@Bulgarian Memory Foundation
A Bulgarian and European parliamentary delegation carried out a landmark visit to the Mala Prespa region in Albania, focusing on the situation and long-term prospects of the Bulgarian community there.
The delegation included MEP Andrey Kovachev, MPs Mihail Mihaylov from “Progressive Bulgaria” and Elisaveta Belobradova from “Democratic Bulgaria,” as well as Iliyan Krumov, Cultural Attaché at the Bulgarian Embassy in Albania, and Dr. Milen Vrabevski, chairman of the Bulgarian Memory Foundation. The visit was organized at the initiative of the foundation and presented as the first coordinated mission involving representatives of different political forces in the Bulgarian Parliament, together with an MEP and civil sector representatives, united around support for Bulgarians abroad.
Participants emphasized that, despite domestic political differences, the protection and support of Bulgarian communities outside the country should be treated as a shared national responsibility. The trip was framed as a signal of cross-party cooperation on issues related to national identity and minority rights.
In Mala Prespa, the delegation held discussions with local Bulgarian community representatives active in preserving language, cultural traditions, historical memory, and national identity. The roundtable also included participation from local officials, including Deputy Mayor of Pustec Municipality Yani Nikola, representatives of the Bulgarian-Albanian Friendship Society, academics from universities in Korçe and Tirana, teachers from Bulgarian Sunday schools, students, and other public figures engaged in cultural preservation efforts.
