site.btaObservances: February 12

The world:

- Red Hand Day (a global initiative observed since 2002 to combat the use of children in armed conflicts; on this day, thousands of children around the world make a red handprint on a piece of paper to say "stop" to this practice) 

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1875: First issue of semiweekly scientific-political magazine Den, edited by Prof. Stefan Bobchev (1853-1940), comes out in Constantinople.

1910: Coastal artillery formed in Varna (on the Black Sea). 

1945: Council of Ministers adopts Statutory Ordinance on most recent Bulgarian spelling reform (gazetted February 27, 1945).

1947: Association of Bulgarian Composers and Music Historians is established (renamed Union of Bulgarian Composers in 1954). 

1947: Diplomatic relations with UK are restored at legation level (upgraded to embassy level on December 3, 1963).

1990: First issue of Demokratsiya daily, established by Union of Democratic Forces, comes out (folds on June 29, 2002). 

1991: National Service for Combating Organized Crime is established.

1999: Bulgaria signs Statute of International Criminal Court in The Hague.

2003: Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry assumes chairmanship of Central European Chambers of Commerce Initiative.

2014: Parliament rejects a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski's government over failure in the areas of internal security and public order, failure to deal with the refugee problem, escalating smuggling, relentless petty crime, and the issue of wiretapping. 

2015: The National Assembly adopts amendments to the Ministry of Interior Act, whereby the Interior Ministry Chief Secretary shall be appointed by presidential decree upon the Council of Ministers' proposal.