The National Day of Bulgaria was celebrated with the laying of flowers and wreaths at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Sofia and the raising of the national flag. The ceremony was attended by Vice President Iliana Iotova, Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil and Bulgaria’s Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov.

“For me, this is the brightest date because March 3 is the resurrection of a nation and a state”, said Vice President Iotova.

Patriarch Daniil emphasized the importance of the holiday as a symbol and a memory of those who gave their lives for the freedom of the homeland.

The center of the March 3 celebrations was also the historical mount of "Saint Nicholas" - Shipka, where Bulgarians from different parts of the country gathered to honor the self-sacrifice of those who died for freedom.

 "We live in dynamic and difficult times, times of transformations and challenges not seen before. But the imperative to protect the homeland and to make efforts to develop it as a democratic, legal and social state remains", said National Assembly Speaker Natalia Kiselova.

The culmination of the celebrations for the national holiday will be the ceremonial fireworks display at the National Assembly Square. President Rumen Radev will salute the representative units of the Bulgarian army.