2024-04-13 23:33:18
The fighter pilot has a vocation – he crosses and takes off, and risks his life in the name of Bulgaria. Unfortunately, this does not always apply to politics. We often witness the exact opposite – that you stake the whole of Bulgaria for your own personal benefit.
This is what President Rumen Radev said in his speech on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the flight of the first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov and the International Day of Aviation and Cosmonautics.
The holiday was celebrated at the Military Club in Sofia and opened with a performance by the Bulgarian folk singer Valya Balkanska, whose recording of “Izlel e Delyu Haydutin” was included in the Golden Plate of the American space probes “Voyager 1” and “Voyager 2.
“I have been appealing for a long time, talking to the committees in the parliament, to the governments, that not urgent, but emergency measures are needed to attract capable people to the army, to keep them on the labor market. I see that a bill is already moving that will increase wages, but this is only the beginning. We are yet to talk about other things,” the president emphasized. Earlier today, MPs from the Parliamentary Committee on Defense introduced changes to the Law on Defense and the Armed Forces, with which the remuneration of servicemen will be equal to the average salary for the country – by the end of 2023 it will be BGN 2123 (the increase is nearly 30%).
Without modern space science, without space technology and space industry, we cannot talk about a modern competitive economy. Aviation and cosmonautics require the commitment of both the state leadership and our entire society if we want Bulgaria to have a dignified future, the head of state said.
“Those of us who keep a memory of that time can certainly confirm what a universal celebration and delight the news of Georgi Ivanov’s flight caused. We were all proud of our hero. We were also surprised because no one expected him, but also surprised by the scale of Bulgarian space science. Ivanov’s flight lifted a curtain that had been hidden – we did not know about the achievements of our scientists and engineers. These people made original devices and instruments that set the standards of space science and technology,” said the commander of Air Force Major General Dimitar Petrov.
“When the second Bulgarian cosmonaut, Alexander Alexandrov, flew, we were confident in the success of Bulgarian space science. It probably seems to you that I am always speaking in the past tense, but I can say quite honestly that we still have a significant place in cosmonautics – we continue to work “, emphasized the commander of the Air Force.
Lieutenant Colonel Krasimir Stoyanov greeted those present at the ceremony on behalf of our first cosmonaut Georgi Dimitrov: “Most of the people in this hall are in love with the blue expanses, where we aviators and flying people feel the best. As it is said in an aviator’s song: ” We like to walk on the ground, but even more to look at it from above.” I know that in the hall there are colleagues with gray hair, with whom we remember the best years of Bulgarian aviation, and these memories will warm me as long as I am on the ground. Let’s believe , that our military aviation will be reborn and take its rightful place.”
“Each space flight is unique. The first one also had special cases. For me, Gagarin is an icon of cosmonautics. Georgi Ivanov’s flight was also extremely difficult. This flight remains Christomatian and is set as an example in the preparation of all cosmonauts. You know he’s quite shy to comment on his flight, but it’s a success. Many skeptics treated it with disdain, but it was an extremely successful flight – to overcome so many obstacles without mishaps leading to tragedy with the crew , this is something incredible,” said Lt. Col. Krasimir Stoyanov.