site.btaParliament Passes Amendments to Act Declaring the Criminal Nature of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria

Parliament Passes Amendments to Act Declaring the Criminal Nature of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria

Sofia, November 24 (BTA) - Parliament passed at first reading amendments to the Act Declaring the Criminal Nature of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria moved by MPs of the right-wing GERB party and the Reformist Bloc.

The amendments, passed in a 104-46 vote with three abstentions, require that signs and items created during the Communist regime glorifying the former Communist party and its leaders be removed from public places. A ban is introduced on putting such signs in public places. If items or buildings may not be removed, displays must be placed on them saying that the Communist regime in Bulgaria has been declared criminal in a law.

In school and university curricula the Communist regime should be treated according to the law.

Failure to comply with the new provisions will carry fines.

The deliberations on the amendments continued for three hours. The MPs of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) walked out of the plenary chamber as a sign of protest after the vote was taken.

The amendments were supported by MPs of GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the Reformist Bloc, the Patriotic Front, and the Bulgarian Democratic Centre. MPs of the BSP, ABV, Ataka and some Patriotic Front MPs voted against.