Today in Sofia, in the organization of the Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ivan Geshev, and the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office, certificates of appreciation and plaques were awarded to Bulgarian citizens who happened to be on the spot and who were the first to help Serbian citizens, and before all Serbian children, injured in the recent severe traffic accident near the Bulgarian town of Stara Zagora.

Ambassador Željko Jović attended the ceremony as a special guest. On that occasion, the Ambassador pointed out that the Serbian state has already thanked all Bulgarian institutions, competent ministries and medical personnel, and that it is a great honor today to also thank the Bulgarian citizens, who, were the first to come to the help the victims so that there were no serious consequences.

The Ambassador addressed the audience with the following words: "Dear friends, my dear Bulgarian brothers and sisters, today I want to address you here from two positions. Firstly, I am addressing you as the Serbian Ambassador, with a big thank you for everything you have done in the name of the President of the Republic of Serbia, A. Vučić, the Prime Minister of the Serbian Government, A. Brnabić, all our ministers, the entire government and all our institutions. Secondly, I wish to address you as an ordinary person, an ordinary citizen of the Republic of Serbia, with one sincere and big thank you for your selfless feat and help to our citizens, our children, and in the name of not hundreds of thousands, but millions of Serbian citizens who were and are still touched by your acts. Also, I want to thank you because on that day, in the evening before the great Christian holiday (according to the Bulgarian church calendar), the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, reminded us all of the true meaning of showing love and care to someone who is close to you, and willingness to sacrifice. Thank you for showing how much we respect and love each other, how much we are one, and how much we are one soul. In that context, one question for all present, is it necessary to wait for difficult and evil times, is it necessary for such accidents to happen, in order for us to understand how close we are and how ready we are to help each other. Long live Serbia! Long live Bulgaria! May our peoples, and above all our children, live in love, peace, tolerance and mutual care.