Blagoevgrad Marks 154 Years Since the Birth of Revolutionary Gotse Delchev

Blagoevgrad has marked the 154th anniversary of the birth of the revolutionary Gotse Delchev. The ceremony took place on February 4 in Macedonia Square, in front of the monument to the prominent leader and ideologue of the Bulgarian Macedonian–Adrianople Revolutionary Committees.

In a sign of respect and gratitude for Delchev’s legacy, flowers were laid by Blagoevgrad Mayor Metodi Baykushev, District Governor Georgi Dinev, Municipal Council Chair Antoaneta Bogdanova, members of the armed forces, representatives of educational and cultural institutions, political parties, public figures and local residents.

Gotse Delchev was born in the town of Kukush in 1872. Through his efforts, the Internal Macedonian–Adrianople Revolutionary Organisation established its own guerrilla units (chetas), attracted capable commanders to its ranks and expanded its activities in the Adrianople region of Thrace. He was killed in battle in 1903 near the village of Banitsa.

Blagoevgrad is closely linked to Delchev’s legacy. A memorial to the Delchev family has been erected in the courtyard of the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, where the remains of his relatives are laid to rest.