The Municipality of Burgas will mark September 22 – Bulgaria's Independence Day – with a series of official events, including a celebratory concert, the laying of wreaths and flowers, a memorial prayer, a prayer service, and a solemn flag-raising ceremony. In 2026, exactly 118 years will be celebrated since this historic moment. With it, Bulgaria definitively established itself as an independent and equal state on the European political map, thereby rejecting vassalage to the Ottoman Empire. The act itself took place on September 22, 1908, in the old capital, Tarnovo, where Prince Ferdinand I read the Manifesto declaring the independence of the Principality of Bulgaria.
The city's festive program will begin at 10:30 at "Atanas Sirekov" Square. There, the ceremony to raise the flags of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Municipality of Burgas, and the European Union will be held, followed by a festive prayer service for the prosperity of independent Bulgaria.
At 11:00, in front of the Military Club – Burgas and the Monument to the 24th Black Sea Infantry Regiment, a memorial prayer will be held in memory of those who fell in the struggle for freedom and the protection of Bulgaria's independence. As a sign of gratitude, a ceremony for the laying of flowers and wreaths will also take place during the event.
At 11:30, the celebration will continue at "Atanas Sirekov" Square with a concert presented by the "Sliven Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances" under the direction of Deyan Mitev. The Municipality of Burgas invites all guests and residents of the city to join the September 22 celebrations and together pay tribute to the historic achievement that established Bulgaria as an independent European nation.