Bulgaria: Update to BGR29168.E of 9 June 1998, particularly on the treatment of Macedonians who have been active in the OMO Ilinden organization and whether they have been targeted by a group called "ACT 94" which reportedly extorts money from them, and which has connections with the police
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BGR31904.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bulgaria: Update to BGR29168.E of 9 June 1998, particularly on the treatment of Macedonians who have been active in the OMO Ilinden organization and whether they have been targeted by a group called "ACT 94" which reportedly extorts money from them, and which has connections with the police, 1 May 1999, BGR31904.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acf76a.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In a 14 May 1999 correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, the Executive Secretary of the Sofia-based Inter Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation states that there are three ethnic Macedonian political organizations: the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (IMRO) which is a part of governing coalition with two members in Parliament elected on the list of the ruling United Democratic Forces coalition; the United Macedonian Organisation named "Ilinden" or UMO "Ilinden", UMO being the Bulgarian spelling for OMO; and United Macedonian Organisation named "Ilinden - PIRIN, or UMO "Ilinden - PIRIN".
The Executive Director made the following personal remarks regarding UMO Ilinden - PIRIN:
Bulgarian court officially registered the party named "UMO Ilinden-PIRIN" two months ago. This fact is quieting because this means that there is a court, which finally enforce a law and constitution. The Bulgarian constitution does not admit the existence of political party on ethnical basis. The members of this party are people with Macedonian self-consciousness but the goals of this party are not separatism and nationalism. I know some of these people and I know that they have good intentions. The attitude of society to the party improved positively after the signing of a series of bilateral agreements between Bulgaria and Macedonia (FYROM).
The Executive Secretary also sent a excerpt of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee annual report for 1998 entitled "Human Rights in Bulgaria in 1998" which reads as follows:
As in previous year, in 1998 too, Bulgarian citizens with Macedonian self-identification were seriously restricted in their right to peaceful assembly, regardless of the fact that in early July the European Commission of Human Rights in Strasbourg admitted their complaint on violation of their right to peaceful assembly. On 18 April, several hundred activists of United Macedonian Organisation (UMO) "Ilinden" were prevented from placing flowers on the grave of Yane Sandanski near Rozhen. The assembly and manifestations of the group were prohibited by the Blagoevgrad District Prosecutor's Office. People who had set out to drive to Rozhen by car had statements drawn up for technically faulty vehicles, whilst people who travelled by coach to the site of the grave were asked to get out and those who continued on foot were stopped by policemen near the village of Novo Delchevo. In the town of Petrich people were stopped at the bus terminal and some were briefly taken to the police station. Despite these measures, a number of people managed to reach the grave of Yane Sandanski. On their way back they were stopped outside the town of Sandanski. One of them, Vassil Gyudjemov, from the village of Novo Levski near Gotse Delchev, was detained in the local police station for not carrying a passport. There he was beaten by police officers and his front teeth were kicked out. On 2 August, the mayor of Petrich banned the UMO "Ilinden" activist [who] was arrested for having throwers [sic] at the policeman's feet. On 3 August, the mayor of Sofia Municipality banned the peaceful protest of another UMO "Ilinden" group, scheduled for 10 August on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the signing of the Bucharest Peace Treaty. On 2 September, the mayor of Sofia Municipality also banned a UMO "Ilinden" group from staging a peaceful protest in Sofia, linked with 12 September, the day of the genocide over the Macedonians.
The Executive Secretary also stated that neither herself nor the Chairman of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee knew about an organization called "ACT 94" which is reputed to extort money from OMO-Ilinden activists and have connections with the police.
No further information on the OMO and "ACT 94" could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Reference
Inter Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Fondation, Sofia. 14 May 1999. Correpondence from the Executive Secretary.
Additional Sources Consulted
Electronic sources: Internet, IRB databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, WNC.
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights Website.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Website.
Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe Website.
Transitions [Prague]. Website.
