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Iliyan Denev Nikolov – person with strong will, big soul,
humanitarian, innovator, public man and a patriot!
Iliyan Nikolov is born on 20th (St. Elias day) 1946
in Veliko Tarnovo. Following the old Bulgarian tradition
the ones born on the day of a saint bear his name and as
firstborn son in the family, the parents Nedka and Denio Nikolovi
decide to name the child on grandpa Ilya – Iliyan.
The childhood and the student years of
Iliyan Nikolov pass in his hometown.
Our childhood was free, we used to played all day long
outside, among the nature. The house that we lived in was near
the suburbs of the city, the first after the Veliko Tarnovo sign,
with massive yard, with many flowers, with fruit trees,
with a deep well, in which we cooled watermelons in the summer.
My memories are from the age of 3-4 of mine or
13-14 of his but what I’ve heard for his childhood
years from our parents and grandparents. I have created
a image of wild, playful, active child,
that showed in everyway its curiosity toward
the world and the others. A funny story, which was commented –
Ilyan sees a company of soldiers that are heading in the
direction of “Cholakonvci” neighborhood and he followed them,
marching behind them and naturally got lost. He was gone nearly a day,
everyone were crazy and anxiously looking for him, when finally
he came smiling with a man, who was a friend of my grandfather
that saw him and asked him what he was doing there. He explained
that he followed the soldier because he was very interested.
Since our parent worked a lot we played around our grandpa
who has a very colourful personality.
Our grandfather on mother’s side – Ilya Taslakov, who was
head of a train station in the system of BDZ. He stops, delays
with about a week the invasion of the German troops to
the eastern front because with a change of arrows and derailment
of two wagons stops the whole German composition in Dobrich,
that was loaded with weaponry for the eastern front.
Every night in the summer in front of the house we had
a bench that looked to the yard and the whole family sat till late
and my grandpa told me instead of princes fairytales, legends -
of Krali Marko, of Strahil voivoda and these stories
are kept inside my mind forever, for life.
These are my first lesson for loving the nation and patriotism.
Our family was independent, it hold up in all kind of situations
with many, many casualties, including the September uprising,
participants in the September uprising, not on the communist side
but on the agrarian. Great strife after which a lot of
people from our family died. Before that during the time of Turkish mastery
our granduncle was in the band of Philip Totio.
His rifle is still kept in our fimily.
When his band was torn he hid in Cholakova mahala.
We were never been restricted, we are raised in the spirit
of democratic rights, freedoms, everyone knew that he can speak his mind.
We are raised with a lot of love among us, to each other,
to Bulgaria, to labor, to education, to school.
Iliyan Nikolov completes his secondary education at Professional
High school for construction, architecture and geodesy “Angel Popov”
in Veliko Tarnovo. He continues his education in Sofia. He graduates
“Mechanical Engineering” in the High Mechanical-electrical Institute
and “Economics” in the High Economic Institute. Even as student
in HEI he takes a leading position in Vyrba mine
on the territory of Madan. Later, only 23 year old he becomes
Finance director of Tailoring enterprise “Denio Georgiev”
In Veliko Tyrnovo. For 10 years he works as a teacher and
research associate in the University of Veliko Tarnovo
“St. Cyril and St. Methodius”. In 1981 after 4 years of work
he presents in SU “St. Kliment Ohridski” the dissertation
“Instruments of labor and scientific and technical revolution”.
This is a scientific paper decades ahead of this era.
Reading and analyzing up to 5000 scientific literature pages a day
my father reaches epochal insights. The examination of the information
technology as instrument of labor gives new view of the evolution
of the society. In the end of the 70s and the beginning of 80s
the information industry as we know it now didn’t existed
but the information as “temporal spatial energy trim”
gives stable base for future scientific discoveries
and the creation of theory and technology.
Iliyan is not only one of first, maybe even the first in Bulgaria,
and even not only in Bulgaria, that understood the nature of information.
He said “this is the future of mankind”. He knew what
opportunities I have, thanks to where and what I work,
he told me “help me if you can” to find scientific council
for exposition of the dissertation. We couldn’t find scientific councils,
in which he could expose this topic,
for the informatics, the dissertation for the informatics.
There wasn’t a specialist that could write a review for this thing.
