Official Public Holidays and Non-Working Days in 2025
Article 157 of the Bulgarian Labor Code defines the official public holidays and non-working days that employers are required to provide to their employees. On this page, you will find an up-to-date calendar of non-working days for 2025 under this article. These days are designated for celebrating national holidays and significant historical events.
If an official public holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), the day off is compensated with an additional non-working day on the next business day.
Legend
Official Public Holidays and Non-Working Days in 2025
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January 1New Year's Day
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March 3Liberation Day of Bulgaria from Ottoman Rule
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April 18 - 21Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday)
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May 1Labor Day and International Workers' Solidarity
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May 6St. George's Day, Day of Bravery and the Bulgarian Army
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May 24Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture
! May 26 is an additional non-working day because May 24 is on a Saturday.
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September 6Unification Day
! September 8 is an additional non-working day because September 6 is on a Saturday.
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December 24Christmas Eve
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December 25, 26Christmas (Nativity of Christ)
School Calendar 2024/2025 – Vacations, Non-School Days, and National Exams
Start and End Dates of School Vacations for the 2024/2025 Academic Year (Excluding Summer Vacation):
- October 31, 2024 – November 3, 2024 Autumn Vacation
- December 21, 2024 – January 2, 2025 Christmas Vacation
- February 5, 2025Mid-Term Vacation
- March 29, 2025 – April 6, 2025Spring Vacation for Grades I – XI
- April 4, 2025 – April 6, 2025Spring Vacation for Grade XII
Non-School Days for the 2024/2025 Academic Calendar:
- May 21, 2025Mandatory State Matriculation Exam in Bulgarian Language and Literature
- May 23, 2025Second Mandatory State Matriculation Exam and Mandatory State Exam for Acquiring Professional Qualification
Start of the Second School Term for the 2024/2025 Academic Year:
- February 6, 2025Start of the Second School Term for Grades I – XII
End of the Second School Term for the 2024/2025 Academic Year:
- May 15, 2025End of the Second Term for Grade XII (13 school weeks, 65 school days)
- June 2, 2025End of the Second Term for Grades I – III (14 school weeks, 70 school days)
- June 16, 2025End of the Second Term for Grades IV – VI (16 school weeks, 80 school days)
- June 30, 2025End of the Second Term for Grades V – VI (18 school weeks for sports school classes, 90 school days)
- June 30, 2025End of the Second Term for Grades VII – XI (18 school weeks + 2 or 4 weeks of vocational training between July 1 – August 31, 2025, for vocational training or dual education system classes in Grades X and XI, 90 school days)
Exams and External Assessments (NVO and DZI) for the 2024/2025 Academic Year:
- May 21, 2025Mandatory State Matriculation Exam in Bulgarian Language and Literature
- May 23, 2025Second Mandatory State Matriculation Exam and Mandatory State Exam for Acquiring Professional Qualification
- June 3, 2025Bulgarian Language and Literature
- June 4, 2025Mathematics
- June 18, 2025Bulgarian Language and Literature
- June 19, 2025Foreign Language (optional for students)
- June 20, 2025Mathematics
- June 13, 2025Bulgarian Language and Literature
- June 16, 2025Mathematics
- June 17, 2025Information Technology for Digital Competency Assessment (optional)
- June 19, 2025Foreign Language (optional for students)
The dates for the State Matriculation Exams (DZI) in Grade 12 are non-school days, while the dates for all National External Assessments (NVO) are school days.
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Article 154, paragraph 1 of the Labor Code defines the official public holidays in the Republic of Bulgaria for the year, which are:
- January 1 – New Year’s Day;
- March 3 – Liberation Day of Bulgaria from Ottoman Rule – National Holiday;
- May 1 – International Workers’ Day;
- May 6 – St. George’s Day, Day of Valor and the Bulgarian Army;
- May 24 – Day of Bulgarian Education, Culture, and Slavic Script;
- September 6 – Unification Day;
- September 22 – Independence Day of Bulgaria;
- November 1 – National Revival Leaders’ Day – non-school day for all educational institutions;
- December 24 – Christmas Eve, December 25 & 26 – Christmas;
- Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday – as determined each year for the celebration.
- According to Article 154, paragraph 2 of the Labor Code (New – SG, issue 105 of 2016, effective from 01.01.2017), when official holidays under paragraph 1, except for Easter holidays, coincide with a Saturday and/or Sunday, the first or the first two working days following them are non-working.
- According to Article 154, paragraph 3 of the Labor Code (Amended – SG, issue 52 of 2004, effective from 01.08.2004, amended – SG, issue 15 of 2010, previous paragraph 2, amended – SG, issue 105 of 2016, effective from 01.01.2017), the Council of Ministers may declare additional non-working days on a one-time basis to pay public tribute to significant historical, political, cultural, or other major events, as well as for the celebration of specific professions and expressions of gratitude.
- According to Article 173, paragraph 2 of the Labor Code, employees who practice a religion other than Eastern Orthodox Christianity are entitled to use part of their annual paid leave or unpaid leave under Article 160, paragraph 1 for their religious holidays, but not exceeding the number of days granted for Eastern Orthodox religious holidays under Article 154.
- Article 173, paragraph 3 of the Labor Code states that the religious holidays of faiths other than Eastern Orthodox Christianity are determined by the Council of Ministers based on a proposal from the official leadership of the respective religious community.
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