Bulgaria's Students Get 16 Days Off: Which Cities Have Declared January 3 a Non-School Day?

On January 3, 2025, students in various Bulgarian cities will enjoy an extended holiday break as the day has been declared a non-school day by several mayors. This decision comes after the end of the Christmas holidays and, combined with the weekend of January 4-5, grants students 16 days off from school.

In Burgas, Mayor Dimitar Nikolov announced that both December 6 and January 3 would be non-school days. January 3 was chosen to extend the winter break, allowing students to rest for several extra days before school resumes on January 6. The mayor explained that the goal was to enable students to participate in the city’s holiday celebrations.

Varna’s mayor, Blagomir Kotsev, also declared January 3 as a non-school day, agreeing that students deserve a longer break. Similarly, in Vidin, Mayor Tsvetan Tsenkov made the same decision, giving children in the municipality 16 days of vacation.

Dimitrovgrad and Ivaylovgrad also followed suit, with local authorities in these towns granting an extra day of rest. In Montana, Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov declared that there was no need for students to attend school for just one day after the Christmas break. The decision was made to accommodate families traveling for the holidays and ensure students have a smoother transition back to school.

Pleven’s students will also benefit from the extended break. Mayor Dr. Valentin Hristov announced January 3 as a non-school day, alongside December 10, which commemorates the city’s Liberation Day. This extra break will help families plan longer vacations.

Plovdiv and Ruse students will join the rest of the cities in having 16 days of vacation. Ruse’s mayor, Pencho Milkov, justified the decision as a way to allow students and teachers time to rest and recover before the school year resumes. Similarly, Stara Zagora’s Mayor Zhivko Todorov confirmed that January 3 would be a non-school day for local students.

However, in the capital city of Sofia, January 3 will remain a school day. The Ministry of Education and Culture emphasized that the school vacation schedule is made well in advance of the academic year to allow families to plan accordingly. Mayors are allowed to declare non-school days only in extraordinary circumstances or for municipal holiday celebrations.

This decision affects numerous cities across Bulgaria, where students will enjoy a longer break as they return to school after the festive season.