site.btaToday's Observances: February 10-11

February 10

The Church celebrates the Feast of St Haralambos the Apiarist.

On this day in Bulgarian history:

1878: Sofia's first mayor, Manolaki Tashev, is elected.

1879: A Constituent Assembly is convened in Tarnovo to draft the Basic Law of the Principality of Bulgaria.

1947: The Peace Treaty of Paris is signed between Germany's European allies in the Second World War (1939-1945) - Italy, Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania on the one hand, and the Allied Powers on the other hand. Comes into force on September 15, 1947.

1988: The first massive anti-government rally under the communist regime is held in Ruse, on the Danube. Between 5,000 and 6,000 locals protest the government's failure to end the city's chlorine pollution coming from Romania.

2006: Instituto Cervantes opens in Sofia.

February 11

The world:

- World Day of the Sick. Observed by Catholics since 1993. Instituted by Pope John Paul II.

- National Day of Iran: Islamic Revolution Day (1979).

- European 112 Day. Officially established by EU in 2009 to celebrate European emergency number.

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1856: First Bulgarian chitalishte (reading-room community centre) is established in Svishtov (Northwestern Bulgaria).

1971: Bulgaria signs Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil Thereof (in effect for Bulgaria May 18, 1972).

1997: Parliamentary parties sign three instruments proclaiming national consensus on anti-crisis moves. Bulgaria begins to recover from financial and economic collapse.

1999: National Assembly ratifies Memorandum of Understanding between Bulgarian Government and European Commission establishing National Fund (signed December 7, 1998, effective February 26, 1999).