charming girl in the town dates since 1966
To win the competition the girls have to impress the jury in each of the three rounds – with official dresses
The candidates for the title this year are 14 and are aged from 16 to 19 years
The winner of the competition will receive a prize of 1500 leva or approximately 750 euro
her two runners-up – 850 leva /425 euro/
All the girls will receive as a gift the luxurious outfits with which are presented in the competition
as well as albums with professional photos
The audience will also be able to choose their favorite by SMS to short number 1925
indicating the number under which the girl race
The cost of SMS is 1.20 leva with VAT /0,60 euro/
In the festive program will be involved one of the favorite singers of several generations of Bulgarians Silvia Katzarova
With songs will impress also the participants of musical shows Victoria Georgieva and Iskren Tonchev – Iskrata
The event will be hosted by Alexander Kadiev and Petya Dikova
Водещи на събитието са Александър Кадиев и Петя Дикова
This year in Kyustendil again will be held the famous cherry festival
The exhibition – a cherry bazaar and works of sweet fruit – will be opened from 10 a.m
In the garden in front of the Kyustendil municipality
you will be able to see and buy handmade artworks and the youngest will be able to learn the craft
The official opening of the feast is at 11 a.m.
followed by a presentation of cherry varieties and a contest for the largest cherry
The winners of the competitions will also be announced at 3 p.m
The day will end with a gala concert at 7 p.m
On the second day of the festival you can again visit the cherry bazaar
and at 12 o’clock a culinary race with cherries as the main product will be held
The jury will be the famous Bulgarian chef Ivan Zvezdev
The best masters in the kitchen will be announced at 3 p.m
If you decide to take part in the festival
do not miss the cherry to take advantage of the healing qualities of the mineral water in Kyustendil
Water is suitable for the treatment of respiratory
as well as diseases of the peripheral nervous system
The organizers of the traditional cherry festival
which is held in the town of Kyustendil (Western Bulgaria) known for the abundance of cherry orchards
hope for a cheerful and uplifted mood and many guests
clubs and even kindergartens take part in the Cherry Festival
There are also prizes - for the biggest cherry
If you are looking for a destination for a pleasant walk in the heart of the mountain
you can choose the Lakatitsa section of the Rila Mountain
We suggest you start from the village of Govedartsi near Samokov
the village of Dobarsko attracts tourists from all corners of the country year-round
A legend has it that some of the first settlers in the area of today's village were the blinded soldiers of Tsar Samuel
The 31 st edition of the international mummer festival Surva has asserted its standing as the biggest masquerade festival in Europe
There were more than 12,000 participants in the festival this year
© Photo: provided by the organizers of the project
The season of cherries in the region of Kyustendil has already started
This Bulgarian region has gained reputation as the cherry orchard of this country
The harvest campaign is expected to continue until mid-July
There are hundreds of people working in the orchards and the campaign is guarded around the clock by the police
In the region of Kyustendil there are more than 60 points where harvest is purchased
In the nearby towns of Dupnitsa and Bobovdol and the surrounding area
This year's quantity is said to be average and below average
the early varieties froze and the others would not provide high yields
Estimated purchase price per kilogram of picked cherries is 40 euro cents
The cherry orchards in the Kyustendil region cover a total area of about 20,000 decares and about 5,000-6,000 tons of fruit are harvested seasonally
Municipal councilor and head of an agricultural cooperative
Valeri Yovev has told us more about this year’s cherry season:
There were frosts and there has been a decline in number of bee colonies
when you entered a blossoming cherry orchard
you would hear the buzzing of bees but now there is silence."
who can be found in his 200-decare cherry orchard around the clock
also describes the situation as a difficult one:
At the backdrop of these low purchase prices we are gradually starting to give up on cherry growing
although the cherries in Kyustendil region are of the best quality in the country
Every year producers suspect there is presence of a cartel in the purchase and sale campaign of Kyustendil cherries:
"The cartel has existed for a long time but no measures are taken by the state
This could destroy fruit growing in the coming years,” Kiril Dimitrov tells a BNR reporter and adds that Italian companies buy the produce at low prices
Cherry growers also face the problem of workforce shortage:
"Many pickers have found work abroad and those who have stayed want higher remuneration
If we pay 25 cents for labor and the Italian buyer gives us 30 cents per kilo
Last year I left 30 tons of cherries unharvested and this year the situation would probably be the same.”
The Covid pandemic and the fact that it is difficult to travel is also a problem
He is the head of a cooperative and in previous years he used to export his produce
I transported the cherries to Sofia where they bought cherries from all over the country and every Friday a truck left for Limassol
Cherry growing can be profitable even in times of low harvest and at these low prices
mayor of one of the villages near Kyustendil
People in the region need to have some incomes."
The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has again reduced the key interest rate in the country
This is the eighth consecutive month of a decrease in.
An analysis by the Ministry of Economy and Industry shows that in 2024
Bulgaria's trade with the United States accounted for 1.7% of the country’s total trade volume
making up 2.6% of total exports and imports from the U.S..
Around 4 billion euros in debt have been raised from international markets through two bond issues
The amount was raised through issues of 9-year and 13-year bonds – marking the country’s first entry into the.
