site.btaMay 24 Marked as Sts Cyril and Methodius Day to Become Official Holiday in Serbia

Belgrade, May 21 (BTA spec. corr. Nelly Zheleva) - May 24, the Day of Sts brothers Cyril and Methodius who invented the Slavonic script, will be marked for the first time in Serbia this year, the Secretary General of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Nikola Selakovic told reporters here. Selakovic and Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova laid wreaths to the monument of Sts Cyril and Methodius in Belgrade on Sunday.

In May 18 to 20 Iotova made a tour of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Serbia on the occasion of the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of Slav Letters, May 24.

Selakovic said that on Vucic's initiative, which is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information, a bill will be tabled to include May 24 in the list of official holidays in Serbia as of next year.

Iotova expressed satisfaction that Bulgaria and Serbia will be able to mark May 24 as a joint holiday.

Iotova said he heard praises about the May 17 EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia and that the forum was well received in Serbia.