POLITICIANS, showbiz illuminati, journalists, and a crowd of hundreds turned out in Sofia last Friday night for a mega-concert titled “Bulgaria in Favour”, held to demonstrate widespread support for the country’s NATO bid.
The concert was organised by the four national electronic media – Bulgarian National Radio, Bulgarian National Television, bTV and Darik radio.
They united to promote Bulgaria’s NATO bid with the huge and extremely cheerful event. The concert offered a diverse mix of ethno, rap, rock and jazz.
The world-famous singers of authentic Bulgarian music trio, The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices, and Valya Balkanska performed along of pop bands as D2, BTR, rap duo Rumanetsa & Enchev, TE band and the doyen of Bulgarian music Kiril Marichkov in the Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral square.
One of Bulgaria’s most popular jazz singers Yildiz Ibrahimova, and TV star Slavi Trifonov with his Ku-Ku Band, also featured in the mega event.
The Romanian ethno-formation performed chalga-rhythms as part of the whole formula of the concert 2 Plus 2 meaning that performers from Turkey and Greece are supporting the application countries for NATO accession Romania and Bulgaria. Greek band Mod Plagal and Romanian Fanfar Chukarlia sang shoulder to shoulder with rap performers Rumanetsa & Enchev and BTR.
The grand event was aired live on all four media that organised the project and will be shown tonight again on bTV at 8pm.
After the concert, each of the media co-organisers will follow the country’s path through the pre-accession period and the remaining 55 days left to the Prague Summit, Polia Stancheva, executive director of the National Radio said.
Balloons and 55 white pigeons were launched by Darik radio stations all over the country on the eve of last Friday’s concert.
BTV presenters Ani Salich and Filip Filipov, as well as journalists Tomislav Russev, Krassimir Minev, Bulgarian National Television’s news presenter Radina Chervenova, Toma Sprostranov, actor Stefan Danailov joined other broadcast and print journalists in speaking from the stage in favour of the NATO bid.
Salich said the event was proof of how faith in something could unite people.
Radinova said there was a symbolism in how Pope John Paul II, UK prime minister Tony Blair, former US President Bill Clinton and even the Dalai Lama were supporting Bulgaria’s NATO bid.
“The initiative uniting the four national media in Bulgaria is a giant leap for the country,” Passi said. “This is a unique event in Bulgaria’s 1322-year history”.
Passi expressed his gratitude to the Presidency, Parliament and the Cabinet, as well as all the people who had guided Bulgaria on its way to NATO accession route for the past 12 years.
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg and Sofia Mayor Stefan Sofianski stood side by side on stage the concert in a show of unity about the NATO bid.
At the concert, Minister of Defence Nikolai Svinarov handed National Assembly Speaker Ognian Gerdjikov a symbolic gift a piece of the last SS-23 missiles warhead destroyed with the words: “We translated the Parliament’s declaration into reality”.
“As a NATO member, Bulgaria will be not only a consumer of security, but indeed a provider of security,” President Georgi Purvanov said in a message from Brussels, where he was taking part at the opening of Europalia 2002 festival.
Musician Kiril Marichkov said: “I hope that we will receive an invitation for NATO alliance and that is why I approved of singing for that cause today. I am one of the founders of the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria and the idea Bulgaria being part of the alliance then sounded absurd. I was and still am one of the firm believers in the idea. There are many ways for people to unite and we are showing the world exactly this. I am not sure if this is enough of illustration for the world about our commitment but it definitely is something.”
D2 soloist Dicho opened the concert with their song’s lyrics: “My faith today is trust me faith for two”. Marichkov added: “We are all on stage of different generations and background and have various occupations but are united by the common idea for a NATO accession. We have made our choice and it is to go ahead and get a step forth to European Civilisation”.
Nasko, BTR’s soloist said: “We are already on the way to where you are also heading. Thank you for thinking like we do”.
Elderly people who spoke to The Echo said membership of the pact would secure the country’s security.
In counterpoint to those in favour, a group from the Committee on Non NATO Accession of Bulgaria turned out at the concert.
They waved caricatures of the pact, depicted as a man with three rockets, one between the teeth and two others in both hands.
“This man is threatening us,” said a member of the committee, who declined to give his name. The committee demanded a national referendum about Bulgaria’s membership of the pact.
Stefan Gaitandjiev said the group wanted to distribute a questionnaire to test opinion about the move.
“Membership of NATO’s structures will be an economic burden for the country,” Gaitandjiev said.