At the beginning of the 80s comes out to world market the scientific
bestseller of Alvin Toffler “The third wave”
The territories are overlapping. My father emphasizes on the
scientific and technical development of the IT, while Alvin Toffler
puts its on the development of the public relations in establishment
of the new information society.
I remember, we were still not married with my husband,
we re there, in the house that has saw a lot of gatherings.
The biggest information is locked in that house. Back then he said,
that everyone will have a computer, that this will happen, the same
way the we have watches, even everyone will walk with computer.
And now I see that 33 year after all these conversations,
which of course were on the table, they family gatherings, cognitive.
In years when nobody thought how to realize the idea
because back then the country accomplished these ideas, even only
that he had the idea and he thought how to accomplished this idea,
it looks unbelievable to me.
It just sounds like a fantasy to now.
On 8.01.1990 Iliyan Nikolov becomes research associate First degree.
Under his initiative and with decision of the Academic councils of
VTU “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” from 17.12.1990 was
created a new faculty “Mathematics and informatics”.
Iliyan works in this field for a long time. In result, for
the special case, he made a statement to the direction of
Tarnovo’s university, with which he defended the thesis
of faculty creation. The defense was based on the fact that
the future belongs to the computers. In his Ph.D. he has even
developed a thesis for remote work with computers,
Which sooner of later turned into what we know today
by default as internet. Primary aim this was described in
the suggestion that Iliyan has made was the education of executive
that back then were missing in a more specific
field what is now the informatics.
My father is certain in the evolvement of the information technologies
and in the arrival of the new information society and knows that
this thing will happen. And despite the back then perceptions of social
order and social evolvement, he begins a headlong
creation of preconditions for the reception of the information
society. Under his leadership are also developed computers,
terminals, the first Bulgarian modem for computer connection in
internet via phone networks. This was the time around 1990 – 1991
exactly then was the official start of “word - wide- web"
or “www”. What we all know as Internet.
Iliyan Nikolov successfully combines his research activities
in informatics with sport. He is one of the goalscorers of
the Youth team of Football club “Etar”. At the same time he is
among the republican leaders of table tennis. In 1979
he creates club for competitive bridge in Veliko Tarnovo.
The clubs are something very interesting, which in Bulgaria
for a long time wasn’t in the classic English tradition
but Iliyan created it in exactly the classic form of a club.
He has created an atmosphere, he entered internal rules,
an internal status quo of the players, something that is very valuable.
Back when the club was founded he was one of the first,
of the active, he had active presence and participation of your players
on all levels on which we could and should participated.
We were there and we participated and competed with Bulgarian
bridge legend of that time, players and teams.
In his whole labor biography Iliyan Nikolov took only
leader positions. For 3 years he was finance director of
the Institute of systems for teleprocessing. The cultivated work experience
in real economic conditions and the participation in research
and implementation studies allow Iliyan Nikolov to establish as one
of the senior managers of the Center for researches of scientific and technical
information. After a while he becomes head of Commercial company
“Academy” at the Bulgarian academy of sciences. The company unites
a number of research institutes, organizes their activity
and implements their inventions and achievements.
Commercial company “Academy” is created in period of 1988- 1989.
Initiator of the creation and main engine trough all this time is
Iliyan Denev Nikolov. For chairman of the management board
was initially chosen and selected Academic Iliev.
Afterward due to his advanced age, he is replaced
member-correspondent at the time prof. Dodunekov, who
later becomes Chairman of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
All of these laboratories were exported for a reason – to achieve
specific scientific results, which later have to be put into
practice, into the production activity of the companies.
The achievements are many, for example: the idea for exchange of ferrite
parts in the calculating machines back then, it can be roughly said
the computing machines. Here I have to underline that the views
of the director of the Commercial company were exactly in that direction.
Somehow he knew how to see into the future, years ahead.
After the changes in 1990, when Bulgaria was struggling
from lack of everything, Commercial company “Academy”
developed and implemented ecologic projects. For the building
of wastewater treatment plants. These projects found real application
and they were used years after their implementation.
As a person with active social consciousness, patriot and man
who believed in the historic power and fate of V. Tarnovo
during 1990 Iliyan Nikolov initiates and carries the idea
the Seventh Great National assembly to be
summoned in the old capitol city.
