site.btaObservances: February 4

The world:

- World Cancer Day;

- International Day of Human Fraternity;

- National Day of Sri Lanka: Independence Day (1948).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1923: Assassination attempt against Prime Minister Alexander Stamboliiski and three of his ministers at National Theatre in Sofia.

1944: British and US aircraft bomb Dupnitsa (Southwestern Bulgaria) during World War II, killing 59 people and injuring another 33.

1952: Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (now Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) instituted by Council of Ministers decree.

1997: Amid political and financial crisis, Consultative Council on National Security decides on conduct of early parliamentary elections on April 4.

1998: Aircraft of commercial carrier Air Sofia crashes at Azores, killing all seven crew.

2005: National Assembly votes its Chairman Ognyan Gerdjikov out of office on motion by opposition.

2008: In Sofia, European Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva and Minister of Economy and Energy Petar Dimitrov open a European Consumer Centre, thereby connecting Bulgaria to the European network of consumer centres. This network includes all member states of the European Union, Iceland and Norway.