site.btaJanuary 10, 1997: Angry Protestors Storm Parliament Building

On January 10, 1997, amidst massive anti-government protests central Sofia witnessed an unprecedented attack of the National Assembly building. The then ruling Socialists described what happened as a "pogrom" and an "attempted coup" by "well-fed thugs", while the United Democratic Forces saw the events as a breakthrough on Bulgaria's road to democratic development. Following is the BTA English Service coverage of the story that made headline news worldwide:

Angry Protestors Storm Parliament Building, Opposition Walks Out of Parliament

Sofia, January 10 (BTA) - The building of Bulgaria's Parliament was stormed early Friday afternoon by thousands of protestors against the rule of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)-dominated Democratic Left coalition. The demonstrators broke through the police cordons and crowd-control barriers, closely surrounded the building, and dozens of them invaded it. The protestors were smashing the windows, chanting "Down with BSP!" "BSP Is Mafia!" "Elections!" and "Red Scum!" The protestors blocked all entrances to the building and refused to let the Left MPs out. The demonstrators set on fire one room near Parliament's back entrance. The fire was put out by parliament attendants and firefighters. A tear gas canister was set off in front of the back entrance. At three successive extraordinary sittings Friday, Parliament rejected a declaration moved by the opposition and voted through a resolution introduced by the majority.

Right from the morning, human chains and columns of taxis converged on Parliament building to express support for a draft Declaration on Salvation of Bulgaria, moved by the United Democratic Forces (UtdDF, which consists of the Union of Democratic Forces UDF, the Popular Union and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms). The declaration came up for a debate at a second extraordinary sitting on Friday, after the legislature ran out of time for a vote on the motion at an earlier extraordinary sitting, on January 3.

In the declaration, the opposition moved for dissolution of the National Assembly and immediate early elections, election of a new management of the central bank which should hold negotiations with the international financial institutions, formation of a team which should work out a structural reform programme together with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and passage of the laws necessary for introduction a currency board in Bulgaria.

After a stormy debate, however, the majority voted through revisions of key passages of the original wording, which prompted the opposition to walk out of the debating chamber and boycott the voting. The first extraordinary sitting for the day was thus closed, and a second one was immediately declared opened, at which the Left MPs, who were the only ones to attend, voted a Resolution on Emergence from the Crisis introduced by the Floor Leader of the BSP-led coalition Krassimir Premyanov.

The Resolution suggests that the new government submit to Parliament a national programme for emergence of the country from the crisis and acceleration of essential reforms, on which the parliamentary groups should start negotiations. The Resolution calls for immediate consultations between the floor leaderships on identifying the most favourable conditions for Bulgaria for introduction of a currency board as from the beginning of February 1997, on stabilization of the banking system and on the urgent measures for social protection during the winter. The idea is to find a way to rescue the country, Mr Premyanov said. He argued that the parliamentary majority suggests negotiating points on which the political forces could agree.

According to UDF leader Ivan Kostov, the replacement wordings moved are a new declaration which has nothing to do with the UtdDF draft. He described this as "cynicism" and expressed the opinion that the extraordinary sitting is used to push through the will of the Left. According to Mr Premyanov, however, such a position is practically a renunciation of national concord. "The Left offers you a way to handle the situation by common sense, not by strength.

Tension among the protestors escalated further. Following a session of the parliamentary group of the opposition, UDF leader Ivan Kostov announced that the protests will continue until the left-wing changes its stand.

A protestor tried to stop Democratic Left prime minister candidate Nikolai Dobrev - nominated after the Videnov cabinet resigned at an extraordinary congress of the BSP last December - from entering Parliament for a meeting with National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov and leaders of the UtdDF by lying down in front of his car. Former interior minister Lyubomir Nachev was attacked and injured by the protestors who threw stones and snowballs at him.

The only solution to the present situation is for the BSP to agree to early parliamentary elections or to vote the declaration of the UtdDF said President elect Peter Stoyanov after his meeting with Blagovest Sendov and Nikolai Dobrev. Peter Stoyanov arrived an hour earlier on the site of the protests and joined the demonstrators.

According to Stoyanov, Dobrev declined to give a categorical answer prior consulting his parliamentary group.

Tension in front of the parliamentary building was further escalated following the arrival of armoured vehicles to take the left MPs around 2 p.m. The fences and the police cordon were broken and part of the protestors entered Parliament. The police blocked the entrances to Parliament with pieces of furniture.

The opposition leaders tried to calm the protestors saying that another sitting of Parliament will be held. Ivan Kostov said that from now on only the opposition can stop the protest and this will happen only if the left makes a responsible decision. Peter Stoyanov said that he would address the protesters immediately after the BSP adopts a concrete decision.

Journalists and attendants in Parliament were evacuated to the third floor after a room in Parliament was set on fire. In the meantime Parliament started its third sitting which voted down the motion to continue the debates on the declaration of the UtdDF by 81 to 46, 58 abstaining. A total of 185 MPs voted, most of those absent being of the opposition. National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov convened a session of the leaders of the parliamentary groups after the vote.

The protests outside the building continued while the MPs were holding their third sitting. The protestors tried to break into Parliament through the windows. The police used clubs and tear gas to stop them. A tear gas canister was thrown. Several policemen and protesters were injured and rendered first aid. According to the Pirogoff Emergency Medical Aid Hospital, eight demonstrators and policemen were treated by 7 p.m. The ambulances in front of Parliament rendered first aid to injured protestors and policemen.

At a meeting with the leaders of the parliamentary groups at the office of National Assembly Chairman Blagovest Sendov after the third sitting in Parliament the parliamentary group of the UDF proposed that the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left (PGDL) come out with a declaration stating that it accepts the holding of early parliamentary elections this year and the starting of negotiations between the parliamentary forces on the date of their holding, UDF floor leader Yordan Sokolov told BTA.

"We were left with the impression that Mr Sendov and Mr Premyanov [PGDL floor leader] are afraid of relaying this proposal to their parliamentary group," he added.

The MPs of the UDF proposed once again to hold debates on the Declaration of the UtdDF and put it to a vote so that the MPs assume their civic responsibility before the Bulgarian electors.

"We will appeal to our supporters to continue their pressure by peaceful means and without violence," UDF floor leader Yordan Sokolov said. If the left wing shows common sense there will be a fourth sitting, he believes.

The attacks on the building of Parliament continued. Its northern flank has been considerably damaged and almost all windows of the building are broken. The thirteen parliament cars parked in front of the building were smashed. The police countered the protest actions of the demonstrators with clubs though there was no official order to use force, the chiefs of the security organizations claim.

The protests grew into a rally on St Alexander Nevski Square near Parliament after a little before 10 p.m. Ivan Kostov warned the protesters that force may be used to disperse them after 10 p.m. and announced that the opposition is walking out of Parliament.