This is a historic moment not only for V. Tarnovo
but for all Bulgaria. My father initiated a petition,
which for a few months managed to collect than
half a million signatures. The petition is sent to
the Bulgarian prime minister at that time at a decision is made
the Seventh Great National assembly to be held in V. Tarnovo.
Iliyan believed in the historic significance of our hometown
and made everything possible so that would be known and remembered.
We were raised like this since babies, that is how it was spoken,
told around us. The history of this town is really that significant for
Bulgaria so I in my opinion there is no other way. I am don’t
know a Tarnovonian, who isn’t a patriot.
This family has emerged and lived in Tarnovo, and their blood
gave birth to this love for the homeland. Iliyan wanted to
establish Tarnovo into our modern times also.
Into the minds of people that knew well Iliyan Nikolov,
he will remain also a great lover of the Bulgarian nature
and proponent of her preservation. In 1990 he creates
“First private academy” that unites 30 research workers.
Despite the hard economic situation in the country the Academy
manages to realize a number of ecologic projects.
On 15.04.1994 Iliyan Nikolov founds also Association
“Ecologic Stara Planina” and becomes its executive director.
Position of Chairman of the Board at the Association
takes Yovcho Rusev – leader of the Commission for mountain,
semi-mountain and border regions in the National Assembly.
Just after the establishment in the Association enter 13 Balkan-mountain
municipalities, legal and physical entities. Only 2 years later
the number of municipalities grows to 33 and “Ecologic Stara Planina”
becomes the biggest working municipal association in Bulgaria.
I remember that the common formal registration, announcement, signing
of the constituent documents of the Association was in Voneshta Voda village.
He insisted to be there. His idea was to engaged the
local authorities, to engage mayors in order to be created terms,
to establish connection with manufacturers, with industries, with tourism
in order to save and preserve the nature of the Balkan mountain.
I can give you an example that in the middle Balkan-mountain,
in Teteven area and the Troyanian Balkan were created dairies,
that worked with people from the Balkan, who made cheese,
products that found good reception in Italy, in France,
the price of which were many times higher than ones of Association
“Ecologic Stara Planina”. It manages to create so to
say advertisement. Presents production
in more appropriate way in these countries.
Everything with him happens that way with passion, with desire,
with a lot of zeal. Incredible amount of contacts with different people
from different categories, with mayors, with bisness then,
that was developing, consolidating, with
non-government organization, with common people.
Trough the years Iliyan Nikolov manages to create and implement
dozens of projects for settlement support from the region of
the Balkan mountain in solving their environmental problems.
In 1995 he becomes founder of the Bulgarian association for
rural and eco tourism – BARET. His deep and true love for
Bulgaria, his ideas for ecological progress in the country,
his intransigence to the absurdity in the politics and economics
of Bulgaria, Iliyan Nikolov expresses as author and co-author
of more than 100 works and publications in Bulgaria and abroad.
In 1996 he issues the book "The riches of the Balkan" just a year
later the national weekly "Hello, Bulgaria."
He was the “Nikolay Haitov” type. This kind of people that lived
to give meaning to their lives, in service of his people, his country.
The Balkan and Bulgaria were sacred, were favourite,
loved with a lot of care for Bulgaria and the nature.
Once he said: let me take you to Irinetzi village, where
my kin comes from, from the Balkan. We found still solid house,
in which my grandpa lived, the fireplace. I felt a significant
feeling that this was that man’s root, from here comes the love
for that land, for that Balkan. This is not a pose, this is something,
that is in the very essence of man, in his blood, his veins.
He fought for things we now see that are vanishing before our eyes.
I am certain, that there will come a time when everything will
have its revival. The efforts of people like Iliyan will be
found in history and they will be noted because
this thing was alive for all that time.
We traveled in the Trevnian Balkan. There are many interesting names
of villages. One of the villages was called “The packs”. He asked me to
stop to take a picture and he told me that this village is a symbol of the modern
Bulgarian political class. He wanted to change that thing.
His intention to somehow enter into the politics
after 1989 was natural, because then we all then
thought that something new is coming and everyone
who has potential and thinks that can give something to
society is destined to do this thing.
That kind of people had to enter into politics,
patriots, wise people, people with vision for the future.
He tried with all his social, political activity to make
something, to ease the destiny of people, the destiny of the nation.
