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Last year, Mrs. Tanya Shumkova, national coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme, predicted that Velingrad will become famous with the Potato Festival organized here. For now, the forecast is coming true: the second edition of the Potato Feast confirmed the good impressions of the initiative.

The Municipality of Velingrad, the Job Programme at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), the Center for Business and Information, the Agency for Regional Development and the Association of Bulgarian Potato Growers based in Velingrad were the organizers of the celebration held on October 13. They were joined by their efforts "Union Television Velingrad" and the municipal enterprises "Sports Properties and Beaches" and "Markets and Markets". If the authority of an event is measured according to the gathered official guests, the Feast of Potatoes can be congratulated with success. The two invited and expected ministers Lydia Shuleva and Mehmed Dikme did not come because of their participation in the joint seminar of NMSS and MRF in the resort of Pamporovo. The regional governor Ivan Dimitrov, the head of "Jobs" Elena Panova and the United Nations Development Programme Tanya Shumkova, Verzhin Tebeyan from MLSP, the MP Georgi Pirinski, the director of the Hungarian Trade Representation Jzsef Deme, the mayor of Teteven and his colleagues from Gotsedelchevsko came. The leaders of all 20 agribusiness centers in Bulgaria participated. The chairman of the Municipal Council Nejat Kehayov and councilors were present. Big was the BSP group led by the district leader and the vice-presidential candidate Gen. Angel Marin, who included the Feast of Potatoes in their election program. Unfortunately, most of the officials were not officially represented and the residents of Velingrad did not meet their guests. For the second time the celebration was opened with the wonderful "Ode to potatoes" by text by Anna Margova and music by Ivan Kazaliev, performed wonderfully by graduates of the school with leaders Yordanka and Ivan Kazaliev. The mayor of the municipality Dr. Tsvetan Dafov officially opened the event by recalling that after the first Feast of Potatoes in Velingrad, an Association of Potato Growers was established. The mayor stressed the importance of this traditional for the area livelihood. The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy Mr. Radoslav Boyadzhiev read a greeting on behalf of Minister Lydia Shuleva. The ministry considers actively supporting potato production through a microcredit system. The Director of the Plant Breeding Directorate at the MoZG Mr. Georgiev delivered a welcoming address on behalf of Minister M. Dikme. Elena Panova from Jobs pointed out that it is eloquent how many organizations support the Feast of Potatoes. After the official part, the real Celebration began - the contact between the people from the industry. People flocked around the stands, emboldened by the production of the leading local companies in the industry: ET "Atanas Birnikov", "Bulhops", ET "Double-i-BG" - Nikola Grancharov, ET "Maria Petricheva", ET "Escort", ET "Yordan Buchkov" presented itself with potato products. From the venison potato growers participated Recep Ay, Khalil Ardali and others, here was also the mayor Shukri Yakubov. From Krastava stand there was Ali Engyar. The Regional Association of Potato Growers from the village. Momchilovtsi and from Lucky, cooperative "Ekoinvest product" from Trigrad, company "Vanko" from Sofia also respected the event. There were also companies that produce raw materials and equipment for the industry such as "Farmer 21" - Plovdiv, "Agrotechnica" - Karlovo, drip irrigation systems "Eurogrip" - Greece. Advisory councils offered the stands of the Local Agricultural Advisory Service - Pazardzhik, Project "Jobs", the Center for Business and Information - Velingrad, newspaper "Agrosvyat". For professionals in the industry, the most valuable was the organized discussion on the topic "Potatoes - livelihood, problems, prospects". The "Big Ones" in the industry - Royal Pateitos and Bonero did not participate with their own stands, but took part in the discussion. The number of participants exceeded expectations - 128, there were representatives of SAPARD, the National Association for the Production of Seed Potatoes and a bunch of other branch associations. In fact, in such meetings is the true meaning of Potato Parznik, because the contacts created here, the ideas and decisions exchanged later have a chance to become business cooperation. Proposals made in the discussion will be summarized and presented in the Ministry of Agriculture to start the bureaucratic machine and work practically. For the guests who came to the Feast as a holiday, there was a rich program with plenty of music, songs, dances, quizzes, prizes. Many of the local bands took part, there were guests from Rakitovo and Yugoslavia. Last year's "extra" of free beer and french fries was missing. Gastronomists could grumble their eyes with the exhibition of potato dishes, for which the credit falls solely to Niagara Restaurant. The highest award was won by the Rhodope Patatnik prepared by the chef of the restaurant. And his colleagues from other local establishments can only regret that they did not respect the invitation of the organizers to participate in the culinary show. Hopefully next year, the residents themselves with more willingness and empathy refer to the Feast of Potatoes - this is what the organizers hope, who really did not spare their efforts for the benefit of the city and the traditional for our region livelihood. Tempo