Balkans | Bulgaria became a member of the European Union with the highest flagpole

As part of the campaign supported by President Romain Radov, a donation of 500 thousand euros has been made to the Flag Project.

Bulgaria, a member of the European Union, has begun raising its giant national flag on the Union’s highest flagpole, which it placed in the Rhodope Mountains. The standard-length post has become a source of pride for some and ridicule for others.

The giant flag, symbolizing Bulgaria’s 111,000 square kilometres, was raised on a mast 1,100 square meters high and 111 meters wide at a ceremony attended by President Rumen Radov last week.

“It doesn’t make Bulgarians richer, but it lifts people’s spirits,” said Semyon Karakolev, who organizes a folklore festival every year at the top of Rugen, where the flag is waving, and is behind the project. made his comment.

Within the scope of the campaign supported by the pro-Russian President Radov, 500 thousand euros were donated to the project. Local media reported that several companies on behalf of Radev are interested in the donation project.

On the other hand, it was said that there are some irregularities in the project. President Radov called such initiatives shameful, “Long live Bulgaria!” A giant flag, accompanied by regalia, was raised at the ceremony.

What did the critics say?

However, while the project was mocked on social media, it also became the target of criticism.

Political expert Ognyan Menchev noted that patriotism was captured by “quasi-nationalists dominated by Russian propaganda” and criticized the “measurement of patriotic pride by the height of the flagpole”.

Those who criticize the project in terms of ecology and economy comment that the donations collected can be used for more useful actions.

In the Balkans, where nationalism and populism are on the rise, many people still look up to Russia despite the Ukrainian occupation.

The latest research by the Open Society Foundation revealed that Bulgaria is the country most vulnerable to Russian propaganda and disinformation among EU countries.

The previous record belonged to Finland

With its giant flagpole, Bulgaria beat the record from Finland. The 100-meter flagpole, located 145 kilometers from the Finnish capital, Helsinki, was the tallest in Europe until last week.

Planted in 2018, it carried the world’s largest flag of Finland, the size of a basketball court.

As part of the project, which cost a total of €800,000 at the time, the raising of the flag was delayed several times due to security concerns caused by strong winds.

euronews