Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Radio Bulgaria among the Bulgarians in Slovakia

Krasimir Karailiev from Bratislava: We must protect Bulgaria and show it to the world

7
Photo: Private archive

Krasimir Karailiev was born in Slovakia, but his ancestry is from Bulgaria. He is a descendant of Bulgarian gardeners, whose fame spread to a number of European countries towards the end of the 19th and in the first half of the 20th century. The memory of their hard work and skillful craftsmanship lives on to this day. ‎

Bulgarian gardeners in Hungary, 1930s
Krasimir's parents are from the village of Polikraishte near Veliko Tarnovo, where his grandfather was from, who started the family's horticultural livelihood in Europe. He went abroad when he was only 15 years old, worked in Hungary for 5 years, returned briefly to his homeland, and in 1946, together with his wife and children, he permanently settled in Bratislava. Krasimir was also born there. When Krasi was 2 years old, his parents divorced - his father returned to Bulgaria, and he stayed with his mother in Bratislava. 
Krasimir Karailiev also started his family in the Slovak capital. But the Bulgarian language and Bulgarian culture are an invariable part of his life. ‎
Krasimir with his wife and daughter
"I was brought up in a Bulgarian family. I learned the language from my mother's parents and from her and adopted the Bulgarian customs and manners. I feel fully Bulgarian. I also studied at the Bulgarian school "Hristo Botev" in Bratislava. My daughter also finished it. My wife, who is Slovak, and I decided that way - since I am Bulgarian, our child should learn Bulgarian better. She even continued with Bulgarian philology and Croatian language at the Comenius University of Bratislava. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find a job with the Bulgarian language in Slovakia, but she wants to deal with it and is looking for options. In the meantime, she works elsewhere to support herself." ‎


Krasimir is a taxi driver and every morning he travels the distance from his house in Hungary to Bratislava. There he leaves his wife at work, after which he continues with the taxi. In fact, a few years ago, Krasi decided to sell his apartment and buy a house with a yard in the Hungarian town of Mosonmagyaróvár, which is located only 17 km southeast of the point where the borders with Slovakia and Austria converge. He feels calm there, and he has managed to bring the Bulgarian spirit into his home - from the architecture, through the interior and furniture, to the kitchen and the music the family listens to.

Krasimir's home in Mosonmagyarovars
"Mosonmagyaróvárs a very beautiful town - it has mineral baths, it is also known as the town of dentists, because there are more dentists than regular people living there (laughs). Every second house belongs to a dentist. Yes, many Austrians come here for dental treatment. That's how I decided - I sold the apartment and for the same money I bought a big property with a yard. I made myself a nice tavern, in the Bulgarian style. I also love cooking. I like to prepare Bulgarian dishes. I prepare Bulgarian sausages, I grow peppers, tomatoes. I have a greenhouse and I've already planted the peppers. I'm waiting for them to sprout, then I'll start with the tomatoes, etc." ‎

Krasimir's garden
Although he was born and raised in Bratislava, Krasimir visits Bulgaria every year to keep in touch with his ancestral homeland. Recently, he realized his dream of meeting his father and reconciling his parents. In Slovakia, however, he does not stop loving all things Bulgarian. Krasimir is one of the creators of the dance group "Vesselie". ‎

With the Vesselie dance group
"I love Bulgarian folklore very much. That's why I became one of the founders of the group, together with Tsvetelina Gencheva, who was the director of the Bulgarian school for about 4 years, and is currently in Bulgaria. But she did a lot for our school . We also had a children's choir - "Nightingale'', where my daughter also sang. Together with Tsvetelina, teachers and other people who were interested in Bulgarian dances, we created the group "Vesselie''. ‎

With his mother and father
We ask Krasimir Karailiev how Slovaks regards Bulgarians, are he and his wife accepted?‎

"Slovaks love Bulgarians because they feel the Slavic blood. Our language is understandable, they like how the Bulgarians live, as well as the fact that they are a hospitable people. And that's why they always return from a vacation in Bulgaria with very vivid impressions and keep good memories." ‎

Traditional Bulgarian dishes are a favourite for the family
At the end of our meeting, Krasimir Karailiev sends a message to the Bulgarians in Bulgaria and around the world, urging them to preserve the Bulgarian spirit. ‎

"Bulgarians are one of the oldest nations in Europe and the world. And it will be a shame if young Bulgarians do not take this fact to heart and do nothing for Bulgaria. The surrounding world must know that Bulgaria is a nation with a long history and traditions. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers did a lot, and we also have to do something so that Bulgaria could remain, so that it could exist."

Read also:

Photos: Krasimir Martinov, lyaskovets.net and Krasimir Karailiev's private archive



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Boris Slavchev

Boris Slavchev from Rome: We Bulgarians don't know how to promote ourselves abroad

He came to Italy 6 years ago, driven by his love of cinema and his dream of becoming a good director. After graduating in Theatre and Cinema from Rome's La Sapienza University, Boris Slavchev started working as a photographer. Today, the..

published on 1/19/24 8:20 AM
San Paolo alla Regola

Priest Ivan from Rome: Bulgarians abroad need to feel the church as a family

Prof. Dr. Ivan Ivanov is known as Father Ivan or Padre Giovanni among the Bulgarians in Rome. The professor divides his time between Rome and Sofia. He is a lecturer at the Theological Faculty of the Sofia University and he also leads the services in the..

published on 1/9/24 7:45 AM

Anna Maleshkova explores the history of Bessarabian settlers from Bulgaria 

Writer Anna Maleshkova celebrated her 80th birthday at the end of 2023 - at a heartwarming meeting with like-minded friends at the State Archives in the capital. "I'm still looking forward, I still want to live, I love life, I..

published on 1/8/24 6:32 PM