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High tensions in parliament over proposal to award highest state order to former communist minister

Photo: BTA

The proposal of the caretaker cabinet that former communist minister Georgi Yordanov be awarded the "Stara Planina" order for merits in the field of culture and art caused disturbances in the plenary hall.

In a declaration from the parliamentary rostrum, MP Atanas Atanasov from PP-DB made an attempt to recall the law adopted in 2000, which declared the communist regime criminal. BSP MPs led by the chairman of its parliamentary group, Borislav Gutsanov, however, surrounded the MP interrupting him and the meeting was temporarily suspended.

"Democracy also means being tolerant of the opponent", Atanas Atanasov commented. According to him, citizens should have an accurate assessment of what happened during the 45 years when destinies were ruined, more than 2,000 death sentences were issued and a one-man totalitarian regime was imposed. He called on GERB-SDS to distance itself from Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, who was an MP and chairman of the National Assembly from their parliamentary group.

GERB leader Boyko Borissov said that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture should immediately change their decision. "At the same time I want Gen. Atanasov to distance himself from the grandchildren of State Security, who rule Sofia, because if he didn’t, it would look like double standards," he added.



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