At the beginning of the transition Iliyan Nikolov is city councilor
at Municipality Veliko Tarnovo. In 1995 he founds the Bulgarian national
ecologic party – Veliko Tarnovo. The economical knowledge,
the political insights and the limitless love for the homeland and
the Bulgarian nation are the reasons which prompt Iliyan Nikolov to
candidate for President of Bulgaria in 1996.
Dear viewers, everyone of you sees and feels today the results of
the economic war that is brought by the Management board of BNB, 00:25:32.110,00:25:37.100 trough randomly high interest rate and conducted dollar exchange rate.
In the book "The riches of the Balkan" I have analyzed the destruction of
the Bulgarian economics and nation, the plundering of the country and I
point the possibilities for a way out. And they are: normalization of the
interest rate and exemption of the dollar exchange rate. For many of the Bulgarian
troubles there are other reasons also. The mad centralized authority, money
and business activities in Sofia interfere the normal progress of the country.
The Bulgarian identity, spiritual power, the belief in the Bulgarian
virtues and potentials is collapsing. The Bulgarian nations is sick of
losing jobs, money, of the abroad chase away of its children,
of the cheap selling of factories. The nation reduction
of 720 000 people for 6 year can’t be nothing but a genocide.
Well brothers, the show is over and the last wise guys shouted: election boycott,
a total mess. Someone wants to send our nation in resignation, They want to
rule and we should pay for the mess. I want to address the Bulgarian youth,
but they don’t want to look neither them, neither you nor us.
I am addressing you, grandpas and grandmas, mothers and fathers –
vote, so the young people will stay in Bulgaria.
In 1997 Iliyan Nikolov participates on the Parliamentary elections, once
again elected by the Bulgarian national ecologic party Veliko Tarnovo.
Brothers and sisters by destiny, from my heart I thank those 35 000 of you,
who trusted me and the first round of the presidential elections voted
with empty envelope or with our ballot. What actually happened from the
presidential election till now. Red and blue politicians masterminded another
political show. In each of the pyramid banks inside people skillfully
built multitude of little pyramid called credit lines.
Medias called that thing hyperinflation and the current government
stabilization. Another crucial question is the high interest rates and they
create inflation, they kill economics, they pushed the nation into begging.
Once again its separation-time, time to part with those, who use
Bulgaria as a “barrel of honey” and intensively rob with their multicolored
spoons. If we don’t part with them, we say goodbye to our sons,
daughters or grandchildren, who leave homeland. We can part with our
property, with our hopes, with our future. We can all see where they have
brought us, to the bottom and after the elections with currency board, they
continue to dig the bottom, organized with tight discipline in accelerated
terms because they don’t know how long we will tolerate them.
With the belief in the strong spirit of the Bulgarian nation Iliyan Nikolov creates
Union of national forces, of whose members he gives titles bolyari, hashove,
Voyvodi. Members of the Union become dozens of Bulgarians.
He fought, so the union would expand, to embrace every patriot.
In the foreground to be the patriotism, the fight for the Bulgarian glory.
You can often hear peoples’ voices: “In Bulgaria such great people
lived in the past, won’t such people appear nowadays
to show the right way for Bulgaria”. Iliyan was one of the people,
who was struggling with his ideas, with his
activities to find the right way for Bulgaria.
The members of the Union of national forces became also Iliyan’s classmates
from the Construction school. To the Voivoda he feels only warm feelings
for all his life and organizes sociable reunions every two years.
Welcome hashove from 60s, the one who at beginning of the new millennium
turned into apostles and princesses of the Bulgarian Revival, of the New
Bulgarian Revival with which we will try to revive the Bulgarian
culture and economics, the Bulgarian nation. It comes to the Union of national forces
that is one relatively new structure, with which I hope in the following
years, we will cause serious political influence over the fate of the Bulgarians.
Iliyan Nikolov is also known to many as an irreplaceable friend.
For his true friends he gave everything!
It wasn’t easy to be friend with him. I think that all of his friends
will tell the same and yet he had many loyal friends. He gave
a lot to the people and the situation in which he always
fell, he couldn’t be passive. He was always an active participant
in things with which was even involved accidentally.
Such friends are found and kept. Just a few in a man’s life.
