An awarded recipient declines a prize from Dimitar Berbatov’s charity, established to support young Bulgarians

The reasons
The 15 years old teenager is quite disappointed with Berbatov, being one of Bulgaria’s famous sportsmen and champions to sign an open letter addressed to the prime minister Borisov demanding to stop ‘the war of a bunch of pseudo ecologists’ against Bulgarian sport and winter tourism. David does not agree with the allegations addressed by the signed sportsmen, that indeed ‘250 millions has been wasted on unreasonable ecological projects’, as well as with the label these sportsmen tag the ecologist activists, i.e. ‘a bunch of pseudo ecologist’. Three days after the awards ceremony as a reply in an open letter of his own David describes that he believes those 27 sportsmen having signed their open letter is an act of defamation. David’s open letter has been published by the civil activists Bluelink and by the coalition of ‘To sustain Bulgaria’s nature’ [За да остане природа в България"> (full letter can be found below). One of Berbatov charity foundation’s sponsors is First Investment Bank (FiBank), co-owned by Tseko Minev, who’s been associated with the concessioner of Bansko ski resort, a company named ‘Yulen’. Minev is also the chairman of the Bulgarian ski federation. The above mentioned 27 sportsmen’s support of the ski tourism, dressed as an open letter addressed to the ruling government, comes in March this year during a time, in which at the one hand the Prime Minister Borisov instructs to stop the renewal of negotiations for the concession agreement held by ‘Yulen’, which governs the ski zone at Bankso, while on the other hand the lobbyists supporting the renewal of the existing concession agreement attacked the involved ecologist organizations with allegations of wasting millions of EU funds to preserve animal species.

The letter to Berbatov
David, who’s now in 8th grade, and is an active participant in all campaigns supporting Bulgarian nature against unnecessary and excessive building projects, decides to personally understand from Berbatov himself whether or not and why has he signed the open letter with the rest of the 26 sportsmen. In a published personal account of what’s happened, it becomes very clear why David takes the decision to decline this year’s prize of the footballer’s charity. During the awarding ceremony however no one from the charity announces the reasons behind David’s decision, moreover it hasn’t let the recipient himself to state and clear out his own position on the stage the day of the ceremony. Our newspaper (Dnevnik) spoke directly with David’s mother and she confirmed that this is David’s own personal decision and that at present he wouldn’t address the issue with other media as he believes it’s better to await Berbatov’s reaction and willingness to meet with him in the near days to come. Initially the teenager believed that this has been some sort of misunderstanding on behalf of Berbatov and that the famous footballer has been mislead in signing the open letter. Thus, in March, right after publishing of the open letter by all 27 sportsmen David decides to write a message directly to Berbatov being curious if he actually stays behind the words ‘pseudo ecologists’ or has someone mislead him to. By the time David takes the footballer as ‘his idol and a friend’. He never receives a reply by Berbatov . His silence is seen by David as a confirmation that Berbatov agrees with these harsh statements made against the ecologists.

David’s decision to return previously received prizes
David makes another attempt in attracting Berbatov’s attention by publishing an ad stating he is willing to sell his previous prizes [certificates"> with ironic words in rhyme: ‘Distinctions unique, trophies for the businessmen currently in their prime: I’m selling not only one, but two plaques for the cosmic price of 250 millions Bulgarian levs’. With the money collected I’ll give them in charity to those 27 Bulgarian champions, so that they can give them to their sponsor, who stays above the law to build from dusk till dawn lifts, hotels and tracks. As for the nature, let someone else take care of it!’. Soon after, his ad, along the images of his charity prize certificates are being taken down of an e-commerce website he used to publish the ad. ‘I’ve decided that should I be awarded once more to return the prize with no strings attached’, states David in writing. He believes it is only fair, when a child supported by Berbatov’s charity raises a question straight to the footballer, he is supposed and expected to reply. Despite of that, the charity declines to announce publicly David’s position during the ceremony, while at the same time Berbatov declares on stage he will personally give the prize to David, as the boy writes in his own open letter giving an account of what’s happened. At present, David still expects ‘the footballer to abide to his own words as men do’ and to hand him back personally the prize. Our newspaper (Dnevnik) has tried several times to contact by phone the charity’s manager Dimitrina Hodzheva, as well as the PR, in order to obtain their view on the story, with no success. According Hodzheva’s opinion published on Facebook ‘it’s clear that David’s aim is a publicity stunt, but instead he and his mother will become a hot topic for the charity’s lawyers’.

