For their exceptional civic courage, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev honored 16-year-old Stiliyan Trendafilov and 17-year-old Tonislav Lekov. Exactly one week ago, the two teenagers joined the efforts on the ground to extinguish a massive fire that broke out above the village of Kosharitsa near Nesebar. Thanks to their timely intervention, the blaze was successfully brought under control, preventing it from reaching nearby houses.

The incident began while the boys were riding their motorbikes in the vicinity of the village and suddenly noticed thick smoke. Without wasting any time, they headed toward the source of the smoke and took off their motorcycle gear to jump into the fight against the flames. Initially, the young men tried to limit the fire's spread using available makeshift tools. As the flames were rapidly advancing toward a nearby forest and buildings, the two took the following measures:

  • Tonislav checked the buildings in the immediate vicinity to ensure that no one was inside. After consulting with local residents, he determined that the houses were uninhabited.
  • Stiliyan and Tonislav found wooden boards, which they used to actively smother the hotspots, thereby limiting the fire's spread.

For the courage they displayed, Stiliyan and Tonislav were personally awarded certificates by Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev. "Every self-respecting society must value civic courage and must show that it values it," he stated.

The Minister emphasized that, amidst the increasing cases of aggression and drug use among adolescents, such positive actions should be highlighted and actively encouraged. "We should be glad that there are still many young people raised in this spirit and with these values, which lead them to such acts of civic courage," Demerdzhiev concluded.