site.btaBulgaria Celebrates Its National Day on March 3

March 3 (BTA) - Bulgaria celebrated its national day on
Sunday. March 3 marks the 141st anniversary of the signing of
the Preliminary Peace Treaty of San Stefano in 1878, which ended
 the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish War and restored Bulgarian
statehood.

On Sunday morning, the national flag was ceremoniously raised in
 front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Sofia in the
presence of the President of the Republic and Supreme
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Rumen Radev and other
senior officials. The national anthem was played and a 20-gun
salute was fired as the flag went up.

Earlier, at the St Alexander Nevsky Memorial Cathedral,
Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte conducted a memorial service for
those fallen for Bulgaria freedom and independence and a
thanksgiving prayer service for the country's national day.

A solemn changing of the guard took place in front of the
President's Administration at noon.

National day observances were also held on Mt Shipka in the
Central Balkan Range (the scene of a decisive battle during the
1877-1878 war), which was addressed by National Assembly Chair
Tsveta Karayancheva, and in Pleven, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and
Kazanluk, among other locations.

In the evening, President Radev reviewed troops in the square in
 front of Parliament building and made a speech at a tattoo and
roll call ceremony. Later on, the head of State hosted a
traditional March 3 reception at the Central Military Club.
RY/LG