Bulgaria celebrates National Liberation Day (update)

On 3rd of March, Bulgaria celebrates its national liberation from almost 500 years of Ottoman rule.

On this date in 1878, the Peace Treaty of San Stefano (a small town near Istanbul) was signed, which put an end to the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878 and marked the re-establishment of Bulgaria as a sovereign state.

3rd of March was honoured for the first time in 1880, on the occasion of the Enthronement of Russian Emperor Alexander the Second. Since 1888, it has become Bulgaria’s Day of Liberation, but it was not declared a National Holiday until 1978.

With a Parliamentary Decree from 1990, 3rd of March was included in the list of Bulgaria’s official holidays.

As part of the tradition, every year, solemn ceremonies along with cultural shows and street parades are held throughout the country, particularly in cities and towns, where key battles took place in the Russo-Turkish War. During the ceremonies, a list of names is read out in remembrance of those who gave their lives in the fight for independence, followed by firework displays.

Wreaths and flowers are laid at monuments that symbolise the liberation.

March 3, 2023 marks 145 years since the liberation of the country. The anniversary is celebrated with a number of events across the country. The historic Mount Shipka is one of the centers of the celebrations. Hundreds gathered at the monument on the mount to mark the National Day.

Caretaker Prime Minister Galab Donev, dignitaries and many members of the public took part in the solemn ceremony.

The ceremonial hoisting of the Bulgarian flag at the Unknown Soldier Monument was held in Sofia.

The event started at 11:00 a.m. when Bulgaria's President and Commander-in-Chief, Rumen Radev, was welcomed by the head of the National Guard. He greeted the servicemen, who were dressed in the uniforms of the different types of troops in our country.

The flag was hoisted while the national anthem was played and gun salutes by cannon were fired as a mark of respect.

The Head of State laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and held a minute's silence in honour of those who died for the freedom of the country.

Official guests at today's ceremony were politicians, ministers from the caretaker cabinet, the entire diplomatic corps, military attachés, veterans, heads of the main religions in Bulgaria, as well as Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha (Bulgaria's former Prime Minister and ex king).

The culmination of the National Liberation Day celebrations is tonight with the ceremonial fireworks display at the National Assembly Square in Sofia, which BNT will broadcast live at 18:30.

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva

image by BNT