Ilinden

VRANJE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic welcomed North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova at the Prohor Pcinjski monastery near Vranje, southern Serbia, noting that her visit was an excellent opportunity to strengthen a partnership and affirm the values shared by Serbia and North Macedonia with a view to progress and development across the region.

Ilinden, celebrated on August 2 according to the old calendar, honors the Holy Prophet Elijah. Recognized by Christians as one of the greatest biblical prophets, Elijah is also considered one of the two most significant figures of the Old Testament, alongside Moses.

Today, due to high summer temperatures, the Metropolitan Municipality of Sofia will distribute free mineral water to citizens, as announced by the municipal administration.

Despite the recent agreement reached between the government and major farming organizations, two farmers' associations are persisting with their protest actions. Today, they plan to block the Ilinden-Exochi border crossing in a display of ongoing discontent.

VRANJE - North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski said during a visit to Serbia's monastery of St Prohor Pcinjski on Wednesday he hoped the good tradition of celebrations of Ilinden - North Macedonia's greatest national holiday - would be continued at the monastery, the "place where the Macedonian republic was formed."

With the raising of the Bulgarian national flag, the Unification Monument - "Rozhen" pillar - was officially opened. The ceremony was accompanied by a live performance with historical paintings, a fireworks show and the raising of the Bulgarian national flag.

Mothers of pedestrians killed on the road and injured in car accidents are organizing a national protest from 11 a.m. in front of the National Assembly building in Sofia. They will be joined by residents of the metropolitan district "Ilinden". Last night they gathered for the sixth night in a row at the scene of the accident that killed Yavor and Annie.

Bulgarians celebrate 145 years of the Shipka epic.

The epic battles were fought at the highest points of the Shipchen Pass - St. Nicholas Peak (today Stoletov Peak), Shipka Peak and Orlovo Gnezdo from August 21 to 23, 1877 between Suleiman Pasha's troops and the Russian-Bulgarian detachment of Gen. N. G. Stoletov.

Bulgarians in the United States are collecting signatures in a special petition to Congress against the so-called "Month of the Macedonian Minority" there.

"We, our government, have repeatedly stated publicly that due to our concept of the constitution, approved in 2001 by the Ohrid Framework Agreement, we have no problem enrolling other communities that are not included so far - such as the Croatian, Montenegrin and Bulgarian communities.