Last weekend more than 200 European liberals and democrats came together for the ALDE Party Council in Sofia, Bulgaria.

On Saturday 28 April ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen MEP and MRF leader Mustafa Karadayi officially opened the Council in a full room at the Hilton Hotel.

Hans van Baalen MEP initiated the ceremony spreading a grateful message to MRF, our co-host of the Council, for their role in Bulgaria and the European Union.

#ALDEcouncil starts now in #Sofia with more than 300 #Liberals all over #Europe @ALDEParty @ALDEgroup @dps_news @hansvanbaalen @KARADAYI_DPS pic.twitter.com/aIZdOy4BkY

— Ilhan Kyuchyuk (@ilhankyuchyuk) April 28, 2018

.@hansvanbaalen: “Congratulations @KARADAYI_DPS for what you are doing for your country and for the European Union. Let’s debate!” #ALDEcouncil pic.twitter.com/VGOWoGbGwC

— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) April 28, 2018

MRF leader Mustafa Karadayi said: “We, MRF, will be an active participant in the debate of the future of the European Union. Our first priority is to free the Western Balkans from populism and nationalism."

"We believe that the unique ethnic model of Bulgaria, which guaranteed a peaceful transition in our country, could work well for the rest of the Balkans,” he added.

.@KARADAYI_DPS: “We believe that the unique ethnic model of #Bulgaria, which guaranteed a peaceful transition in our country, could work well for the rest of the #Balkans” #ALDEcouncil pic.twitter.com/0l38KeGkpL

— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) April 28, 2018

You can watch the livestream of the two speeches here.

The event attracted plenty of media attention with Bulgarian TV, radio and print journalists present.

Plenty of #media attention to #ALDEcouncil in #Sofia 🇧🇬 ALDE Party Vice President @ilhankyuchyuk talking to the Bulgarian press 🎥 pic.twitter.com/QkajiSuHzg

— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) April 28, 2018

Take a look at some of the best moments from the Opening Ceremony on our Flickr album.