London, September 2007. His Excellency Georgi Parvanov, President of the Republic of Bulgaria, has bestowed one of his country’s highest honours on Eligo International chairman, Mr Anthony Bailey. The ceremony took place at the Bulgarian Embassy in London on 17 September 2007 and was presided over by the Ambassador, His Excellency Dr Lachezar Matev.
Over 120 people attended the ceremony including Britain’s Attorney General, The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC, and the Labour Party Vice-Chairman, The Rt Hon Joan Ryan, MP, as well other senior diplomatic, parliamentary, government, religious and business figures.
Ambassador Matev said “I am very glad to see that the international community and all levels of British society are so widely represented here today. This reflects the exceptional standing and great respect enjoyed by a person who has brought us all together today and who is a good and longstanding friend of Bulgaria”.
By Presidential Decree of 7 March 2007, which was counter signed by Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, the Bulgarian Head of State awarded the First Class Grade of the Order of the Madara Horseman to Mr Anthony Bailey in recognition of his 20 year contribution to ‘significantly furthering and strengthening British-Bulgarian relations’. Bulgaria’s acceded to the European Union in January 2007.
Mr Bailey studied Eastern and Central European History and Politics at the University of London from 1988-1991. He also studied Bulgarian language and literature at Sofia and Veliko Turnovo Universities in Bulgaria. Since 1991 Anthony Bailey and Eligo International have advised successive Bulgarian Governments on bilateral foreign affairs, trade and cultural issues. He has also hosted events on the occasion of visiting Bulgarian dignitaries to the United Kingdom most recently for President Georgi Parvanov in 2006 and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 2002. In 2007 Mr Bailey jointly hosted the first inter-religious exchange of British and Bulgarian Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders in London with the support of the British and Bulgarian Prime Ministers.
In a letter from Buckingham Palace of 4 April 2007, Her Majesty The Queen granted Mr Bailey Unrestricted Permission to accept and wear the insignia. Among previous British recipients of this award are General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
To view HM The Queen’s Unrestricted Permission for Mr Bailey to receive and wear this insignia please click here.
For more information on Order of the Madara Horseman, please click here.
For more information on The President of Bulgaria, please click here.
