“Keep your eyes on the target, no matter what you do,” the mayor wished the young shooter

Mayor Pencho Milkov today awarded the European air pistol shooting champion Damyan Iliev. The 17-year-old student at the English High School set a European record in the 10-meter discipline during the junior championship held in Tallinn on February 13.

Pencho Milkov expressed his pride in the young athlete’s achievement, emphasizing that he is a role model and inspiration for the youth of Ruse. “Sport is a symbol of discipline, perseverance, will and spirit. Every success on the sports field is the result of countless hours of hard work, hardships and unwavering faith in one’s own strength. Keep working hard and making us happy. Keep your eyes on the target, no matter what you do,” the mayor said.

Damyan's path to victory began in the 5th grade, when he became part of the competitors of the Student Sports School in Ruse. Since then, he has been training under the guidance of Sevdalina Stoyanova, who is the chairman of the Lokomotiv Shooting Club. At today's meeting, Stoyanova especially thanked Olympic champion Tanyu Kiryakov for the methodological assistance provided.

Damyan Iliev thanked his coaches and his family for the support they have given him over the years. He shared that he is motivated to continue working hard and achieve even greater victories.

The young Ruse native will participate in the European Youth Championship in Croatia in March, where he will strive to consolidate his position as a leader. The mayor wished him success and expressed his belief that the young man will continue to glorify the club, the city and our country.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Mayor Borislav Rachev, Director of ME "Sports Properties" Lachezar Ivanov, Chairman of the Municipal Council in Ruse, Academician Hristo Beloev, Municipal Councilor and member of the Standing Committee on Youth and Sports Emil Denkov, and Maya Petrova, Director of the Student Sports School.

The people of Ruse celebrated today the 147th anniversary of the liberation of the city from Ottoman rule. A solemn ceremony organized by the Municipality of Ruse on the occasion of the memorable anniversary was held in the Pantheon of the Revivalists.

The ceremony was attended by the 13th Youth Guards Detachment of the Municipal Youth Center, the Children's Choir "Danube Waves" of the Municipal Children's Center for Culture and Art, as well as Maria and Ilina Stoevi from the Children's Theater Workshop led by Yolanda Dimova of the Municipal Children's Center for Culture and Art.

"Today, when we call ourselves free, but often fight against each other, and there are no causes that can unite us, it is important to remember the memory of history. They have left us a legacy - that a people is strong when it is united and looks forward. Today, Ruse again has an important role - to be a city of the future. Let us keep the covenant of our ancestors and be not against each other, but side by side, in order to build our better future,” Mayor Pencho Milkov addressed the attendees.

Deputy Regional Governor Georgi Georgiev also delivered a speech on the occasion of the anniversary.

The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Mayors Dimitar Nedev and Borislav Rachev, the Chairman of the Municipal Council Academician Hristo Beloev, the Vicar of the Ruse Metropolitan Naum - Makariy, and priests from the Ruse Holy Metropolis, the Chief of the Military District I Degree - Ruse Lieutenant Colonel Vasil Petrov, the Chief of the Garrison and Commander of Military Formation 32420 Lieutenant Colonel Pavlin Iliev, as well as representatives of parties, members of parliament and numerous citizens.

The event was hosted by the actor from the Sava Ognyanov Drama Theater Borislav Borisov.

From 5:30 p.m. The updated edition of the book by Dr. Vesselina Antonova and the late Ruse historian and journalist Ivo Zheynov "Panayot Hitov: Family Notes. Memories. Living Pictures" will be presented in the "Europe" hall of the Income Building. A special guest will be the historian and publicist Prof. Plamen Pavlov, and admission to the event is free.

The company's activities are set to expand significantly and the number of employees will increase by another 150 people

Mayor Pencho Milkov and his deputy Zlatomira Stefanova visited the factory of the leading manufacturer of sanitary products for daily and hospital use "Septona Bulgaria" at the invitation of the General Director Eng. Konstantinos Akilidis. They toured the production facility and learned about the company's current growth, as well as the upcoming expansion of its activities through the construction of a new non-woven textile workshop.

"In recent years, we have seen the impressive development of "Septona" - a dynamically developing business that contributes not only to the economic development of Ruse, but also to the establishment of our city as an attractive place for investments, innovations and sustainable growth. High-tech productions like this create added value, stimulate local business and attract qualified personnel,” said the mayor. He shared with the general director that it is essential for the Municipality of Ruse to support enterprises that bring sustainability and development to the region.

The mayor and his deputy got acquainted with the wet wipes production process, as well as the automatic machines used in the workshop for folding and closing cartons, which increase efficiency, reduce human errors and guarantee high quality of products. Technological processes do not completely replace human labor, as the company’s management stated that they provide good and competitive conditions for their employees. They shared that finding workers for each level of the production process is the biggest challenge they face daily.

