site.btaToday's Observances: February 1

The world:

Orthodox Church marks Feast Day of Holy Martyr Tryphon, patron saint of vine growers.

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1887: Bulgaria's first permanent weather station opens in Sofia.

1898: Oskar Iskander is appointed Director of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, the present-day Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), five days after it is established (in office until June 23, 1898).

1945: Three regents, 22 ministers of five governments (in office between February 11, 1940 and September 8, 1944), 8 royal advisers, 67 MPs of 25th Ordinary National Assembly and 47 senior military officers are executed at Sofia's Central Cemetery after being sentenced to death earlier that day by 'People's Court' Panels One and Two.

1991: Prices of all goods and services except electricity, heat, LPG and coal are liberalized.

1995: Bulgaria's EU Association Agreement, signed in Brussels on March 8, 1993, enters into force.