site.btaObservances: July 12-13

July 12

Bulgaria:

- Holiday of the National Guard Unit.

The world:

- National Day of Kiribati. Independence Day (1979);

- National Day of Sao Tome and Principe. Independence Day (1975).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1951: Press Directorate with Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reorganized and renamed Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) by Bulgarian Communist Party Central Committee Politburo Decision No. 51. BTA becomes news organization in its own right.

1964: Bulgaria and Greece upgrade their diplomatic missions to embassy level (established September 9, 1880 at diplomatic agency level, severed June 16, 1913, re-established March 16, 1914 at legation level, severed July 2, 1917, re-established August 8, 1920, severed April 23, 1941, re-established May 22, 1954 at legation level).

1991: Seventh Grand National Assembly adopts Constitution of Republic of Bulgaria, which supersedes Constitution of May 18, 1971.

July 13

The world:

- National Day of Montenegro: Statehood Day (1878).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1999: Parliament adopts Water Act regulating ownership and management of water resources and ownership of water systems and facilities.

2003: Plovdiv Mayor Ivan Chomakov unveils renovated Brezovsko Chaussee, a major thoroughfare.

2008: Women's chapter of GERB party, called Women GERB, is founded in Sofia.