site.btaToday's Observances: April 27-28

April 27

The world:

- National Day of Togo. Independence Day (from French-administered UN trusteeship in 1960);
- National Day of Sierra Leone. Republic Day (independence from UK in 1961);
- National Day of the Netherlands. King's Day (King Willem-Alexander's birthday in 1967); 
- National Day of Republic of South Africa.  Freedom Day (first democratic general election in 1994).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1881: Prince Alexander I disbands National Assembly, deposes Petko Karavelov's Government, appoints Johan Casimir Ehrnrooth caretaker prime minister and suspends Tarnovo Constitution.

1963: Bulgaria's first electrified railway line (156 km) between Sofia and Plovdiv is inaugurated.

1998: Memorandum is signed with Gazprom on further development of Bulgarian-Russian relations in natural gas supply. 

2006: Bulgaria, Russia and Ukraine sign an agreement on cooperation in transport of nuclear materials.

2006: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits for informal NATO ministerial (April 27-28). Bulgaria and US sign Defence Cooperation Agreement. 

April 28

The world: 

- World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

On this date in Bulgarian history: 

1951: The Brushlyan Irrigation System, this country's first engineering irrigation system, goes into operation. 

1963: Telephone factory opens in Belogradchik.

1963: An electric hoist factory opens in Gabrovo, the biggest manufacturer of electric rope hoists in Central and Eastern Europe.

1964: Diplomatic relations with Italy are upgraded to embassy level. 

1971: Diplomatic relations are established with Ecuador at embassy level.   

2006: Bulgaria and the United States sign a Defence Cooperation Agreement, which includes the range, order and conditions of the shared use of several military facilities on Bulgarian territory.