Уважаеми господин президент,

скъпи приятели, много блгодаря за поканата.

За мен е голяма чест и удоволствие.

Ако позволите, I’ll continue in English.

Mr. President,

thank you for this great honour! My wife and I stood recently below the Madara horseman, this wonderful world treasure. As horse lovers, we visited Kabiuk farm close by, re-founded by one of your predecessors with a certain German connection, Alexander Battenberg.

I am very happy to accept this decoration as a recognition for the work of the entire German Embassy team and our Honorary Consuls in Varna and Plovdiv. Excellent, very engaged colleagues whom I had the privilege to lead over the past 3,5 years.

I am also very happy that some close friends from Bulgaria are here – from civil society, public media and business.

And Ambassador Lukas Kaucky, who represents the current Presidency of the European Union.

Why this German-Bulgarian-European mixed group of friends?

Because whatever Germany does in Bulgaria, will only be successful if we do it with Bulgaria. We together in Europe. With officials, and equally important with the citizens of Bulgaria, with Bulgarian society as a whole.

With whom we share ideas and a vision for our European and Euro-Atlantic family, the EU and NATO – with Bulgaria as a most valued family member.

Mr. President, sharing ideas and turning them into action marked our first personal meeting 3,5 years ago. We talked about strengthening hopes of young people. And our economic potential. Within a few weeks, we met again in this house for the first Bulgarian-German start-up event. Gotino !

Thank you and the Bulgarian governments for welcoming the German President, the Chancellor, ministers, members of parliament and representatives from our federal states.

Many thanks to uncountable Bulgarians for all their support and togetherness in helping our citizens and our companies through the Corona crisis.

And thank you, citizens from all over Bulgaria, for being so welcoming, allowing me and my wife into your homes when we travelled through this country, so rich with natural beauty, cultural treasures and heart-warming people.

For allowing me into your minds via many Bulgarian media, university and NGO programmes, discussing what „we together in Europe“ practically means for our daily lives.

And for allowing me even into your hearts via BNR Horizont - playing „pesnije sa svobodata“ – like „vremeto e nashe“.

Mr. President, „svoboda“ seems to me the decisive word today for all of us in Germany, in Bulgaria, in the free world, after the 24th of February, the return of war in Europe, „Zeitenwende“, „fundamentalen obrat“.

The people in Germany, in Bulgaria and our friends share fundamental wishes: freedom, democracy, security, prosperity. Whatever the set-backs, that’s want they want. And that’s what they deserve !

We Germans are convinced that modern Europe and the trans-atlantic family determine the best future for the citizens. For all the hopes I mentioned.

We decide together in the EU. We stand together in NATO.

The new record trade of 10 billion Euros even in this crisis shows our enormous economic potential. Lets build on that.

Lets encourage more young voices from Bulgarian society to discuss where we in Europe want to be in 5, 10, 15 years.

Lets value half a million Bulgarians living, studying and working in Germany. They are skilled assets for Bulgaria and a natural bridge between our countries.

As Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Berlin when meeting Bulgaria and all countries from this geo-strategically important region of Europe:

Only together we will overcome the huge challenges facing our continent and the World.

Mr. President,

during my 3,5 years living in this beautiful country, I met many Bulgarians who share these convictions about our common destiny – we together in Europe. I met many who contribute so much that these convictions take deeper and deeper roots. As Bulgaria progresses together with us, from the bottom of my heart I wish all Bulgarians the best of success on this common journey. Uspech !

Mnogo blagodarja !