Our houses are neighboring and I have grown around him. After that
studying, work, families, collaborative ideas that I have
accepted that I have to support and help him with what I can.
he also helped and advised me in many things.
He was always active, initiative, witty.
Bind us our friendship for more than 30 years. He was
a good friend, devoted, who was ready to help.
Every week we used to play cards and he cooked a special gyuvech
for these gatherings. It is hard to describe things, when the man is no more.
The family! For Iliyan Nikolov it was a temple! Proud father of three
sons, he cared about preservation of order and unity in the family!
I can’t imagine my life without my brother. Everything is
connected to him, every event, every story of my life is connected to
him. We have shared absolutely everything, we have supported each other
in everything, we helped each other, advise ourselves. Simply we were
that way since children. If they bought us one marchpane,
because there wasn’t chocolate, it was always divided in two.
A huge impact over my development was caused by my brother. I have
asked for advice where to go for my secondary, and for my higher education,
I have asked for advice for almost every important question. He has
been always on my side. It is very important for a man to feel that
whatever he does even in mistakes, there is someone that understands,
someone who supports, someone who forgives.
For almost 40 year we were together in everything. We were fishing,
we played tennis, lots and lots of pleasant moments trough
my entire childhood. In the mountains we walked. As a student,
in first and second course, we started to work actively with together.
My most-vivid memory was: On Rositza river, I think that were there 2 days.
Then he taught me how to fish. Naturally I was a little kid about
6 or 7 years old with a little rod and I was happy to catch the tiny fishes.
He taught me that everyone can learn to catch tiny fishes but it is most
important to learn how to catch big fish because only the fishing
masters can catch big fish, the same way it is in life.
This was a lesson for the future, which I will remember.
Probably back then I was really impressed, because I
Still remember it like it was yesterday.
His way of upbringing was solely by setting his own
example. He gave advices, from what he has being trough, what he saw,
how he understood it. Based on experience he showed how to
pass certain moments, hardships in our lives.
He tried to explain things logically, so a little
child can understand them. He explained like to a grown person
and that was something specific, he didn’t treated children as such.
He tried on equal basis to explain some things.
For me was an example, a teacher of life, great authority.
I have admired his spirit, his knowledge.
He was maybe also the smartest person I have ever known.
He could give me an advice in every field. Our favourite
topic was sports. We discussed many sport topics – football, tennis.
Mutual activities aside from the fact that I started working with
him still as a student. I have inherited his deeds so to say.
Our favourite activity was playing cards – belote.
He always explained some topic, political or some other
important thing, economical, that was happening in Bulgaria.
A real foothold in life, you can call it even column. For almost every
important thing in my life I have inquired him for advice, for the big steps
that are about to happen. In life there are many paths, you don’t know
which to follow, this or that. You are not sure that it something will
happen and his advices were really always in the right direction.
He gave me a lot of knowledge, skills and most of all an example how
to live a life. I have learned that from him. How to hold my
position, I believe that this was one of the most things for every
person to hold his position, not to bend in the face of some
hardships and temporary difficulties, to follow his path.
He loved his kin. Maybe he instilled this love into me.
We have a really big kin but all of us are like
one big family, all of us are like brothers.
In general in our family in V. Tarnovo there are many initiators.
This is a tradition to gather annually, 2 times a year.
In the past we gathered more often with or without occasions. He was initiator
of not a few of such reunions on which everyone felt
wonderful. The last one was even at the waterfall in Hotnitza.
He moved with difficulties, he was in a wheelchair then. It was
really interesting, my brother Iliyan brought his before everyone else
and when we were arriving at the place, you can see form 500 m.
a man with a hat sitting in a chair, waiting
at the middle of the field, waiting for everybody.
When we are together the feeling is very special. They are happy
when there are so many people around you that are so close to you.
The same way the old-days families were. As far as I know, my grandpa,
his father was 9th or 10th child, I’m not sure, but there were a lot of
children. That is how I feel like from the time when we gathered
for family occasions. Pleasant feeling and all in all each year we
have a new family member and makes it even more interesting and good.
In the memories of everyone, who have got close to Iliyan Nikolov,
he would remain as a man with awaken creativity, public figure,
patriot, keeper of the family memory, loving parent and grandfather.
That is why even henceforth his powerful energy, will to live and
example will spread guiding light for all us!