Public holidays in Bulgaria 2028

How the days off are set

The public holidays are listed in Article 154 of the Labour Code: New Year, 3 March, Easter (Good Friday to Easter Monday), 1 and 6 May, 24 May, 6 and 22 September, 1 November, Christmas Eve and Christmas. Easter follows the calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

When a holiday other than Easter falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first working day after it is a day off; with several such holidays, the first few working days are. That makes the calendar predictable years ahead.

Since 2017 the government no longer moves days off, so there are no working Saturdays. The Council of Ministers can only declare a one-off extra day off for a major event.

Leave around the holidays

Paid annual leave is at least 20 working days. Public holidays that fall during your leave do not count as leave days, so a day or two around a holiday gives a long break. See “How to get more time off” above.

For employers and accountants

In 2028 there are 248 working days and 1984 working hours at 8 hours a day. The monthly table above gives the norm for each month, for example for averaged working time. Work on a public holiday is paid at least double.

Schools and 1 November

The Day of the National Awakeners is a public holiday but a day off only in schools and universities. School holidays are set separately by order of the Minister of Education.

If you live abroad

If you plan to visit a Bulgarian embassy or consulate around the holidays, check the mission’s hours on the country page in the Embassies section. You can add the days off to your phone calendar with the “Add to calendar” button at the top.