During his official visit to Croatia, President Rumen Radev performed a deeply symbolic gesture by paying well-deserved tribute to Bulgarian soldiers who died in the final phase of World War II against Nazi occupation.
The ceremony, filled with military honors, was held at the Bulgarian Military Cemetery in Vukovar, where 1,027 Bulgarian officers, sergeants, and soldiers from the First Bulgarian Army are buried. Together with his Croatian hosts, Radev laid a wreath at the monument with the names of fallen Bulgarian servicemen.
This year marks 80 years since the participation of the First Bulgarian Army in the final stage of World War II, which adds additional weight and emotional charge to the ceremony.
Immediately after the commemorative ceremony at the Bulgarian cemetery, the president also visited the Memorial to Fallen Fighters in Croatia's Homeland War, located in close proximity to the Bulgarian monument.
"As President of the Republic of Bulgaria, it was my duty to pay tribute to the memory of fallen Bulgarians and Croatians," the head of state told the media. He emphasized that the memorial reminds us that "there is no good war".
Radev expressed exceptional gratitude to the Croatian side for their care in preserving memory and maintaining the military cemetery. "It is precisely the memory of these events that can help us prevent future wars," the president was resolute.
During the second day of his official visit to Croatia, Rumen Radev held a series of important meetings with state leaders, including President Zoran Milanović, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
During the talks, a wide range of issues related to bilateral relations and regional challenges were discussed. Special emphasis was placed on the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia.
The president underlined that the more Bulgaria clarifies its position, the clearer it becomes that the problem is not bilateral, but caused by the leadership of North Macedonia, which must fulfill European criteria and commitments made in 2022.
The ceremony in Vukovar became a powerful symbolic moment that recalls shared historical memory and sacrifices made in the name of freedom during World War II.