Magdalena Ivanova, 16
“I came to hear Slavi Trifonov and Rumanetsa & Enchev.”
Yana Petrova, 23, works in an advertising agency.
“I came here for the party. I am not very attracted by the idea, I don’t like political rallies and I hate this kind of organised support. Someone standing in front of us was saying: ‘Come on everybody, let’s support NATO!’ This reminds me of the old times.”
Stanislav Binev, 26, IT specialist
“I didn’t go to the concert. NATO is the first reason for this and, besides, it was cold.”
Rossen Tuskov, 35, mechanic
“I am strongly In Favour of security and better life as well as social welfare. That is why I am here.”
Stoina Drumeva, 43, secretary
“I am not very acquainted with what exactly will change after being accepted to NATO but I hope it would be for the better.”
Tanya Kostova, 85, pensioner
“I watched it on the television and I didn’t like it - some of the acts were horrible. I don’t care about NATO but it should be good, if they say so.”
An article in the Washington Post, based on statements by unnamed EU and NATO officials, said NATO members had already decided on the seven invitations.
The new enlargement wave would include Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the three Baltic countries.
The decision would be certainly a stabilising factor for the country, including its domestic policy, at least in the short term, the report said.
The opposition UDF has already announced a no confidence vote against the Government should the country not get an invitation.
“Comments that Bulgaria might stumble en route to NATO could not be heard in Brussels,” the country’s newly appointed ambassador to NATO, Emil Vulev, said that noting the delay of the judicial reform and the Bulgartabac tobacco monopoly sale’s complications were unlikely to prevent Bulgaria’s entry.
“Bulgaria will very soon present its annual program that reflects the country’s action plan for NATO membership,” Vulev said.
All Bulgarian diplomats working within the alliance will acquaint the observers with the intensive preparations for membership, he said.
The concert was organised by the four national electronic media – Bulgarian National Radio, Bulgarian National Television, bTV and Darik radio.
They united to promote Bulgaria’s NATO bid with the huge and extremely cheerful event. The concert offered a diverse mix of ethno, rap, rock and jazz.
The world-famous singers of authentic Bulgarian music trio, The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices, and Valya Balkanska performed along of pop bands as D2, BTR, rap duo Rumanetsa & Enchev, TE band and the doyen of Bulgarian music Kiril Marichkov in the Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral square.
One of Bulgaria’s most popular jazz singers Yildiz Ibrahimova, and TV star Slavi Trifonov with his Ku-Ku Band, also featured in the mega event.
The Romanian ethno-formation performed chalga-rhythms as part of the whole formula of the concert 2 Plus 2 meaning that performers from Turkey and Greece are supporting the application countries for NATO accession Romania and Bulgaria. Greek band Mod Plagal and Romanian Fanfar Chukarlia sang shoulder to shoulder with rap performers Rumanetsa & Enchev and BTR.
The grand event was aired live on all four media that organised the project and will be shown tonight again on bTV at 8pm.
The Fourth Estate
Maria Tzankova, Editor-in-Chief of Darik Radio, told The Echo that the initial idea for the large-scale event came from Darik, and its realisation had given her a sense of unity among people.After the concert, each of the media co-organisers will follow the country’s path through the pre-accession period and the remaining 55 days left to the Prague Summit, Polia Stancheva, executive director of the National Radio said.
Balloons and 55 white pigeons were launched by Darik radio stations all over the country on the eve of last Friday’s concert.
BTV presenters Ani Salich and Filip Filipov, as well as journalists Tomislav Russev, Krassimir Minev, Bulgarian National Television’s news presenter Radina Chervenova, Toma Sprostranov, actor Stefan Danailov joined other broadcast and print journalists in speaking from the stage in favour of the NATO bid.
Salich said the event was proof of how faith in something could unite people.
Radinova said there was a symbolism in how Pope John Paul II, UK prime minister Tony Blair, former US President Bill Clinton and even the Dalai Lama were supporting Bulgaria’s NATO bid.
Politicians speak out
The patron of the grand concert, Bulgaria In Favour, Foreign Minister Solomon Passi compared the initiative to Neil Armstrong’s stepping onto the Moon in 1969, which was a leap for mankind.“The initiative uniting the four national media in Bulgaria is a giant leap for the country,” Passi said. “This is a unique event in Bulgaria’s 1322-year history”.
Passi expressed his gratitude to the Presidency, Parliament and the Cabinet, as well as all the people who had guided Bulgaria on its way to NATO accession route for the past 12 years.