His open letter

Dear Mr Berbatov,

I’d give everything for my friends. I consider you also as such, and thus respect you for it. But friends should not be left in silence and ignored, they should be well taken care of and with curious intentions, as well as in a responsible manner. Has it been that difficult for you to respond with a simple answer to a question I asked you this March, did you or did you not sign that defamation stating 250 million levs have been wasted off by the ecologist community? ... I couldn’t believe that you signed off that open letter to the prime minister and was quite shocked to learn about it from the media. I vouched for you before a friend of mine to guarantee that it is impossible for you to be behind this discrediting statement. To this day I couldn’t believe that for you nature blocks the way of sports so much, that its supporters like myself rooting for its preservation be called ‘pseudo ecologists’. This is the sole reason I’ve asked you a question and 3 months and counting still no answer has been left by you. I asked you in a private message whether or not you’re of the same opinion and position as that stated in the open letter or has someone mislead you to sign it off. After some time I posted the same question on your [facebook"> post dedicated to our national day of liberty on 3rd of March, but still it’s been left unattended, voice left in a desert. No, I do not make of your ignorance a drama, but was wondering how is it possible for someone stating he follows up closely and being dedicated to the progress of each child sponsored by The Charity to leave someone without an answer for more than three months now, without even noticing me and responding to what I’ve kindly asked you? My question is still left open with no answer. I’ve accepted your silence as a sign of acceptance and agreement with the discrediting letter and given your status in society I wasn’t expecting a proper response from you. I represent the new generation, which does not tolerate to be ignored and be stopped to look for the truth behind. So after my initial disappointment it was time for my new attempt in attracting your attention, hoping for you to reply in at least one sentence! ... Right at that moment I posted the following ad on OLX: ‘Distinctions unique, trophies for the businessmen currently in their prime: I’m selling not only one, but two plaques for the cosmic price of 250 millions Bulgarian levs’. My aim is to donate those millions to all 27 Bulgarian champions, in order for them to later provide them to their sponsor, who stays above the Law, so that he can build, from dusk to dawn, lifts, hotels and tracks. As for the nature, let the others take care of it! ... Please, only buyers with series intentions must reply to the ad, which doesn’t offer help to ‘pseudo ecologists’ and have infinitive number of off-shore accounts and personally know #WHO. As a bonus present I offer to the buyer also around hundred of medals, prizes and bowls, which one couldn’t normally buy from a local shop, as the latter have been won on Shotokan karate-do world and republican championships. Alongside the above trophies you’ll get additionally around a hundred luxurious diplomas and certificates for distinguished achievements in journalism and literature contests. That whole package would include a personal signature of mine for each of the fans willing to buy it. As I’m not sponsored or funded by a scholarship I’d rely entirely on a massive support, given my task is not an easy one for a 14 years old person. I strongly hope that at least one company would get involved in my new charity campaign with the slogan: To collect 250 millions in support of 27 champions!’ Naturally, my ad went through a verification process conducted by the e-commerce platform [OLX">, and of course taken down fast enough along all images of The Foundation’s plaques. No ad, no problem! However, I did not give up and decided that should I be awarded once again by you to voluntary return the prize back, no strings attached. Because even as one becomes as popular as you’re, he should learn to root for the right cause when signing off such statements. Moreover, when a kid supported by your own Charity asks you a question you should know better, instead of having to explain yourself in front of the entire nation. If you would ask me why I refuse to accept your next prize without a second thought, I’d say the answer lies within one of my favorite writings, named Who is she?.

Yours sincerely,
David Mavrodiev