The 42nd Sofia International Book Fair opened in the National Palace of Culture (NPC) on Tuesday, gathering together more than 200 exhibitors from Bulgaria, Hungary, Iran, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Spain.

"The significant international participation is a proof of the success of the fair and the importance of this initiative for Bulgaria," the country's President Rosen Plevneliev said at the opening ceremony.

He was glad to see many school buses in front of the NPC, and many children would get acquainted with interesting books from around the world in the coming days, Plevneliev said.

Vesselin Todorov, President of the Bulgarian Book Association, the event organizer, said this is the biggest fair in its 46-year history, with exhibitors placed from the ground floor to the fourth floor, and almost all the NPC occupied by books and accompanying events.

He said Romania is the official guest of the six-day event, with a huge booth and over 40 visiting writers and poets.

Miroslav Borshosh, NPC's Executive Director, said the four floors full of books and exhibitors proved that Bulgarian people still love books.

Alexandru Oprean, Romania's State Secretary of Cultural Ministry, who also attended the ceremony, said he hoped the cultural bridges between the two neighboring countries would become increasingly shorter in the future.