How public holidays work in Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s public holidays and days off are governed by Article 154 of the Labour Code. For a standard Monday-to-Friday working week of 8 hours a day, the 2027 calendar totals 249 working days, or 1992 working hours, and 116 days off.
When a fixed public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first working day after it is a day off. The Easter holidays are not compensated in this way. This distinction matters in 2027 because Labour Day coincides with the Easter holiday period.
The Council of Ministers may declare additional one-off non-working days by decision, and the calendar is updated if this happens. Note that 1 November is a non-attendance day only for educational institutions, not a general public holiday.
Easter and May leave planning
Orthodox Easter Sunday falls on 2 May 2027. The Easter public holiday period runs from Good Friday through Easter Monday. Labour Day falls on Saturday, 1 May, with its observed day off on Tuesday, 4 May. Together, these produce a five-day break from 30 April to 4 May.
St George’s Day and Army Day follows on Thursday, 6 May. Wednesday, 5 May, and Friday, 7 May, are single working bridge days between days off. Taking either as a day of leave creates a longer break.
Later in the month, Culture and Literacy Day falls on Monday, 24 May, giving a three-day break from 22 to 24 May. May has the fewest working days of any month in 2027: 17, with 136 working hours and 14 days off.
Other long breaks and standalone holidays
New Year’s Day falls on Friday, giving a three-day break from 1 to 3 January. Unification Day on Monday, 6 September, also creates a three-day break, from 4 to 6 September.
Christmas brings a five-day break from Friday, 24 December, to Tuesday, 28 December. Christmas Day and the Second Day of Christmas fall on the weekend, with observed days off on Monday and Tuesday.
Liberation Day on 3 March and Independence Day on 22 September both fall on Wednesdays. These are standalone midweek days off rather than part of the calendar’s long breaks.
Working days across the year
March, June, July, August and November share the highest monthly total, each with 22 working days and 176 working hours. February, June and November have the fewest days off, with 8 each.
January and December each have 20 working days and 11 days off. These monthly totals reflect the standard working week and the public holiday rules used in the annual calendar.