Vice President Iotova opens the school year at the oldest Bulgarian school abroad

The school was founded 280 years ago by Bulgarians in Stár Bišnov, Romania

published on 9/8/25 1:45 PM

Photo: BTA

Bulgaria's Vice President Iliana Yotova opened the school year at the oldest school established by Bulgarians abroad - the Theoretical Lyceum "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Stár Bišnov (Dudeştii Vechi) in Romania.

Vice President Iotova will open the school year at the oldest Bulgarian school abroad in Star Bisnov, Romania

The high school's courtyard proved to be crowded for all those wishing to share in the celebration of its 280th anniversary. Iotova was greeted with flowers and cake by children dressed in Bulgarian and Banat Bulgarian costumes. The celebration opened with the anthems of Bulgaria, Romania and the EU, BTA reported.

"Today is a day to pay homage to our ancestors, because their entire life, their existence for 3 centuries shows that there are no challenges of fate, no difficulties that can overcome that secret thing that they carried in their hearts, that they passed on to generations - the love for their homeland, for their language and for their identity. We often ask ourselves how this is achieved and the answer is very simple - education and faith," the Bulgarian Vice President noted, BNR reporter Maria Kostova reported.

Also present at the solemn celebration of the school's 280th anniversary were Petru Topchov, the school's director, the mayor of Star Bišnov Bono Kokalan, and others.

The Bulgarian national minority is officially recognized in Romania and has its own deputy in the parliament - Georgi Nakov, who in his greeting addressed Iliana Iotova: "You said two great words, Mrs. Vice President, - education and faith. I have a fairly long political career - over 20 years, but I have never heard so well summarized how it is possible to preserve ourselves for 300 years, and these are these two exact words".

Later, Iliana Iotova participated as a guest at the ceremonial session of the Municipal Council of Star Bišnov and received the title of "honorary resident".

She met with representatives of the Union of Banat Bulgarians in Romania and visited the Museum of the Bulgarian Minority.

Star Bišnov has a population of just over 3,700 inhabitants, 1,600 of whom are representatives of the Bulgarian ethnic group, professing Catholicism. The local Catholic church "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" has always been a factor of cohesion and comfort in difficult times, locals say. Along with the mother tongue, the church is considered the most important element in preserving the spiritual and ethnic identity of the community.