Today, on this significant date for Bulgaria – the 188th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle of Freedom, Vasil Levski – the country’s main air gateway now welcomes travellers with his name. “We want every Bulgarian citizen, and every visitor arriving here at the capital’s airport, to remember Levski’s ideals – of a pure and sacred republic.“
This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Grozdan Karadjov, during a formal ceremony held in front of Terminal 2 of Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia. The event marked the unveiling of the airport’s new name, which was officially changed back in February.
“We now stand as equals among the most advanced European nations. Our entry into Schengen, and our imminent accession to the eurozone – the very core of Europe – show that Bulgaria is taking its place at the heart of the European family. Bulgaria is fulfilling Levski’s ideal: to be equal with the other European peoples,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
He pointed out that naming Bulgaria’s largest airport after Vasil Levski is the culmination of a process that began as early as 2009, when the first public proposals to rename the airport were made. In 2017, the initiative was revived by scholars and public figures from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and gained broad public support.
“The realisation of this initiative became possible at the end of 2024, thanks to the consistent support of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the active involvement of Minister Stoyanova, the cooperation of the concessionaire SOF Connect, and the support of the presidential institution. Today, the name Vasil Levski is already listed in the international registers of IATA and ICAO,” Deputy Prime Minister Karadjov emphasised.
Also attending the ceremony were Mr Jesús Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect; Ms Krasimira Stoyanova, former caretaker Minister of Transport and Communications; Academician Yulian Revalski, corresponding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS); and Professor Atanas Semov, university lecturer, Constitutional Court judge, and corresponding member of BAS.
