The village of Gomotartsi keeps alive local traditions in wine production, yet also faces problems

published on 7/24/24 11:21 AM

Village of Gomotartsi

Photo: BNR-Vidin

The village of Gomotartsi in the region of Vidin has a strange history. It was once located in another place, miles away from where it is now. After a terrible plague struck a large part of its inhabitants, the survivors decided to burn their houses and look for a new place to settle. They chose the big river bend, and the high bank also attracted settlers from beyond the Danube, where the water often flooded the lowland.

From 1934 to 1947, today's northwestern village of Gomotartsi was called Evdokia after the sister of Tsar Boris III, Princess Evdokia. Its current name "gomotartsi" means hustle and bustle, noise from the gathering of many people in one place. ‎

In the past, its inhabitants were more than 1,200, and today only about 650. The settlement has many natural and economic features - fertile land, abundant water, proximity to the regional center of Vidin. Unfortunately, however, the school was closed, and today local children need to travel by bus to schools in Vidin. The village has its coat of arms though, which depicts the livelihood in it - wheat, corn and sunflower plantations, fishing and vineyards. ‎

"The grape varieties grown here are mostly Italian - cabernet, merlot, and at one time we also produced the novoselska gamza variety, but investors started to grow better quality and productive varieties," the mayor of the village Zhelyazko Stankov explained to BNR Vidin. ‎

As for the jobs in the village, according to the mayor, they are in different areas and there are almost no unemployed people here:‎

"The current livelihood comes mainly from the vineyards, we are waiting for the alcohol distillery to be built as well. We have two protected housing, 12 people work there.... We have no unemployment, there are those who do not want to work and are waiting for assistance. According to the program no units are allocated for employment, we don't have people to take care of cleanliness. Now, since July 1, we have one free available position but it is little." ‎

The people of Gomotartsi are proud of their church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. It was built by local residents in 1916, with an iron structure. It was painted by painter Krastyo Yankov from Debar. The church has two bells, one of which is from Romania, and the building has been renovated, with renewed painted murals.

The mayor expresses his satisfaction that there is a permanently operating health service in the village:

"It's very lucky, and I don't know if people appreciate it, that we have a doctor available in the village. We also have a bus, but it remains without passengers because people travel in their private cars." ‎

The community center in the village also works actively, says its secretary Iskra Panteva:‎

"At the moment we have a vocal group "Dunavia", with which we travel to festivals, gatherings. I work a lot with the children during the holidays. The library bus of the Vidin library often comes. We are one of the big villages and in the summer there are many children we can work with."‎

The people in Gomotartsi also share some of their everyday troubles, although they admit that they live quietly and peacefully. Among the shortcomings of the village is the lack of well-maintained infrastructure, due to the low budget available to the mayor:

"The roads are in a very bad condition. A total of BGN 50,000 is the capital expenditure, we have been given BGN 50,000 to put asphalt on 100 meters of road and we are done. This year, 25 thousand leva will be used to repair the community hall and 25 thousand leva will be invested in the internal renovation of the town hall building, because it has not been renovated for 50 years," explains mayor Zhelyazko Stankov in conclusion.‎

Read more about life in villages in Bulgaria's Northwest:

Compiled by Joan Kolev

Photos: BNR-Vidin, Plamen Genchev, "Prosveta-1928" Community Center Gomotartsi

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The village of Gomotartsi keeps alive local traditions in wine production, yet also faces problems

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