The National Day of the Republic of Bulgaria was celebrated in Washington, D.C., with a reception held at the historic Library of Congress
09 March 2026 News
The official program commenced with a vocal performance of the national anthems of the Republic Bulgaria and the United States of America by Mr. Jason Guerrero, a Junior Bachelor of Music at the Catholic University of America.
In her address to the audience, Ms. Stefka Yovcheva, Chargé d’Affaires, outlined Bulgaria’s remarkable transformation from a NATO membership candidate into a trusted ally contributing to transatlantic security. She highlighted the close partnership built with the United States over the past decades and the deepening cooperation in key areas such as security and defense, energy, and law-enforcement. She also emphasized Bulgaria’s efforts to modernize the Bulgarian Armed Forces, as well as the decisive steps taken toward energy diversification and strengthening energy security.
Congressman Joe Wilson noted his long-standing work as Co-Chair of the Bulgaria Caucus in the U.S. Congress. He emphasized the continued strengthening of bilateral relations alongside Bulgaria’s economic growth in recent years. The role of Bulgaria as a key ally in Eastern Europe was also emphasized, including in the context of efforts to strengthen security in the Black Sea region.
Mr. Kevin Covert, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the Department of State, extended his warm wishes to Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people, including in Bulgarian. He noted the 123rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the United States and the successful third session of the Strategic Dialogue held in December 2025.
The official part of the program concluded with a performance of a traditional Bulgarian folk song from the Rhodope region, featuring kaval and vocals, performed by Associate Professor Ivan Hristov, a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at The George Washington University.
In keeping with tradition, the guests were welcomed with traditional martenitsi, handcrafted by students from the Bulgarian Educational and Cultural Center “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Washington.
The event was attended by members of the U.S. Congress, representatives of leading institutions, the diplomatic corps, think tanks, business companies, Jewish organizations, and members of the Bulgarian community. Special guests included the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations, Ambassador Gergana Karadzhova, and the Consul General in New York, Mr. Angel Angelov.
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