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg and Sofia Mayor Stefan Sofianski stood side by side on stage the concert in a show of unity about the NATO bid.
At the concert, Minister of Defence Nikolai Svinarov handed National Assembly Speaker Ognian Gerdjikov a symbolic gift a piece of the last SS-23 missiles warhead destroyed with the words: “We translated the Parliament’s declaration into reality”.
“As a NATO member, Bulgaria will be not only a consumer of security, but indeed a provider of security,” President Georgi Purvanov said in a message from Brussels, where he was taking part at the opening of Europalia 2002 festival.
Showbiz speaks out
“Turkey is already in NATO, I wish Bulgaria is accepted soon,” said jazz star Yildiz Ibrahimova. She performed the famous Bulgarian song “Lale li si, zyumbyul li si” (Are you a tulip or a hyacinth) starting off in Bulgarian but finishing the last verse in Turkish.Musician Kiril Marichkov said: “I hope that we will receive an invitation for NATO alliance and that is why I approved of singing for that cause today. I am one of the founders of the Atlantic Club in Bulgaria and the idea Bulgaria being part of the alliance then sounded absurd. I was and still am one of the firm believers in the idea. There are many ways for people to unite and we are showing the world exactly this. I am not sure if this is enough of illustration for the world about our commitment but it definitely is something.”
D2 soloist Dicho opened the concert with their song’s lyrics: “My faith today is trust me faith for two”. Marichkov added: “We are all on stage of different generations and background and have various occupations but are united by the common idea for a NATO accession. We have made our choice and it is to go ahead and get a step forth to European Civilisation”.
Nasko, BTR’s soloist said: “We are already on the way to where you are also heading. Thank you for thinking like we do”.
Bulgaria’s Voice
Many of the predominantly young people who attended the concert said they were not sure what the NATO alliance was about, but they were glad that Bulgaria was united. Some have come to listen to their favourite singers, others for an autograph from Slavi Trifonov and others just to have fun.Elderly people who spoke to The Echo said membership of the pact would secure the country’s security.
In counterpoint to those in favour, a group from the Committee on Non NATO Accession of Bulgaria turned out at the concert.
They waved caricatures of the pact, depicted as a man with three rockets, one between the teeth and two others in both hands.
“This man is threatening us,” said a member of the committee, who declined to give his name. The committee demanded a national referendum about Bulgaria’s membership of the pact.
Stefan Gaitandjiev said the group wanted to distribute a questionnaire to test opinion about the move.
“Membership of NATO’s structures will be an economic burden for the country,” Gaitandjiev said.
Magdalena Ivanova, 16
“I came to hear Slavi Trifonov and Rumanetsa & Enchev.”
Yana Petrova, 23, works in an advertising agency.
“I came here for the party. I am not very attracted by the idea, I don’t like political rallies and I hate this kind of organised support. Someone standing in front of us was saying: ‘Come on everybody, let’s support NATO!’ This reminds me of the old times.”
Stanislav Binev, 26, IT specialist
“I didn’t go to the concert. NATO is the first reason for this and, besides, it was cold.”
Rossen Tuskov, 35, mechanic
“I am strongly In Favour of security and better life as well as social welfare. That is why I am here.”
Stoina Drumeva, 43, secretary
“I am not very acquainted with what exactly will change after being accepted to NATO but I hope it would be for the better.”
Tanya Kostova, 85, pensioner
“I watched it on the television and I didn’t like it - some of the acts were horrible. I don’t care about NATO but it should be good, if they say so.”
The World and Bulgaria
Foreign media reported at the beginning of the week that NATO reportedly was to approve seven new members in November, including Bulgaria.An article in the Washington Post, based on statements by unnamed EU and NATO officials, said NATO members had already decided on the seven invitations.
The new enlargement wave would include Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the three Baltic countries.
The decision would be certainly a stabilising factor for the country, including its domestic policy, at least in the short term, the report said.
The opposition UDF has already announced a no confidence vote against the Government should the country not get an invitation.
“Comments that Bulgaria might stumble en route to NATO could not be heard in Brussels,” the country’s newly appointed ambassador to NATO, Emil Vulev, said that noting the delay of the judicial reform and the Bulgartabac tobacco monopoly sale’s complications were unlikely to prevent Bulgaria’s entry.
“Bulgaria will very soon present its annual program that reflects the country’s action plan for NATO membership,” Vulev said.
All Bulgarian diplomats working within the alliance will acquaint the observers with the intensive preparations for membership, he said.
