site.btaObservances: January 17-18

January 17

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1878: City of Yambol (Southeastern Bulgaria) is liberated from Ottoman rule during Russo-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878).

1991: Bulgaria officially applies for full membership of Council of Europe.

1996: In Zagreb, Presidents Zhelyu Zhelev of Bulgaria and Franjo Tudjman of Croatia sign bilateral Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

1998: Explosive device goes off in front of editorial offices of newspapers published by Media Holding AD in Sofia. Nobody is hurt. Neighbouring buildings sustain damages.

1999: EU-Bulgaria Joint Consultative Committee holds its constituent meeting.

2008: Russian President Vladimir Putin pays two-day official visit to Sofia at invitation of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov. Bilateral agreements on South Stream Gas Pipeline, on construction of Belene N-Plant, and on establishment of international project company for building Burgas-Alexandroupolis Oil Pipeline are signed during Putin's visit.

January 18

The world:

Beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25)

The Orthodox Church marks the Feast Day of St Athanasios and St Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria, and St Joachim, Patriarch of Tarnovo.

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1885: Parliament passes an Act Establishing the Bulgarian National Bank.

1992: Diplomatic relations established with Armenia at embassy level.

2007: The European Parliament passes a resolution in support of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor, sentenced to death on December 19, 2006 on charges of intentionally infecting some 400 Libyan children with the HIV virus that causes AIDS.