Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The oldest Bulgarian in Brazil has not forgotten his native language and refuses Brazilian citizenship

Tsvetan Apostolov with Nina Grigorova and Daniel Metodiev
Photo: personal library

His name is Tsvetan Apostolov and he was born in 1925 in the village of Lobosh near Pernik in Bulgaria. The 97-year old man lives in a house in Belo Horizonte, the sixth biggest city in Brazil with a population of 2.7 million. “As far as we know Tsvetan is the oldest Bulgarian in the country,” Daniel Metodiev, who also lives in Brazil, told the Bulgarian news agency BTA. Not long ago he visited with Tsvetan Apostolov and talked to him. What he found out was that in all of these years Tsvetan from Lobosh never forgot the Bulgarian language and gladly talks about his brothers, about his country of birth and his years as a student at Sofia University. Tsvetan Apostolov was 26 when he emigrated to Brazil in 1951.

“And in all those years Tsvetan never wanted to take Brazilian citizenship. He is fond of saying he is Bulgarian and will stay Bulgarian, and that as such he should only have one citizenship – Bulgarian,” Daniel Metodiev says.



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

Federation of European Carnival Cities declares Pernik a global center of masquerade traditions

The Federation of European Carnival Cities has declared Pernik a global center of masquerade traditions.  16 years ago, Prenik was named the European Capital of Sourvakar and Mummer Traditions, and nearly 10 years ago, the Surva festival was..

published on 1/25/25 3:14 PM
Средна оценка: 0 - много неудовлетворен до 10 - много удовлетворен

Eurostat: Bulgarians are the most unhappy EU citizens

Bulgaria ranks last among EU Member States in terms of life satisfaction. This is according to Eurostat data for 2023 published today . With an average level of the Community indicator of 7.3 points out of 10, Bulgaria scores 5.9. Finland tops the..

published on 1/22/25 3:33 PM

The turtle in winter: The Gea Chelonia rescue centre houses over 200 inhabitants

As winter numbs the wilderness, the tortoises hibernate in their shelters, protected from the cold and outside threats. But what happens to them during this time? Where do they feel safest and when can we expect them to wake up?  In the village of..

published on 1/22/25 3:24 PM