Inauguration of the Statue of President Ho Chi Minh in Bulgaria

Photo caption — General Secretary To Lam cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in the embassy grounds. Photo: Thong Nhat/TTXVN

Also attending were: Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, the Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Association, Bulgarian friends, Ambassadors, Embassy staff, and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the Balkan region including Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, and the Czech Republic.

In a solemn and moving atmosphere, General Secretary To Lam and Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov jointly performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially placing the statue of President Ho Chi Minh - the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people, national liberation hero, and outstanding cultural figure - in Bulgaria.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet expressed her honor to welcome the General Secretary and his wife, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, to visit and inaugurate the Monument to President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria (1950-2025).

At the ceremony, General Secretary To Lam thanked the State and people of Bulgaria for their continued goodwill towards Vietnam over the past 75 years; he emphasized that this official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria is of great significance, coinciding with the special occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries; and that the two countries have agreed to upgrade their relationship to a Strategic Partnership. This upgrade is of great importance, guiding cooperation and joint efforts to serve the development of both countries, for the people of Vietnam and Bulgaria, and contributing to global peace and development.

The General Secretary clearly stated that the new content of the Vietnam-Bulgaria Strategic Partnership focuses on six main pillars: Continuing to strengthen political relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria, which is the core of the good relationship between the two countries; consolidating the fraternal relationship; increasing visits by high-level delegations; and enhancing cooperation in various aspects. Focusing on socio-economic development, Vietnam and Bulgaria still have great potential for cooperation, especially within the framework of trade agreements between Vietnam and Europe. During this visit alone, more than a dozen cooperation documents and agreements were signed.

Cultural and social cooperation, education and training, people-to-people exchanges, and especially in science and technology—are areas where Bulgaria has strengths—are increasingly strengthened and developed. Many Bulgarian universities continue to award scholarships and offer educational exchange programs for Vietnamese students and researchers. In the future, Vietnamese people in Bulgaria are expected to continue making positive contributions to Bulgaria and serve as a bridge of friendship between the two countries. Vietnam has unilaterally waived visa requirements for Bulgaria to facilitate the entry of experts, scientists, businesspeople, and tourists to Vietnam; continues to expand trade cooperation via sea, rail, and air; strengthens defense and security cooperation, a crucial pillar demonstrating the high level of political trust between the two countries; expands cooperation in labor, opening the market for Vietnamese workers to work in Bulgaria; and cooperates in international forums on issues of mutual interest. Together we contribute to stability, peace, and cooperation in the ASEAN region, the EU, and the world.

Sharing with Bulgarian friends and our compatriots abroad about the situation in Vietnam, the General Secretary emphasized that the Party and State have implemented many new policies for our compatriots abroad, such as those concerning citizenship, identity cards, housing, and travel; and expressed the hope that, in the general atmosphere of national joy, our compatriots abroad will unite, support each other, and always look towards their homeland.

The General Secretary emphasized that the Embassy is not only a representative agency of Vietnam abroad, but also a common home for the Vietnamese community overseas, a reliable address, a support for our compatriots, where they entrust their faith, feelings, and dedication to their homeland.

On this occasion, General Secretary To Lam presented the Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria with a bronze drum painting and gave overseas Vietnamese gifts from their homeland, along with sets of Vietnamese language books for children and Vietnamese language classes in the community. He hoped that these books about the Vietnamese language, culture, and the glorious history and thousand-year traditions of Vietnam and its people would continue to connect generations of overseas Vietnamese with their roots and homeland, serving as a source of inspiration and fostering national pride and love for their country.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/khanh-thanh-tuong-chu-tich-ho-chi-minh-tai-bulgaria-20251025083358355.htm