Amid deliberations over amendments to the Constitution, the proposition to alter Bulgaria’s national holiday has been abandoned between the initial and subsequent readings. Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Radomir Cholakov, made this announcement from the parliamentary podium ahead of the second vote on revisions to the Basic Law.
The proposed change aimed to designate May 24 as the new national holiday, replacing the current celebration on March 3. Advocates of the modification intended to elevate the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture, emphasizing the cultural and literary heritage it represents. Cholakov stressed, “We aim to reinforce our lineage as descendants of enlightened individuals and signal a future rooted in scientific progress.”
The proposal sparked intense debates, prompting the formation of an initiative committee that gathered signatures advocating for a referendum on the matter. Initially supported by GERB, the party’s leader, Boyko Borissov, later withdrew his backing from the initiative.
The decision to discard the proposal follows contentious discourse surrounding the potential alteration, which stirred diverse opinions and drew attention to the significance of historical and cultural symbolism embedded within national holidays.