Is March 3 a controversial date in Bulgarian history, commented writer Zdravka Evtimova and journalist Svetlozar Zhelev in the studio of “Your Day” on NOVA NEWS.
”March 3 is a responsibility for how we will move forward”, said Evtimova. She emphasized that the liberation of Bulgaria would not have been possible without the Bulgarian Renaissance, without the writing of “Slavonic-Bulgarian History”, without the struggles for church independence, without all the processes in education and enlightenment, and the national liberation movement. She is categorical that the Bulgarians did not wait for freedom. "We not only called for it, but we also gave our blood for it," added Evtimova.
The writer emphasized that March 3 is an important date, since without it the Unification and Independence would not have been possible. But she added that it is important to know that the Bulgarians continued their struggle for the existence and consolidation of their national state.
"We did not become free on March 3, 1878. This is certain. It is clear that the San Stefano Peace Treaty will never enter into force, because Russia had previously signed another treaty with Austria-Hungary that there would be no large state in the Balkans. With the Treaty of Berlin, Russia traded Bulgarian territories for access to the Black Sea. And Bulgaria must give 32 tons of gold to Russia," said Zhelev. He emphasized that the reparations were called "occupational debt, not liberation debt". He added that there were Russian troops in our country even after that. Zhelev believes that the liberation process began on March 3, but it was never completed.