At the outset of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Bessarabian Bulgarians across all lands marked their national day with prayers for peace. Nearly four years on, burdened with even greater sorrow, they commemorate that special day scattered across the globe. Some remain in occupied territories, others have lost their livelihoods and been torn from loved ones, and still others fight for their homeland. Among them are the most bereft — those who have lost a cherished family member on the front lines.

This evening in Sofia, the ‘Rodolyubets’ Society will, for yet another year, observe the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians with a concert featuring performers from Ukraine and Moldova, alongside the presentation of an almanac containing works by teachers, students and local historians, reviving the aspirations of their ancestors.

‘On 29 October, the day the Church of the Transfiguration in Bolhrad was consecrated in 1838, we will repeat what I might call a “sacred precedent” for the 27th time,’ says Galin Georgiev, chairman of the cultural and educational society fostering ties with the Bessarabian and Tavrian Bulgarians. ‘In 1938, the descendants of the Bessarabian Bulgarians proposed making 29 October their national day, but the outbreak of the Second World War prevented this from happening. It was only in 1998 that the Rodolyubets Society laid the foundations for this celebration.’

The twelfth consecutive Rodolyubets almanac, to be presented at the Military Club in Sofia, contains essays on the history, culture and language of Bulgarians in Bessarabia. Its opening section details the society’s efforts in these challenging times to create better conditions for welcoming Bessarabian Bulgarians in their ancestral homeland, supporting students under Resolution 103, addressing the shortage of university places, and tackling problems arising from the war. In the occupied territories of Tavria, for example, university entrance exams must be taken in another region or abroad, significantly hindering those who wish to continue their studies in Bulgaria.

‘A special section of the almanac is devoted to the stage adaptation of Konstantin Petkanov’s novel The Settlers, featuring the script by actor and director Vlado Dikov, as well as the songs included in the performance,’ explains Galin Georgiev. ‘For the first time, we have also created a section presenting some of the emblematic poems of Niko Stoyanov, a Bulgarian from the village of Novoivanivka in Bessarabia, in both musical notation and verse.’ He is the author of the famous lines:

He left the Balkans’ loving slopes,
Not seeking ease or softer life.
He left to guard his nation’s soul,
To keep his kin and blood alive.

‘We hope someone will one day sing this cherished hymn of the Bessarabian Bulgarians.’ The almanac also includes a section titled Wounded Words, inspired by the war, which features personal stories of people who fled Ukraine for Bulgaria. Among these stories is the essay My Ukrainians by Tsenka Kucheva, a former teacher at Bolhrad High School who now teaches Bulgarian language courses here and writes about her encounters with Ukrainian people and their lives in Bulgaria.

For 200 years, despite the succession of political regimes — from Tsarist Russia through Romania and the Soviet Union, to today’s independent Ukraine and Moldova — the Bessarabian and Tavrian Bulgarians have preserved their identity, cherished Bulgaria and carried in their hearts a fragment of their ancestral land. ‘Though they speak an archaic dialect, they return to our country and reach out a hand to it,’ notes Galin Georgiev.

‘Many of these people are now in Bulgaria because of the war,’ he continues. ‘Sadly, a number of issues remain unresolved, as some hold Bulgarian citizenship — which prevents them from benefiting from the accommodation programmes available to Ukrainian nationals. Our society has been campaigning to ensure that they enjoy the same rights. They are incredibly hardworking people. For example, Bulgarians from the village of Kubey have rented land near Obzor, where they cultivate gardens and grow all kinds of fruit and vegetables. They are deeply faithful, diligent and devoted people, profoundly connected to the land — that bond is vital to them. Even though they now live in other countries, they still preserve the traditions they once carried from their ancestral homeland.’

According to Galin Georgiev, Bulgaria has a duty to embrace those who carry such valuable demographic and cultural heritage.

‘The Bulgarian state must take care of this group — people who already have a foundation in the language and can quickly adapt to studying and working in Bulgaria, rather than bringing in workers from third countries,’ says Galin Georgiev firmly. ‘We have our own people who could integrate far more easily into Bulgarian society.’

A series of events preceded today’s celebration of the Day of the Bessarabian Bulgarians — among them, a two-day festival held in front of Sofia’s National Palace of Culture, organised by the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, and a conference on The Bulgarians in the Northern Black Sea Region at the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences