Public Lecture on Democracy Delivered H. E. Alfredo Atanasoff, Ambassador of Argentina to Bulgaria

She introduced H. E. Alfredo Atanasoff as a grandson of a Bulgarian, having rich political and diplomatic biography. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Bulgaria since 24 August 2020 and to the Republic of North Macedonia since 5 April 2021. He was Head of the Cabinet of Ministers in the period 2002-2003, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security in 2002, Member of Parliament for the Province of Buenos Aires in the period 1995-2013, etc.

H. E. Alfredo Atanasoff

The lecture was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Bakalova, Dean of the International Economics and Politics Faculty, the Head of the International Relations Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Plamen Ralchev, the Head of the Political Science Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Blaga Blagoeva, the Head of the Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Antonia Pencheva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov, Secretary General for International Cooperation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elena Simeonova, Secretary General for Accreditation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva, Secretary General for Research Projects, Prof. Dr. Polya Katsamunska, member of the International Commission for Public Administration Accreditation, lecturers from the Departments of Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics and Public Administration as well as many other lecturers, students and guests.

Prof. Dr. Daniela Koch-Kozhuharova, H. E. Alfredo Atanasoff, Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova-Boshnakova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov

Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova-Boshnakova, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities, welcomed the attendees on behalf of the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov.

"40 Years of Democracy in Argentina is a topic that arouses the interest of students, the academic community and the general public because democratic processes are something extremely important. We, in our university, make efforts to transmit democratic values to our students. We are pleased with the contract already signed with one of the leading universities in Argentina - Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina and we hope for a bilateral exchange of students and lecturers", said Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova-Boshnakova.

Н. E. Alfredo Atanasoff delivered a lecture in which he examined the "dark period" in Argentina for 50 years of the 20th century as the "darkest" is that of the military junta that took power in 1976, headed by the commanders of the three branches of the armed forces: land, navy and air. "The military dictatorship's ultimate goal is to impose ferocious repression, to destroy any opposition so as to prevent any action challenging authority," said H. Pr. Atanasoff.  As a result, thousands of people have disappeared, others have been subjected to persecution, censorship and surveillance, mass murder and theft of children whose parents have been killed or disappeared.

After the lecture an interesting discussion was held and analogies were made between the democratic processes in Argentina and Bulgaria. The question was raised about the difference in populism in Argentina, Europe and Bulgaria, to which H. E. Atanasoff replied that populism is "both right-wing and left-wing and is gaining momentum before the elections".

In conclusion H. E. Alfredo Atanasoff said: "I wanted to introduce you not only to a moment in the history of my people, but to teach you a lesson about the value of democracy as a legitimate expression of the will of the people. The case of Argentina is a proof that the democracy is a legitimate tool to protect human rights, to achieve internal and external peace, to defend national sovereignty."

More information about  H. E. Alfredo Atanasoff HERE