site.btaForeign Ministry Condemns Vandalization of Sign Marking Synagogue Site in Kardzhali

Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the vandalization of a sign in Kardzhali (South Central Bulgaria) marking the site where a synagogue stood from 1924 to 1956, the Ministry said on its website on Thursday. 

"This unacceptable act is in stark contrast to the spirit of tolerance and harmonious coexistence which is a hallmark of the beautiful town of Kardzhali in the Rhodopes, home to people differing in ethnicity and faith but united by belong to Bulgaria as their common homeland," the Ministry said.

"Such aggressive acts are alien to the traditions of our people and in no way reflect the aspiration of the vast majority of people to live together in peace and understanding regardless of their ethnicity and religion," the statement read.

"We call on the competent law enforcement authorities to take all necessary and legally permissible measures to identify the perpetrators of this shameful act and to bring them to justice," the Ministry said.

The Shalom Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria also condemned the incident on Facebook on Wednesday, describing it as "an outrageous desecration committed on the eve of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day". In its post, the organization said that "the glorification of the Nazi ideology and its leaders, who committed some of the most heinous crimes in history, is not only a crime but also an insult to all those Bulgarians who for years have been taking a clear stand against racism and anti-Semitism".