Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

International mummer festival Surva in Pernik cancelled due to water crisis

The 28th edition of Surva International Festival in Pernik attracted more than 7,500 participants
Photo: BGNES

Because of the ongoing water shortage in the town of Pernik, the traditional mummer International Festival Surva will not be held this year, Pernik Mayor Stanislav Vladimirov has told media. On Tuesday Bulgaria's Minister of Healthcare Kiril Ananiev and the Chief State Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev visited the town. The firm opinion of health authorities is that because of the risk of diseases, it was better to cancel the forthcoming edition of the festival. The Regional Health Inspectorate has also called against conducting Surva 2020. The risk for human health is big, so we had to make this difficult decision, Vladimirov said. 

The 29th edition of the festival, which is part of UNESCO’s World Intangible Cultural Heritage, was to be held from 24 to 26 January. Nearly 6,000 mummers from more than 100 groups had registered for taking part in this year's festival. Every year the festival attracts participants from all ethnographic regions of Bulgaria as well as numerous foreign guests. The first edition of the festival was held in 1966. 




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

National Statistical Institute reports stable GDP growth of 3.1 percent

In the first quarter of 2025, GDP grew by 3.1% compared to the first quarter of 2024 and by 0.6% compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, the National Statistical Institute announced. Converted into euros, GDP is 23.324 billion..

published on 6/6/25 2:18 PM
Rosen Zhelyazkov

Prime Minister says Bulgaria has no unresolved bilateral issue with Skopje

The position of the Republic of Bulgaria is clear. We have no bilateral issue with the Republic of North Macedonia. This was what Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said in parliament and recalled that last week the National Assembly..

published on 6/6/25 1:23 PM
Tomislav Donchev

Bulgaria hopes to receive half of the funds under NRRP by the end of the year

Bulgaria will send a new request for a second payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan in July, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev announced during parliamentary control...

published on 6/6/25 1:01 PM