site.btaObservances: April 18-21

April 18

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1928: 7-point earthquake epicentred in Popovitsa hits Southern Bulgaria, destroying one-third of City of Plovdiv, killing 120 people and injuring more than 1,000.

1957: Cultural Monuments Institute is set up.

1969: Diplomatic relations established with Peru.

1980: Diplomatic relations established with Zimbabwe.

April 19

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1920: Entente Powers conference in Sanremo, Italy, gives Bulgaria control over free zone on Aegean coast at Dedeagac (today's Alexandroupolis in Northeastern Greece).

1941: Bulgarian troops enter Macedonia and Western Thrace to honour obligations assumed by Bulgaria as party to Tripartite Pact, to which it acceded on March 1, 1941.

1941: Diplomatic relations established with Croatia at legation level.

1944: Discovery of Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, remarkable for its murals recognized as artistic masterpieces of Hellenistic period; inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

2007: European Parliament Information Office in Sofia is inaugurated by then European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering.

April 20

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1846: First issue of "Bulgarski Orel" ("Bulgarian Eagle") newspaper comes out in Leipzig, Germany, edited by Ivan Bogorov.

1906: 37-member air force is set up within Engineer Troops.

1918: Diplomatic relations are established with Norway at legation level (promoted to embassy level on October 31, 1964).

1984: Hristo Prodanov becomes first Bulgarian to climb Mt Everest.

April 21

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1921: Botev Vratsa football club is established.

1935: Prime Minister Andrei Toshev forms cabinet of military and civilian figures who favour concentration of political power in the hands of King Boris III. Lasts until November 23, 1935.

1946: Sofia Puppet Theatre stages its first performance.

2004: Diplomatic Institute under Foreign Minister is unveiled in Sofia.

2004: Law on receivables guaranteed to workers in case of employer's bankruptcy is adopted.