Bulgaria's firemen mark their professional holiday on September 14, the press centre of the Ministry of Interior announced.

The official ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. when firemen will lay flowers in front of the monument dedicated to their colleagues who died while executing their duties. Then a special mass will be served for all Bulgarian firemen.

The professional holiday of the Bulgarian firemen was first marked in 1905 and the tradition was renewed in 1995.

“This year has been a very difficult one. The end of the past year and the beginning of this year has been marked by serious disasters, floods and fires. The whole staff of the General Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection was at the required level of preparation and did their duty,” head of the General Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection, Senior Commissary Nikolay Nikolov, told journalists during the ceremony on the occasion of the Professional Holiday of Bulgarian Fire-fighters.

“Fire-fighters who worked very hard during the year, today, heard their names at the official ceremony and were awarded by the leadership of the Ministry of Interior. I seize the opportunity to congratulate all my colleagues on the holiday and wish them sound health and good luck. I wish their families continue being as patient as they were so far, I wish happy holiday everyone!” Senior Commissary Nikolay Nikolov said.