Bulgaria to test early warning system, BG-Alert on October 1

Tests of Bulgaria’s civil defence early warning siren and loudspeaker system and of the BG-Alert – the system to warn the public via mobile operators of dangerous events – will be carried out on October 1 2026.

For years, it has been customary to test the civil defence early warning system twice a year, on April 1 and October 1. Recent years have seen some cancellations of the test, such as immediately after Russia’s 2022 illegal invasion of Ukraine, with the cancellation intended to avoid panic among the public.

The test of the early warning system, involving sirens and voice announcements, will be at 11am in Bulgaria’s major cities and towns.

The purpose of the test is to check the technical readiness and functioning of the system. The public is not required to take any action.

The test of the BG-Alert system will be from 11am to 11.30am.

To receive the test signal, the settings on a phone to do so must be activated. In a genuine emergency, activation of the settings is not required.