The official visit of Ms Tsetska Tsacheva, President of the National Assembly, to Japan launched with opening of a bas-relief of Vasil Levski at the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo and meeting with Bulgarian students and Japanese experts in Bulgarian studies.

A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation led by Tsetska Tscaheva is on an official visit to the country of the rising sun at the invitation of the President of the House of Councillors of the Japanese Parliament (Diet), Kenji Hirata.

The bas-relief opened today is a replica of the Apostle’s monument standing in downtown Sofia. The sculpture is a donation by the 41-st National Assembly and ‘Vasil Levski’ Foundation on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the Apostle’s birth.

By opening a memorial of the Apostle of Freedom in the country of the rising sun we cast yet another spiritual bridge of friendship between the peoples of Bulgaria and Japan, pointed out the President of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva. The President of the Bulgarian parliament went on to say that the Bulgarian Embassy in Japan is the first geographic point in Asia where a bas-relief of Vasil Levski is installed. I strongly hope that the ideas and life-deed of Vasil Levski shall give rise to a stronger reverberation and interest to Bulgaria in the ‘country of the rising sun”, Japan, known for its unique combination of millennia old traditions and state of the art scientific and technological achievements, of remarkable economic successes, sense of beauty and utmost courtesy and goodwill of people, the President of the National Assembly underscored in her remarks.

Right here, in Tokyo, the Apostle’s spirit shall rise above in harmony with the towering dimensions of the spiritual values of the Japanese nation – the Samurai’s road of honor, the piety for nature and beauty as well as the uncompromising attitude, self sacrifice and strong will of the Japanese people, pointed out the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Japan, Lyubomir Todorov.

In the words of the Chairman of ‘Vasil Levski’ Foundation Dr. Stoyan Dzhavezov, the struggle and insights of Levski from the 1860s and 1870s in Bulgaria and Europe coincide with the ideals of the Japanese Renaissance. Levski is here not only to display a heroic image but also to link two nations and be a symbol and inspiration for future noble undertakings, went on to say Dr. Dzhavezov.   
 
Tsetska Tsacheva held talks with Bulgarian students in Japan and Japanese experts in Bulgarian studies. The Japanese Ministry of Education allocates on annual basis some 20 full scholarships for Bulgarian students, graduate and post-graduate students in Japan. So far 437 persons have taken advantage of this opportunity.

The Bulgarian delegation includes M.P.s Ekaterina Mihailova, Vice-President of the National Assembly and Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Japan; Krasimir Velchev, Chairman of the GERB Parliamentary Group and Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Japan; Stanislav Ivanov, Member of Parliament of the Parliamentary Group of GERB Political Party and Chairman of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Japan; Boyko Velikov, M.P. from the Parliamentary Group of Coalition for Bulgaria and member of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Japan; Lyutfi Mestan, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Japan; Desislav Chukolov, Deputy Chairman of the parliamentary Group of ATAKA.   

Tomorrow the program of the Bulgarian parliamentarians will continue with meetings and talks at the highest state level. The President of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva will have an audience with the Crown Prince of Japan Naruhito. Later on the same day official plenary talks shall be held between the Bulgarian delegation and the President of the House of Councillors of the Japanese Parliament Kenji Hirata. The Bulgarian M.P.s will be received by the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshikiho Noda.