site.btaSofia City Court Refuses DOST Party Registration on Grounds of Ethnically Identified Abbreviation

Sofia City Court Refuses DOST Party Registration on Grounds of Ethnically Identified Abbreviation

Sofia, July 8 (BTA) - On grounds that Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Tolerance (DOST) use an abbreviation consciously sought to sound like "friend" in Turkish, the Sofia City Court refused to register the newly established part of former Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Lyutvi Mestan, the court said Friday. The judgment was passed by judge Lilia Ilieva. It is not final and can be appealed before the Supreme Court of Cassation.

"The official name of the party is Democrats for Responsibility, Freedom and Tolerance. The abbreviation in Bulgarian, DOST (meaning "friend" in Turkish, of Persian origin) of the name of this party speaks clearly by itself: looking for such an abbreviation was absolutely purposeful," judge Ilieva said.

The motives also state that the majority of the party founders have Turkish names and that the Constitution forbids parties to be founded on ethnic, racial or religious basis.