On the occasion of the 86th anniversary of the first BNR's broadcast abroad, Radio Bulgaria, as its successor since 1992, received letters with congratulations, memories, feedback and recommendations from both long-time listeners and new followers.

"Dear friends, please accept my congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of the 86th anniversary of the broadcasts abroad. I wish you even greater success, determination and more listeners in the future. You are exceptional!" writes Miodrag Ristic to the Serbian editorial office of Radio Bulgaria.

Igor Kolke from Moscow (Russia) thanked the BNR management for the "smart decision and the opportunity to listen to the programs in Russian again".

"After the resumption of Russian language broadcasts, albeit in the form of podcasts, I continue to listen to Radio Bulgaria and learn the latest news from the country. 

I would like to congratulate the entire editorial team and listeners on the anniversary. It seems to me that radio as a medium of information historically has a credibility for reporting verified facts and news.

I would like to thank the staff of Radio Bulgaria for their daily work in preparing the news and various thematic materials. Your activity deserves high trust!" writes Igor.

Another listener from Russia – Kirill Sosnovskiy – writes:

"I am very glad that BNR has resumed broadcasting its programmes, albeit as podcasts, which I enjoy listening to every night. It is very important for me to get quality information about political, economic and cultural events in Bulgaria. I always listen with great enthusiasm to news related to Bulgarian sport. Listening to the broadcasts of Radio Bulgaria in Russian, I discovered for myself a world of Bulgarian classical music unknown to me before. I was particularly struck by the performance of a part of Petko Stainov's symphonic work "Thracian Dances", which further ignited my love for the Bulgarian people, their history and culture. I would like to wish health and success to your whole team. Thanks to the broadcasts of Russian Editorial I feel Bulgaria close."

Nelcy Bidart from Brazil shares the opinion of listeners from Russia and in a series of letters to the Spanish section of Radio Bulgaria encourages the return of audio programmes, even if only on the Internet.

Javier González Nungaray from Mexico writes: "I take the liberty to send greetings and blessings to everyone at Radio Bulgaria. I express my gratitude for reinstating the daily radio program that informs us about the political, social and economic events in your interesting country.

Radio Bulgaria's Turkish-language programmes, which are broadcast nationwide, have traditionally enjoyed huge interest and their listeners are our loyal followers, both on air and on the global network. The voices of the presenters of the Turkish language programmes are well recognised and loved, and on their field visits, colleagues from the Turkish language team are always greeted as "stars" and showered with compliments by the listeners. We thank them all from the bottom of our hearts.

"Happy birthday to our dear radio! I wish everyone at Radio Bulgaria health, prosperity, and the broadcasts - longevity. Long live Our Radio!" writes Zeiner Karadja - a retired nurse from the village of Yablanovo, Kotel municipality. 

Folk singer Razie Fazlaeva from the village of Rojak in Varna says: "Happy 86th birthday to Radio Bulgaria! Good to have you, you are our link to the world!"

"Happy birthday to Our Radio. Congratulations to everyone. I wish them health and success!" - adds Sajide Mehmedova from the village of Baykovo in Shumen. 

We thank Ayşe Süleyman from the village of Zarnevo in Dobrich, Mustafa Atasever from Melbourne, Australia, and Shaban Arabayı from the town of Gebze in Turkey, who writes:  "Radio Bulgaria is always by my side! Happy birthday dear radio! Radio helps me not to forget the road I have traveled from my native village Gurguliitsa (Momchilgrad municipality), not to forget my childhood, my youth and the land where I grew up!".

"I used to listen to Radio Sofia regularly in the past. Today I listen to Bulgaria Today and I have to compliment your presenter whose English is wonderful and her speech is really very clear!" writes Ullmar Qvick from Sweden in a letter to the Radio Bulgaria team in English.

Among the many listeners and followers of Radio Bulgaria who expressed their congratulations and support for the work of the journalists in the media are Daniel Brondo and David Iurescia from Argentina, Vincent Marí from Spain, Daniel Bustos from Chile, Marcus Keulertz from Germany, Mei Lin Lu Dacheng from China, Jeanette Alexander, Martin Gallas from the USA, Nick Packham, Peter Jones and Albert Ford from the UK, Patrick Travers from Scotland and many others.

Thank you, friends!

• The first BNR's broadcast abroad