14 August 2009

They met Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva in the plenary hall of the National Assembly.
Mrs. Tsacheva welcomed the contestants who come from 72 countries. She noticed that the parliament’s site was the token of the Bulgarian statehood and the first stop on their visiting of the cultural and historical landmarks in our country. She said that she was proud to be able to greet in the Bulgarian parliament the best in the world among young talents in the field of informatics and that Bulgaria was playing host of the competition for the second time in its history.
“To me you are the architects of a new future” she said. In her words the new future would be the digital civilization which is already taking shape. “We feel the advantages of the Cyber space and the free communications in our every day life, something which is like a play for you. You are well in advance of your parents who look at what you do as if you are producing an art object “she added.
She told the young visitors that in the foundations of the parliament’s building was built in a text containing a message for the future generations:” This building should serve to perpetuate freedom and equality in Bulgaria for the glory of the people of Bulgaria” she continued. Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva stressed that the first Bulgarian Tarnovo Constitution was one of the most democratic and modern at the time and cited one of its articles stipulating that every slave whatever his/her gender, faith or nationality was is to become free once he/she steps on Bulgarian territory.
She further added that when the talk goes about the democratic principles of the foundation of the state of Bulgaria the inscription on parliament’s facade “Unity makes the strength” is to be given special attention.
Audiovisual materials, presenting the Bulgarian parliament were shown to the children and their group leaders. Mrs. Tsacheva extended greetings to the participants on behalf of PM Boyko Borisov.
The President of the National Assembly, Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva was bestowed with the highest award of the Olympiad.
On her side she handed in all the heads of the countries’ teams with the plaques commemorating the present year anniversary since the foundation of the NA - “130 Years of National Assembly”. All of the contestants in the International Olympiad received the National Assembly’s Badge of Honor as well as a copy of the National Library’s publication entitled: “The Bulgarian Alphabet – a European phenomenon” in memory of their visit .