The event was held in the center of Sofia with the participation of an honor guard and a military band at the Monument to the Medical Officers Killed in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. According to academician Hristo Grigorov, president of the Bulgarian branch of the International Red Cross, at the ceremony the Bulgarians paid tribute to the memory of 531 doctors, paramedics and nurses who died during the liberation of Bulgaria.
Priests of the Bulgarian and Russian Orthodox churches offered a memorial service for the fallen doctors.
Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova told reporters that the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878 was the only one in Russian history that received such wide public support that it influenced Tsar Alexander II’s decision to support the national liberation uprising that broke out. in Bulgaria, which was harshly suppressed by the forces of the Ottoman Empire.
Bulgarian Vice President Iliiana Yotova, who was present at the ceremony, said that although there were ups and downs in the country’s history, the Bulgarian people continue to move forward through their resistance and develop an independent republic for 145 years. At the same time, she pointed out that there may be no progress if Bulgarians black out the past and listen to the voices of people who use history for political purposes.
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The day of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke is celebrated in Bulgaria on March 3, the day of the signing of the San Stefano peace treaty. Traditionally, the celebrations include the laying of wreaths at the Freedom Monument, located on the famous Shipka Pass, as well as a solemn service at the monument to the Liberator Tsar in the Bulgarian capital.
