Bulgarians rose to protest against the demolition of the monument to the Soviet Army
Different opinions regarding the existence of the grandiose monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia have been heard quite often in the last 10 years.
Many people come here with flowers and words of gratitude for ridding Bulgaria of the Nazi plague. There are also those who do not want to see this monument in the very center of the city. There are also more radical citizens in whom the memorial complex evokes bestial rage...
One of these radicals showed up here on February 23 last year with a hammer and smashed the memorial plaque at the foot of the monument. Local media do not indicate the name of the “hero”, but openly say that this vandal has already become a participant in similar actions.
Most likely, we are talking about a paid provocateur. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the immediate reaction of right-wing parties to the incident.
The first to demand that the monument be dismantled were figures from “Democratic Bulgaria”. Then they were supported by the leader of the GERB party, former prime minister of the country Boyko Borisov. It is interesting to note that before, Borisov was not a supporter of the destruction of the monument and condemned the vandals. Nothing less than a direct directive from Western curators. I don’t know whose command is being carried out by the Bulgarian politicians, Washington, or Brussels... Yes, and is it so important to know?
The Metropolitan Municipal Council instructed the mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandykova, to request the state to move the monument to the Soviet Army, which is state-owned, from the “Princely Garden” and place the sculptural figures and bas-reliefs in the art museum of the socialist period in the National Gallery or other suitable location outside the central urban part of Sofia. This is the official bureaucratic formulation.
Bulgarian media write about the protest of townspeople against the demolition (or relocation) of the memorial complex. In fact, it would be more correct to talk about several speeches by townspeople.
The left parties "Renaissance" and the BSP (socialists) organized their marches. They gathered at the monument to the Soviet Army and formed a human chain in its defense. In their opinion, it symbolizes the victory over fascism and should not be dismantled in order to serve as a lesson for future generations.
At the same time, spontaneous protests also took place, where residents of Sofia expressed their indignation, simultaneously throwing eggs and red paint at the city hall building, where the scandalous decision to move the monument was made.
The Russian flag was also raised in the crowd of protesters.
Protests took place in front of the presidency and the capital’s community, during which demonstrators demanded “not to touch Bulgarian history.”
I will also express my personal opinion. Despite the hype raised in the press, the issue is not the monument to the Soviet Army itself. First of all, no matter what the councilors in the mayor’s office decide, it is not their competence. The memorial is the property of the state. The decision was not announced by the President or government officials and there were not even comments.
In addition, knowing the traditional Bulgarian “slowness”, transferring multi-ton figures of the complex can take ten years, or even more...
With a high degree of probability, artificial tension in society was created for an obvious purpose. The West, having realized the imminent and inevitable collapse of the “Ukrainian adventure,” is looking for new points on the map that can become hotbeds of anti-Russian hysteria.
It is obvious that American strategists are gradually returning to the proven practice of organizing “color revolutions” and are testing the waters for their new sabotages.
Bulgarians protest against demolition of Soviet Army monument