Chicago, Nov 20 (BTA/GNA) – Bulgaria’s Consul General in Chicago, Svetoslav Stankov, awarded the Golden Pin of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad to Bulgarian-American Hamid Rusev for his contribution to Bulgarian emigration in the US, Stankov said in a Facebook post.
Hamid Rusev escaped from the communist regime in Bulgaria in 1963 together with Shefket Chapadjiev, with whom they’re friends to this day. Over the years, Hamid has welcomed generations of Bulgarian emigrants in Chicago, where he opened the first Bulgarian restaurant “Rodopa”. In 2001, Rusev published the Bulgaria weekly newspaper.
“The huge love with which Hamid talks about Bulgaria is impressive, despite the difficulties he had experienced during the totalitarian regime. His love for the motherland was transferred to Bulgarian emigres, whom he helped,” Stankov said.
BTA/GNA