site.btaToday's Observances: April 26-27

April 26

The world:

- World Intellectual Property Day

- National Day of Tanzania, Union Day (since 1964).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1876: Bulgarian revolutionaries gather for a meeting in the area of Oborishte (Central Bulgaria), during which a decision is made to declare an uprising against Ottoman rule.

1913: Bulgaria and Romania sign a protocol whereby Bulgaria cedes Silistra and the adjoining area to Romania.

1948: The Science and Art state publishing house is established.

1990: The Movement for Rights and Freedoms is registered under the Political Parties Act.

1994: Diplomatic relations established with Liechtenstein. 2000: The 38th National Assembly passes an act declaring the communist regime in Bulgaria criminal.

2002: Bulgarian-Arab Chamber for Economic Cooperation is set up in Varna.

April 27

The world:

- National Day of Togo. Independence Day (from French-administered UN trusteeship in 1960);
- National Day of Sierra Leone. Republic Day (independence from UK in 1961);
- National Day of the Netherlands. King's Day (King Willem-Alexander's birthday in 1967); 
- National Day of Republic of South Africa.  Freedom Day (first democratic general election in 1994).

On this date in Bulgarian history:

1881: Prince Alexander I disbands National Assembly, deposes Petko Karavelov's Government, appoints Johan Casimir Ehrnrooth caretaker prime minister and suspends Tarnovo Constitution.

1963: Bulgaria's first electrified railway line (156 km) between Sofia and Plovdiv is inaugurated.

1998: Memorandum is signed with Gazprom on further development of Bulgarian-Russian relations in natural gas supply. 

2006: Bulgaria, Russia and Ukraine sign an agreement on cooperation in transport of nuclear materials.

2006: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits for informal NATO ministerial (April 27-28). Bulgaria and US sign Defence Cooperation Agreement.