Each year the town of Kyustendil hosts at the end of June the so-called Cherry Festival
This is the region where the best-quality cherries are produced and people are impatient to see well-ripen cherries
as they are regarded as heralds of summer and the gate that leads to fertility in the whole Kyustendil region
Fruit-growing in Kyustendil district has always been a top priority
That is why this region is also known as Bulgaria’s fruit garden
The first national fruit-growing exhibition was launched there in the remote 1896
This year’s Cherry Festival is to be held in the last weekend of June
Kyustendil Mayor Petar Paunov talked to Radio Bulgaria
“The official opening will be held together with our colleagues from Sofia
because this year’s edition of the festival is in support of the Sofia candidature and the Southwestern region to become European Capital of Culture in 2019
This is followed by a presentation of over 80 sorts of cherries by our partners from the Agrarian Institute
Our folklore festival named Chereshchitsa Rod Rodila also takes place at the same time where over 25 local folklore groups perform on stage
The event this year is to be held in partnership with Pautalia festival to the attendance of over 2,500 guests from Bulgaria
We start with the contests for most beautiful cherry stand and biggest cherry
We end the evening with the traditional closing concert which will be hopefully at a very high level.”
Experts invented a rocket fuel from cherry pits to the assistance of the local community center
“I suppose that there will be many surprises
mainly regarding the new cherry varieties and some interesting handmade items created by each community center.”
How traditional festivals organized by Kyustendil Municipality contribute to the development of the town as a tourist destination
“These events are undoubtedly a huge benefit to the town and I am happy that the restored Cherry Festival turned into one of our most-successful undertakings
because we expect guests from over eighty countries
Our cultural program is exceptionally interesting
The investments we have been making in culture and education over the past five years or so has started to pay off.”
Can we expect some new tourist destinations in Kyustendil any time soon
“Currently we are working on the projects for the new 2014-2020 programming period
The public procurement order procedures regarding the restoration of the Hisarlaka and Lapidarium fortresses are also under way
The latter could turn into a wonderful tourist attraction
facilities for movies and theatre plays within the frameworks of the initiative for European Capital of Culture
A 600 year-old Turkish bath will be turned into an exhibition room.”
preserved traditions and love in your birthplace create a special atmosphere of this delicious festival in Kyustendil region
Wishing you millions of smiles and good yields
we promise to take you back to this region again this autumn to the Fertility Festival
It is claimed that every minute the number of plastic bags used in the world increases by one million
Besides being non-degradable landfills become whole mountains because of them
these inventions of the XX century are spread by wind across the planet decorating the landscape with colorful spots
it is assumed that annually 1 billion of these practical but environmentally harmful products are used
The Bulgarian town of Kyustendil gives a good example
It has introduced a fee for the use of plastic bags in shops since early 2009
The successful experiments encouraged the Ministry of Environment to introduce the same measure nationwide some three years later
there was tension among shop owners as they were not sure how to find a suitable alternative packaging,” Kyustendil Mayor Peter Paunov told Radio Bulgaria
“But when we organized meetings between local merchants and manufacturers of packaging paper and degradable bags
they realized that these products satisfy all their requirements
I express great gratitude to the food chains in our town because they introduced the new bags before our deadline
This green thinking came from the ranks of civic society organizations
As municipal leadership we just were pragmatic enough to try the idea.”
We ask shop owners to sign a declaration if they are to use plastic bags or not
If they use environmentally friendly packaging taxes to the municipality are lower
The number of shops that gave up using plastic bags has been growing each year
Kyustendil was also a pioneer in introducing a complete ban on smoking in public places
The restriction came into force on 1 June 2012
“Initially the order was very well received
some of the restaurant owners began to complain about the smoking ban
They appealed in court and the restrictions were lifted
Then we turned to the Supreme Administrative Court
And then we started a serious dialogue with shop owners and owners of restaurants and I can say that over 90% of them have already agreed to observe the ban
We have seen how in our European neighbors and the United States similar bans have been introduced long ago and no longer even discussed
the situation is a bit different and arguments continue.”
Kyustendil is blessed by nature with an extremely valuable resource – the town emerged near a number of mineral water springs
In V-IV century BC they attracted the attention of the Thracians
After them the Romans turned it into an important commercial center and spa resort called Pautalia
today's Kyustendil became one of the leading spas of Bulgaria
But in the years of high economic and social turmoil following the fall of the Berlin Wall
the city and its spa centers were negatively affected
Now Kyustendil aims to continue developing medical balneology and over 3 million euro will be invested into a new treatment center
“The municipality has invested in a large wellness center
each of more than five thousand square meters” the mayor says
- There experts will offer over 70 different treatment procedures associated with mineral water
which for two decades has not been used as it should be
We should remember that by the end of the 80s Kyustendil used to be among the 50 best spa destinations in Europe.”
Another environmental issue that Kyustendil aims to solve is related to separate garbage collection
“Our first steps in this sphere were very difficult as it is in the whole of Bulgaria
That is why we are trying to introduce garbage separation which will be done in a special facility
We aim at depositing not more than 20% of the current garbage in landfills by 2014
All the rest will be recycled or treated in some way
We have to do this as sanctions are also big.” The Mayor says in conclusion