2025 Holidays - Bulgaria

Bulgaria Public Holiday Observance Rules

1. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Sunday

- Monday Replacement: According to the Bulgarian Labour Code, if a national public holiday falls on a Sunday (which is typically a non-working day), the following Monday becomes a non-working day.

- Automatic shift: This rule applies universally to all public holidays without exceptions.

- Employer compliance: Both public and private sector employers must observe this replacement Monday as a public holiday. If employees must work on the replacement day, they are generally entitled to additional pay or time off in lieu.

2. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Saturday

- Following Monday Off: In Bulgaria, if a public holiday falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is also observed as a non-working day.

- No discretionary application: This is a statutory requirement rather than an employer option.

- Pay or time off: Employees who are required to work on the actual holiday (Saturday) or on the replacement Monday typically receive additional compensation or compensatory rest, in line with Bulgarian labor regulations.

3. Bridge Holidays (Long Weekends)

- No official bridging system: Bulgaria does not have a formal practice of automatically granting an extra day off to bridge between a holiday and a weekend (e.g., if a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday).

- Government announcements: Occasionally, the government may issue decrees moving a working day to a weekend to create a longer holiday stretch, but this is done on an ad hoc basis and published in advance.

- Employer discretion: Private sector employers may grant additional days off around public holidays, but this is not mandated by law.

4. Special Cases for Public Holidays

- Easter Weekend: The Bulgarian Orthodox Easter celebrations typically include Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday as official public holidays. If Easter Monday coincides with another holiday or a weekend, the same replacement rule applies.

- Other consecutive holidays: Certain holidays, like around May 1 (Labour Day), May 6 (St. George’s Day), and May 24 (Cyril and Methodius Day), can sometimes create extended breaks if they fall near or on a weekend. The Monday replacement rule still applies if one of these falls on Saturday or Sunday.

- Local and regional observances: Some localities may have additional festival days, but these are usually not recognized as national public holidays.

5. Additional Notes

- Labour Code basis: Bulgaria’s public holiday rules are contained in the Labour Code, which specifies replacement days and overtime pay on public holidays.

- Advance announcements: The government typically publishes an official calendar of national holidays and any shifted working days at the start of each year.

- Overtime compensation: Employees who work on an official holiday are generally entitled to higher pay (often double) or compensatory time off. Collective labor contracts may provide further details.

- Employer-based flexibility: Beyond the statutory requirements, employers may offer additional days off or shift work schedules to optimize long weekends, but this is at their discretion.