site.btaGERB, Socialists in Parliament Clash Over Ideologisation of History Curricula, Textbooks

Sofia, January 31 (BTA) - The ruling GERB and the opposition BSP for Bulgaria began Wednesday's plenary sitting of Parliament with a dispute about the ideologisation of history curricula and textbooks.

GERB criticized the Left's demand for the resignation of Education and Science Minister Krassimir Vulchev over upholding his decision for "children to study the gory history of communism in Bulgaria". Addressing the Minister after reading the declaration, GERB MP Galya Zaharieva said that the Left would never forgive him because BSP is proud of the entire history of the Communist Party, complete with mass killings, concentration camps and decimation of the country's elite. "Obviously, BSP has problems with democracy," GERB concluded.

Zaharieva also reproached the right parties not represented in Parliament for not reacting while stating that they are authentically Right. She blamed them for failing to introduce an objective study of history when they controlled all the power in 2001.

"The GERB Parliamentary Group fully supports Vulchev and his team because education is a key priority for the Boyko Borissov Government, while the Ministry works for the implementation of GERB's policies. GERB are broad-minded democrats and yet again extend a hand, suggesting that everyone firmly supports Bulgaria's European future," Zaharieva said.

BSP for Bulgaria responded with a declaration of their own, read by MP Valeri Zhablyanov. The document advises GERB "to undergo an internal catharsis and achieve that democratic purity they call upon all members of Parliament to achieve." "Both the leadership of the GERB Parliamentary Group and of the party itself were part of the former communist regime and originated from it," he added.

"Not a single action of the BSP has admitted a violation of the Constitution as a means of imposing democracy," Zhablyanov argued. "As one of the pillars supporting constitutional order, the Left calls on the majority not to draw a distinction between the Constitution and democracy. If GERB and its leadership understand this simple axiom, then they can be part of the good European right-of-centre parties," he concluded.