site.btaBulgaria Celebrates Day of Valour and Bulgarian Armed Forces Day

With a blessing of the battle flags and sacred banners, the Day of Valour and the Bulgarian Armed Forces Day - May 6 - will be marked in the capital, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Sofia with a helicopter flyover carrying the national flag of the Republic of Bulgaria. The blessing will be officiated by Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil.

The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria Iliana Iotova will receive the guard of honour and pay tribute at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. She will deliver an address, the head of State's press centre said.

The ceremonial ritual will be attended by caretaker Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov, Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, and senior officers of the Bulgarian Army. Invited to attend are National Assembly Chair Mihaela Dotsova, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, National Assembly deputy chairs, the leaders of the parliamentary represented political forces, the floor leaders and deputy floor leaders of the parliamentary groups, representatives of the caretaker Cabinet, State institutions, local authorities, religious communities in Bulgaria, the diplomatic and military diplomatic corps and military patriotic unions.

During the performance of the national anthem at the blessing of the battle flags, 20 artillery salutes will be fired.

As a sign of gratitude to the Bulgarian soldiers who died for the freedom of Bulgaria, wreaths and flowers will be laid at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.

At the end of the ritual, following the ceremonial march of the representative companies, C-27J Spartan, Su-25, F-16 Block 70 and MiG-29 aircraft will fly over Alexander Nevsky Square.

Later, at noon, a ceremonial changing of the guard will take place in front of the President's Administration building. Afterwards, the head of State will welcome youth guard detachments and their volunteers at the presidential institution.