Jose Carreras receives President's Badge of honour

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Saturday presented the Badge of Honour of the head of State to world-famous tenor Jose Carreras for his remarkable achievements in standing up for the cause of culture and spirituality, for contributing to classical music and popularizing it in Bulgaria.

"Please accept this distinction as a token of our public's gratitude and acknowledgment for your unforgettable appearances on Bulgarian stages, for your friendly feelings for Bulgaria, for supporting young Bulgarian talents," Radev said, addressing the honoree.

Carreras said he was honoured and pleased to accept the distinction from a State with which he is profoundly linked, above all because of the Bulgarian performers with whom he had sung across the world. He recalled his first concert in Sofia in 1990 for the birthday of opera singer Nicolai Ghiaurov, whom he described as "a very special person and a great artist". "I also have a fantastic relationship with a Bulgarian football player in Barcelona, and you can guess whom I'm talking about," the singer said at the ceremony, apparently referring to football legend Hristo Stoichkov.

Attending the ceremony were Bulgarian Culture Minister Atanas Atanasov, Vice President Iliana Iotova and Radev's wife Desislava Radeva.

Carreras is in Sofia for the gala Opera d'Amore, which will take place at the Arena Armeec Sofia on Sunday.