Mayor Nikolov: "Securing the Eurovision 2027 Host City Status is not the finish Line, It is only the beginning"

The selection of Burgas as host is not the final point, but the beginning of very serious work that has already begun. This was announced by Mayor Dimitar Nikolov during a press conference on the occasion of the selection of Burgas as host of Eurovision 2027.

"The final of Eurovision 2027 will be on May 15, and our ambition is to be able to report a successful hosting, high results achieved and positive impressions from all guests of Bulgaria the very next day. Until then, however, we have a lot of work ahead of us, which started on Friday," Nikolov also pointed out.

The meeting was also attended by BNT Director General Milena Milotinova. Together with Mayor Dimitar Nikolov, they spoke about the upcoming work on preparing the contest, the opportunities that the hosting creates, and the responsibility to Bulgaria.

"I thank BNT and Ms. Milotinova for agreeing to hold this meeting with the Burgas media. These are the people who believed in our success from the very beginning. Thanks to your professional coverage, the correct description of what Burgas and the region are, what our potential is and what kind of people live here, we won. All the residents of not only our city and the entire region won, Bulgaria also won," said Dimitar Nikolov.

The main tasks include global logistics, transport and air connections, bus and shuttle services, as well as coordination with transport companies, tour operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs and all institutions involved in safety. The aim is to welcome the huge number of visitors and all delegations at the highest level and make them feel at home.

"We are prepared to host more than 1,000 journalists, so this morning we toured the spaces with the mayor - to see where they can be accommodated near the production show itself, what is the distance between the press center and the production show. This is a huge chance to show our country as it is - beautiful, hospitable, a country of talents and people who are ready to accept challenges and who will prove that they can make a world event, such as the biggest music event "Eurovision", said the General Director of BNT Milena Milotinova.

Preparations have already begun. Burgas Municipality has activated activities under its local responsibility, and detailed coordination with the BNT and EBU teams regarding the remaining requirements and locations is pending.

"This morning, the mayor and I were also around Arena Burgas. During the tour, we saw the heavy equipment piled up in the area that is about to be leveled so that it can be used for the mobile television stations that will come to carry out this grandiose performance," said Milotinova.

The mayor called on all Bulgarians to accept Eurovision as a unifying national cause.

"Let the Eurovision theme be unifying. Let us show the world that we Bulgarians are united, united, creative, smiling. Let us give the opportunity for a surge of emotions here, let us show exceptional hospitality and let those who have never come to Bulgaria want to come back again. If this happens, then we have succeeded," says Dimitar Nikolov.

According to him, the interest in Burgas is already significant. In the first days after the announcement of the hosting rights, the city has come into the focus not only of the national but also of the international media.

"This is an opportunity for Bulgaria to show the world its cultural heritage, folklore, artists and traditions, including the unique Nestinar customs for the region. I am convinced that this investment in advertising time will return many times over as a positive for Bulgaria," Nikolov also said.

Particular attention will be paid to accommodation, transport, food and security. The mayor expects business to be up to the occasion and not to allow pricing practices that could negatively affect Bulgaria's image. The Burgas region has the largest bed capacity in the country and many years of experience in welcoming a large number of tourists.

"The atmosphere that the host city creates usually attracts a lot of tourists. Therefore, the atmosphere that the city will create is very important for the overall presentation of the country," added the BNT Director General, adding that one of the first things will be the project for the large stage in the "Arena Burgas" hall.

Milena Milotinova added that the real joint work between BNT and the Municipality of Burgas begins now. After the meeting with the media, an online meeting is planned between the Municipality team and the BNT team, including the specialists responsible for the show.