The annual assembly of the European Free Alliance (EFA) saw the unanimous passage of a declaration demanding a formal apology from Bulgaria for its crimes during communist rule, OMO Ilinden – Pirin has said on social media.
“The Macedonian minority in Bulgaria currently faces one of the most critical human rights crises within the European Union. This systemic repression and ethnic denial are direct continuations of the denationalization policies initiated under the communist dictatorship of Todor Zhivkov. In 1963, the policy of denying the existence of a Macedonian minority was a central part of the “revival processes” designed to forcibly assimilate minorities into a ‘unified Bulgarian socialist nation'”, it is pointed out, i.a., in the document, where there is also a call for “ending double standards” by EFA.