The 135th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Russia was commemorated today with the launch of a postage stamp. The validation seal was placed by the Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Georgi Todorov, the Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin and the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov.
The Bulgarian stamp issuing has been related to Russia ever since the Liberation, said the Deputy Minister at the ceremony. He added that the first Bulgarian postage stamps were printed in the State Print House in St. Petersburg in 1879. In the next ten years the Bulgarian stamps were printed in St. Petersburg where the famous stamps Santimi and Big Lion were printed.
The special edition consists of a postage stamp and an illustrated envelope with an original seal. The stamp is in circulation of 22 000 copies and the envelope – in 2190 copies.
The Bulgarian and the Russian projects of the edition were designed jointly by Hania Betredinova for the Russian project and Prof. Todor Vardjiev for the Bulgarian.
Among the guests at the ceremony was the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Jurii Isakov, the Chairman of the Philatelists Union in Bulgaria Spas Panchev, and the Executive Director of Bulgarian Posts EAD Valentin Petkov. |