site.btaBSP - United Left Leader Calls for Buzludzha Monument to Be Handed Over to His Party if State Continues to Show Incompetence

Bulgarian Socialist Party-United Left (BSP - United Left) coalition leader Atanas Zafirov called on Tuesday for the Buzludzha Monument (a memorial house of the Bulgarian Communist Party, unveiled on Buzludzha Peak in the Balkan mountain range in 1981, which has been abandoned and become derelict) to be handed over to the BSP, if the government, both central and local, continues to show inability to act.

"We know how to rebuild it [the Buzludzha Monument]. We'll also do the impossible to make it shine again. Our ancestors built it. We will take care of it," Zafirov said.

On Sunday, a local referendum was held in Kazanlak on a proposal for the Municipality of Kazanlak to take over the management of the Buzludzha Monument up in the mountains northwest of the town. Locals were asked: “Do you favour the option that the Municipality of Kazanlak takes over and operates at no charge for 10 years the Memorial House in Mt Buzludzha, which is private state property?”. Voter turnout in the referendum was 19.44%, way below the required minimum of 40% to make it binding. However, over 93% of voters answered "yes" to the question.

According to Zafirov, the referendums legislation needs to be amended, as the threshold for the validity of the vote has been deliberately set too high. He also pointed out that the municipality has an approved EU project for BGN 7 million to restore the Monument, but these funds cannot be used because Buzludzha remains state-owned.

He added that the BSP will continue to work toward ensuring that the Buzludzha Monument has a future and becomes a wonderful place to visit, not only for foreigners but for all those who care about history.