President Rumen Radev will award the Honorary Sign of the President to three military personnel, the press secretariat of the head of state announced.
On the eve of the 145th anniversary of the establishment of the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Brigadier Admiral (ret.) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Yordanov will be honored for his significant contribution to the development of the academy and the enhancement of the prestige of the Armed Forces.
Radev will award the Honorary Sign to Rear Admiral (ret.) Dr. Nikolay Nikolov for his significant contribution to the development of the Armed Forces, the enhancement of their prestige, and for demonstrating high professionalism in supporting the activities of the supreme commander-in-chief.
Captain 1st Rank Lachezar Ivanov will also be awarded the Honorary Sign for his significant contribution to the development of the mine countermeasures capabilities of the Navy and for the command qualities demonstrated in commanding the ships of the MCM Black Sea group.
The ceremony, which will take place in the Coat of Arms Hall of "Dondukov" 2, will be attended by cadets from the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy, the press secretariat also points out.
Brigadier Admiral (ret.) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Mladenov Yordanov is a graduate of the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy, majoring in "Marine Communications". In 1970, he began his service in the mine countermeasures ship division - Varna. He teaches at the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy, successively holding positions from head of department to head of the academy. He has been the defense attaché of Bulgaria in London and Washington, and has held the position of director of a directorate in the Ministry of Defense.
Rear Admiral (ret.) Doctor Nikolay Ivanov Nikolov graduated from the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy, majoring in "Navigation for the Navy". He began his service in the patrol ship division – Varna, reaching the position of commander of the division. He has held the positions of deputy chief of staff and chief of staff of the naval base, commander of the light forces brigade and head of operational management in the Navy headquarters. He served as head of the "Strategic Planning" department in the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army. From 2007 to 2012, he was appointed advisor to the supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces on military security. He was the defense attaché of Bulgaria in Great Britain.
Captain 1st Rank Lachezar Ivanov Ivanov graduated from the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy with a degree in "Navigation for the Navy". He began his service as commander of a naval reconnaissance group in the special forces of the Navy. He served in the mine countermeasures ship division – Varna, successively holding positions up to assistant commander of a minesweeper. He was subsequently appointed commander of a minesweeper and commander of a detachment, chief of staff and commander of the mine countermeasures ship division. He participated in the preparation of the Mine Countermeasures Group in the Black Sea as head of the shore staff, and in 2025 as commander of the tactical group.
In November last year, the head of state awarded two military personnel and one general from the reserve with the Honorary Sign of the President for their contribution to national security in peacetime.