site.btaToday's Observances: May 5-6

MAY 5

Orthodox Easter falls on this day in 2024.

The world:

• Europe Day (for the Council of Europe);
• Constitution Day of the Kyrgyz Republic;
• European Day for Independent Living;

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1876: The first issue of the "Nova Bulgaria" (New Bulgaria) newspaper, published by Bulgarian poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev, comes out in Bucharest.

1925: The country's first job centres are established by law and unemployment benefits are introduced.

1948: The CSKA Sofia football club is set up.

1949: The Bulgaria Concert Hall opens, rebuilt after WWII bombing.

1981: The first spring installment of the Plovdiv Fair is unveiled.

1992: The National Assembly ratifies the Statute of the Council of Europe.

MAY 6

The Orthodox Church marks the Feast Day of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious (St George's Day). 

Bulgaria:

- Day of Valour and the Armed Forces (public holiday).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1651: The first printed book in Modern Bulgarian, "Abagar" by Filip Stanislavov, is published in Rome.

2004: The Criminal Court in Benghazi, Libya sentences five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor to death on charges of intentionally infecting over 400 Libyan children with AIDS. The initial arrest of the Bulgarian medics in Libya comes in 1999. In 2007, they are transferred to their home country through the assistance of Western nations, and are effectively released.