site.btaToday's Observances: October 27

The world:

- National Day of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Independence Day (1979).

- National Day of Turkmenistan: Independence Day (1991).

- World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (proclaimed by UNESCO in 2006).

- World Pasta Day.

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1889: Princely Natural History Museum established in Sofia (Bulgaria's oldest museum). Reorganized as stand-alone research entity with Bulgarian Academy of Sciences named National Museum of Natural History in 1974.

1912: Turkish garrison in Salonika surrenders as Bulgarian 7th Rila Division and Greek troops enter city during First Balkan War (1912-1913).

1934: State-owned high-altitude part of Mt Vitosha is proclaimed national park on area of 6,410 ha (Bulgaria's and Balkans' first national park).

1946: Elections of 6th Grand National Assembly are held.

1996: First round of presidential elections.

1999: Veliko Tarnovo joins European Association of Historic Towns and Regions as individual member.

2001: Fire erupts on Bulgarian oil tanker Khan Asparukh in Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. 100,000 t tanker is largest ship built in Bulgaria. Sold to breakers in India in 2003.