The Topic of Changing the Bulgarian National Holiday caused Debates in Parliament

The Liberty Memorial at Shipka peak symbolyzes the liberation of Bulgaria which is celebrated on March 3; Photo @Tsvetelina Georgieva

The subject of a possible change of the Bulgarian national holiday from March 3 to May 24 became an occasion for comments on the sidelines and declarations in the plenary hall.

The leaders of the ruling majority: Kiril Petkov, Boyko Borissov and Hristo Ivanov preferred to defend their view that May 24 should be the new national holiday with the argument that then "we celebrate Bulgarian writing and culture". The opposition stated that the holiday should remain on March 3 because this is the date Bulgaria returns to the political map of Europe.

Here is what the representatives of the parties commented:

Boyko Borissov, GERB-SDS: "May 24 is an exceptional holiday, there is no dispute about that. There is a dispute whether it is this, that or something else."

Kiril Petkov, WCC-DB: "In the spirit of the Bulgarian Constitution, there must be knowledge, literacy, culture, education. We must promise our children that only through education, culture, literacy and enlightenment can Bulgaria prosper".

Hristo Ivanov, WCC-DB: "Regarding May 24, the question is not about one or the other side, about one or another division - the question is about Bulgaria and how we ourselves want to tell our children the history of our homeland".

Kostadin Kostadinov, "Vazrazhdane": "March 3 is not just a national holiday of Bulgaria, it is a symbol of Bulgarian freedom, it is the day of freedom. Yes, in our country freedom and independence are different and some skilled, politically impure speculators allow themselves to use this fact and touch Bulgarian history with their dirty fingers and make fun of it".

Borislav Gutsanov, BSP: "You, respected or rather disrespected colleagues, are inclined to sacrifice everything native in order to prove your correct political orientation, as you say it, and once again to kneel before whom - surely you do know".

Ivaylo Valchev, "There Is Such a People": "With all my Bulgarian and Slavic soul and with all my Euro-Atlantic reason, I cannot understand where the problem is regarding March 3. You can change the holidays, there are enough of you here, but you can't change history".

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