site.btaCommittee in Favour of Keeping March 3 as National Holiday Proposes Referendum

An initiative committee, which insists on preserving March 3 as Bulgaria's national holiday, submitted an application to the National Assembly here on Thursday to conduct a referendum on the matter.

MEP Petar Vitanov who is a member of the committee told reporters: "We are absolutely convinced of the need to keep March 3 as our national holiday. We declared this two weeks ago, now we are just manifesting what we declared". He pointed out that the committee is comprised of politicians, public figures, scientists, journalists, athletes, NGO representatives.

From the submission of Thursday's application, the initiative committee will have three months to collect the required number of signatures, Vitanov explained. He has no doubt that the required number will be reached.

The MEP said that this cause is non-partisan and concerns the whole nation. He added that the committee's goal is not to politicize the issue but to find out whether the public is in favour of keeping national holiday.

On July 23, 2023, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, together with the "Justice for Everyone" initiative, presented their draft amendments to the Constitution, which included having May 24 become the country's national holiday. In Bulgaria, May 24 is celebrated as the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of Slav Letters.