# “Bulgaria in Europe” with reflexes of totalitarian grandomania
Recently, scientists in influential positions, and also those with great ambitions, are increasingly actively promoting the initiative in 2032 to solemnly mark the 1400th anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian state under the title “14 centuries of Bulgaria in europe”. the idea was immediately picked up by the heads of state media, major scientific and educational institutions (BTA, BNR, BNT, BAS, Sofia University). the noise starts so far away, probably as almost no one unreservedly accepts 632 as the beginning of Bulgarian statehood.Although the year has long been mentioned in history textbooks,the majority of professional historians speak of a process that could not fit into a specific date. at the same time, the request for an upcoming long-term preparation shows the scale of the intended festivity – completely disproportionate to what happened at the designated historical moment, to our extremely limited knowledge and to the preserved sources about it.
One gets the feeling that this is another manifestation of a long-standing addiction to pompous celebrations of round anniversaries,albeit more aspiring and,in any case,more comical than those already produced in the last century and a half. Up to one,they follow an identical and predictable pattern,no matter which event is chosen as a starting point – relatively close or very distant,how significant it is indeed at all,even whether it is real or imagined. Every such anniversary is only an occasion for jubilee round tables and conferences (moast often – of a pseudo-academic nature),for banal speeches,for media self-promotion of superiors and ambitious subcontractors,for wasteful expenses and dummy artifacts.
Some argue that such ceremonial commemorations of anniversaries mobilize and consolidate society, giving it the necessary self-confidence. in contrast, experience so far shows that elevated celebrations on artificially appointed occasions inflame hollow patriotism, repel and alienate critical thinkers, cause annoyance and irony. They only reinforce retrograde and authoritarian tendencies, social sclerosis, roadlessness and stagnation.
A number of Bulgarian scientists and intellectuals came out with a signature against the initiative in 2032 to celebrate the 1400th anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian state under the title “14 centuries of Bulgaria in Europe”.
“So far, experience shows that elevated celebrations on artificially appointed occasions inflame hollow patriotism, repel and alienate critical thinkers, cause boredom and irony. They only strengthen retrograde and authoritarian tendencies, social sclerosis, roadlessness and stagnation,” the signatories of the open letter note.
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