Statement on the Occasion of Bulgaria's National Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
March 2, 2015
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Bulgaria on your National
Day.
I visited Sofia in January, where I saw firsthand the impressive progress your nation has made since independence and
the coming of demokratsiya more than two decades ago. I walked your famous yellow brick roads and marveled at the
frescoes of St. George Church. It was along those same yellow bricks that Bulgarians held candle light vigils, sang the
same protest ballads as Americans did in the 1960s, and peacefully brought an end to communism at the base of Vitosha
Mountain.
In Sofia, I also met with President Plevneliev, Prime Minister Borissov, and Foreign Minister Mitov. Our nations have
stood shoulder to shoulder as allies for more than a decade. America’s Article V NATO commitment to Bulgaria is rock
solid. We deeply appreciate the sacrifices your soldiers have made to promote global stability and to enable the
citizens of the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq to live in peace and security.
The United States looks forward to continuing to deepen our partnership through our strategic dialogue on security and
defense, energy security and diversification, rule of law, educational exchanges, cultural preservation and
people-to-people ties.
ENDS