January 30, 2025, marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev, Bulgaria's first democratically elected President.
In his memory, at 14:30, a memorial service was held at the Patriarchal Cathedral of "St. Alexander Nevsky," led by His Holiness, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, for the repose of his soul.
Zhelev left a lasting mark on the democratic transition of Bulgaria. He was one of the initiators and organisers of the first informal opposition organisations against the totalitarian rule in the late 1980s. Zhelyu Zhelev was the first President elected in direct democratic elections in 1992, with Blaga Dimitrova as Vice President. He served as President until January 1997. As Head of State, Zhelev played a pivotal role in maintaining civil peace in the country during exceptionally difficult and perilous times.
Here is what the Director General of BNT, Emil Koshlukov, shared about Zhelyu Zhelev in the studio of "Denyat zapochva" ("The Day Begins"):
"In order for us to say 'we Bulgarians,' we need to have a common collective national memory, which typically has two aspects—normative, binding, and connecting through the years."
"If there is no past, if a day like today sinks into oblivion, what is the point of tomorrow? What a nation chooses to keep in its memory speaks a lot. And it doesn't necessarily have to be historical memory."
According to him, history is concerned not with duration or connectivity, but with disruptions—when wars occur, when regimes fall. The nation cares about what follows.
"These rituals that we do are the fabric of the nation," Koshlukov noted.
"Attempts to change history are the primary battle of all ideologies. This cultural memory is what makes you Bulgarian; leaders are part of it," he said.
Koshlukov emphasised that Zhelyu Zhelev has his rightful place in history—he was the primary driver of change. Perhaps the best way to describe him is as being "a sincere person." He was truly honest, free of deceit and had no hidden agendas, he pointed out.
"He was a true democrat, always saying: 'Democracy is made by democrats.' He deeply believed in the peaceful transition," he added.
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