8-9 February, 2009

The Celebration of the130th Constituent Assembly’s Anniversary is to be held on February 8-9 in the town of Veliko Turnovo.
The National Assembly, Sofia University “ St. Kliment Ohridski ” and the University of “St.St. Cyril and Methodius” co organize the festivities.

The commemoration’s opening will take place in the historic building, where the Constituent Assembly was held at the time.

The National Assembly Chairman Georgi Pirinski, the Turnovo Mayor Roumen Rashev and the Rector of the Turnovo University, prof. Plamen Legkostup, will take turns in welcoming the guests as well as Bulgarian Ombudsman, Ginio Ganev. History professor Doino Doinov will present a short essay on the historic and contemporary aspects of the event.

Actors and students from the town are to reenact memorable moments of the Assembly’s work, such as the opening and the debates along the adoption of the Turnovo Constitution. They will re embody on stage prominent figures of the Assembly, like Prince Dondukov – Korsakov, Antim I, and Petko Karavelov, Petko Slaveikov, Todor Ikonomov, Marko Balabanov and others.
The participants will have a photo picture taken in front of the former Constituent Assembly’s Building. The latter is now transformed into a Museum of the National Revival and the Constituent Assembly.

The participants are also scheduled to visit the church of “St. Nikolay”, where the Constituent Assembly’s members gathered for their four preliminary sittings. They will be welcomed by Bishop Gregorii, the Metropolitan Bishop of Veliko Turnovo.

The program for the commemoration of the historic anniversary will continue with the laying of wreaths on the monument of “Mother Bulgaria”. A documentary exhibition, displaying artifacts of the time, will be open in the building (used currently as public cultural and library institution), where the 3rd, 4th and 5th Great National Assemblies were held.

On February 9, 2009 at 10.00 am, at the same site, a Scientific Conference, consecrated on the 130 years of the parliamentary life in Bulgaria, will be opened. The subject to be discussed: “The Constituent Assembly and the Bulgarian Constitutions”. Again the Conference is co organized by the National Assembly, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the University of Veliko Turnovo “St. St. Cyril and Methodius”.