“We continue to invest in innovation and sustainable practices in order to offer our customers the best products and remain a leader in the industry. With our plans for the coming years, Septona Bulgaria does not just follow market trends – it shapes them, setting industry standards,” said Eng. Konstantinos Akilidis.

The company’s activities are set to expand significantly through the construction of a nonwovens workshop, production line and warehouses. The investment amounts to BGN 40 million. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by mid-May, with around 50 new jobs created. The second phase will start in 2026, and after its completion, the staff will increase to approximately 450 people compared to the current slightly over 300, and employment in other production units will also increase.

Over the past 17 years, Septona Bulgaria has invested nearly BGN 100 million in the development of its production facilities in the country. The management expects that the increased capacity will contribute to the expansion of the client base. The company's factory is located in the Eastern Industrial Zone of Ruse and produces wet wipes with different flavors, properties and purposes. Founded in 2007, the company is part of the Greek group "Septona", which was established in 1975 and currently exports its products to over 70 countries. Its only production facility outside our southern neighbor is located in Ruse.

The Municipality of Ruse and the Regional Administration today commemorated the 152nd anniversary of the hanging of Vasil Levski with a joint ceremony. For the fourth year, local and state authorities have joined forces in memory of the Apostle of Freedom. The event took place in front of the Levski monument in the Park of the Renaissance, where dozens of citizens came to pay their respects to his memory.

“Levski is the flame that keeps the strength and dignity of Bulgaria alive. His testament to unity is more important than ever. We are indebted to this bright and pure memory. In an era of division and severe conflicts, it is important to remember that true strength does not come from weapons and disunity, but from the spirit,” said Mayor Pencho Milkov.

Solemn marches accompanied the formation of the guard of honor, which included representatives of the National Society “Tradition” and the 13th Guards Youth Detachment at the Municipal Youth Center.

The ceremony began with the performance of the song "Bulgarian Head Raised", performed by the Chamber Ensemble of the "Folk Singing" specialty at the National School of Arts "Prof. Veselin Stoyanov".

The host of the event, Sergio Avakyan, an actor from the Puppet Theater, recalled the efforts that the initiative committee and all the people of Ruse invested in the construction of the monument, emphasizing that the largest donors of the monument were the Municipality of Ruse and Eng. Vladimir Kolev.

Priests from the Holy Metropolis of Ruse, headed by His Eminence Bishop Makariy of Glavinitsa, vicar of His Eminence Nahum, served a requiem prayer in memory of Vasil Levski and a prayer of thanks.

At the end of the ceremony, wreaths and flowers were laid in tribute to Levski by Mayor Pencho Milkov and his deputies Dimitar Nedev, Nikola Lazarov and Borislav Rachev, Deputy Regional Governor Georgi Georgiev, the Chairman of the Municipal Council, Acad. Hristo Beloev, the Head of the Regional Derectorate of Education Dr. Rositsa Georgieva, the Head of the Military District I Degree - Ruse, Colonel Vasil Petrov, many Ruse residents and representatives of political parties, deputies, municipal councilors, organizations, associations, schools, community centers, etc.

Тhe Municipality of Ruse held an opening press conference for the project “ClimateREADY Ruse: Planning for Resilience and Sustainability.” The activities are carried out by the local administration as part of the “CLIMAAX” initiative, funded under the Horizon Europe program.

The initiative provides financial, analytical, and practical support for improving regional climate risk management plans. The project involves comprehensive data collection and analysis, including historical climate patterns, current vulnerabilities, and future projections. Through systematic analysis of this data, the project will identify specific issues and hotspots in the Ruse region, increasing local awareness of climate risks.

The project also aims to build local capacity by providing training and resources to communities, policymakers, and practitioners involved in climate risk management. Workshops are planned to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective climate risk assessment, mitigation, and adaptation.

The project implementation period runs from October 1, 2024, to July 31, 2026.

During the event, information was presented about the goals of the CLIMAAX initiative, the climate risks to be analyzed within the municipality of Ruse, and the phases of the analytical process. The key expected outcomes of the project were also outlined, including revised municipal strategic documents incorporating climate resilience measures and enhanced institutional capacity for risk management. Activities also include the development of a comprehensive report adapting the CLIMAAX methodology to assess climate risks specific to the municipality of Ruse, as well as raising awareness, fostering social cohesion, and strengthening cooperation among stakeholders.

The event was attended by Deputy Mayor Nikola Lazarov, the Director of the Directorate for Economy, Investments, International Cooperation, and Projects, Ivaylo Kadishev, as well as members of the project team.

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