2024-04-25 00:11:06
20 years after his tragic death, officer candidate Dimitar Dimitrov from Gorna Oryahovitsa, who died in Karbala, was awarded posthumously. By special order of the Minister of Defense, he received the Badge for victims of a military conflict, second degree – for dead. The award was presented to Dimitrov’s mother during the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his death, which took place on Tuesday in front of the memorial plaque in the center of the railway town. Apart from Dimitrov, Ivan Dyulgerov, a translator in the Bulgarian military contingent, also received the Badge for casualties, but first degree – for the wounded.
Residents of Gorna Oryahovitsa, the leadership of the Municipality and the military honored the memory of officer candidate Dimitrov. April 23, 2024 marked the 20th anniversary of his death in the line of duty in Karbala, as part of an overseas post-war reconstruction mission for Iraq.
An honor guard from the Vasil Levski National Military University and the Military Brass Band took part in the commemorative ceremony on the occasion of the anniversary. The head of the National Military University, Brigadier General Ivan Malamov, accepted the formation.
The ceremony began with the speech of the mayor of Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality Nikolay Rashkov. “Officer candidate Dimitar Dimitrov died as a hero in the performance of his official duty, in honor and glory of the Bulgarian arms. The loss is a tragedy for the family, but when a Bulgarian soldier dies, it is also a loss for the Motherland,” said the mayor.
Addresses of condolence were sent by the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, and the Commander of the Ground Forces, Major General Deyan Deshkov.
Flowers were presented by the Chairman of the Municipal Council Ognyan Stoyanov, Deputy Regional Governor Valentin Mihailov, military personnel from the Second Infantry Battalion, from the Joint Forces Command, from the Military Division in Gorna Oryahovitsa, the Chairman of the Management Board of the Union of Officers of the “Atlantic” Reserve, as well as many civilians, handed in wreaths on behalf of the Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov and the Chief of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria, Admiral Emil Eftimov.
After the ritual, the film “Our Foreign War” directed by Rosen Elezov was shown in the Youth House – a documentary about the Bulgarian heroes of Karbala.
Officer candidate Dimitar Dimitrov was born on April 25, 1978 in the town of Polski Trumbesh. He studied at the “Georgi Izmirliev” school – Gorna Oryahovitsa. He is a graduate of the Center for the Training of Staff Sergeants in Veliko Tarnovo, majoring in “Communication Troops”. He served in the military unit in Gorna Oryahovitsa as a sapper. In 2004, he went to Karbala as part of the Second Infantry Battalion. He died on April 23, just two days before his 26th birthday. When returning from duty, his group was ambushed and in the ensuing firefight, officer candidate Dimitrov was killed.
The commemorative events were organized by the Union of Reserve Officers “Atlantic” and the Initiative Committee of the 2nd Infantry Battalion, with the support of the Municipality of Gorna Oryahovitsa and the National Military University “Vasil Levski”.