December 22, 1887 — Bulgaria’s First Border Guard Act Is Gazetted
On this day in 1887, Bulgaria’s first Border Guard Act was gazetted. The law was an important step in organizing the young state’s frontier protection after liberation. Borders were not only lines on a map; they were places where questions of security, customs, migration, trade, and sovereignty met every day. By creating a legal basis for border protection, Bulgaria strengthened one of the essential functions of statehood. The date is also linked to Border Police Day in modern Bulgaria, showing how nineteenth-century institution-building still echoes in today’s public services. It marks a practical but meaningful moment in the consolidation of Bulgarian administration.
December 22, 1990 — Parliament Declares Bulgaria’s Desire to Join the European Communities
On this day in 1990, the Seventh Grand National Assembly adopted a resolution expressing Bulgaria’s desire to join the European Communities and proposing that the executive take steps toward that goal. The decision came during the first year after the end of communist one-party rule, when Bulgaria was redefining its foreign policy, political identity, and economic direction. At the time, membership was a distant ambition rather than an immediate prospect. Still, the resolution was an early signal that the country intended to move toward European integration. It helped establish a strategic course that would later lead to formal EU application in 1995 and accession in 2007.
Explore more of Bulgaria’s story on Bronicable, including our Bulgaria From Above series and our guides to the best of Bulgaria.
Continue with December 21 or December 23. For more stories and places, explore Bulgaria From Above and the guides in our Bulgaria category on Bronicable.
