Bulgaria’s public holidays and long weekends in 2021
Those keen to bid farewell to 2020 may take it as a good sign that 2021 begins with a long weekend, with the 1st falling on a Friday.
In Bulgaria, 2021 offers not only a number of long weekends, but the chance for a more prolonged break at the end of April and the first week of May.
In 2021, the Orthodox Easter Friday is on April 30. May 1, Labour Day, falling on a Saturday adds a special public holiday on Tuesday May 4, the day after the Orthodox Easter Monday holiday. May 6, Bulgaria’s St George’s Day, follows on Thursday. That means that the only two official working days are May 5 and 7, likely to be temptation to many to take leave to create a 10-day break.
As to breakaway holiday prospects by then, much will depend, of course, on the development of the Covid-19 situation in Bulgaria.
The next long weekends in 2021 in Bulgaria follow with May 24, the Day of Bulgarian Learning, falling on a Monday, and September 6, Unification Day, also on a Monday.
In 2021, Christmas Eve is on a Friday. The fact that the 25th and 26th are on a Saturday and Sunday means that Monday and Tuesday, December 27 and 28, will be special public holidays – reducing the working week to three days (for those who do not rush in their leave forms).
The remaining public holidays are midweek – March 3, Bulgaria’s national day, on a Wednesday, and September 22, Independence Day, also on a Wednesday.
For some school pupils, there is the prospect of two further days off. In 2021, Bulgaria is due to hold parliamentary elections, which President Roumen Radev has said he will decree for March 28, and presidential elections in the autumn. Traditionally in Bulgaria, schools used as polling stations are closed the following day.
For faith groups other than Eastern Orthodox Christians, Bulgarian labour law and legislation on the civil service permits days off, either as paid or unpaid leave, for these groups’ holiest days. Bulgaria’s Cabinet decrees such a list each year. Those for 2021 may be found, in Bulgarian, at this link.
The list of public holidays in Bulgaria in 2021:
January 1: New Year’s Day
March 3: Liberation Day, Bulgaria’s national day
April 30: Good Friday (Eastern Orthodox)
May 1: Labour Day
May 2: Easter (Eastern Orthodox)
May 3: Easter Monday (Eastern Orthodox)
May 4: Special public holiday because of May 1 being on a Saturday
May 6: St George’s Day and Armed Forces Day
May 24: Day of Bulgarian Learning
September 6: Unification Day
September 22: Independence Day
December 24: Christmas Eve
December 25: Christmas Day
December 26: Christmas Day, second day
December 27 and 28: Special public holidays because of Christmas days being on a Saturday and Sunday.
(Illustration: Pixabay)
Please support independent journalism by clicking on the orange button below. For as little as three euro a month or the equivalent in other currencies, you can support The Sofia Globe via patreon.com and get access to exclusive subscriber-only content:
