13 February 1997       Doc. 7762

ADOC7762

WRITTEN DECLARATION No. 252

on the political and economic crisis in Bulgaria

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it

      The undersigned, members of the Assembly,

1.       Noting that the European community observes with anxiety the development of events in Bulgaria;

2.       As members of an institution whose principal commitment consists in safeguarding democracy, human rights and civil liberties, are alarmed by the lack of guarantees for a dignified existence, for social security and even for the most elementary conditions of survival for most of the Bulgarian population, whose incomes have disastrously fallen;

3.       Noting that the current socialist government has not carried out the necessary reforms, thereby bringing about the collapse of the industrial and financial sectors;

4.       Considering that social unrest could break out, posing a threat to social order,

5.       Support the efforts by the United Democratic Forces to save Bulgaria and to hold early elections, the only democratic means for Bulgarian citizens to put their confidence in that political force which could carry out the reforms urgently needed for Bulgaria to emerge from the crisis;

6.       Express their hope that, as a member of the Council of Europe, Bulgaria will find a civilised way of overcoming this crisis by means of democratic machinery.

Signed:

(see overleaf)

Signed: 1

Gotzev, Bulgaria, EPP

Antretter, Germany, SOC

Baumel, France, EDG

Beaufays, Belgium, EPP

Berg, Norway, EDG

Briane, France, EPP

Bribosia-Picard, Belgium, EPP

Büchel, Liechtenstein, EPP

Buśić, Croatia, EPP

Caccia, Switzerland, EPP

Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR

Domljan, Croatia, EPP

Gabrielescu, Romania, EPP

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Grzeskowiak, Poland, EPP

Hoeffel, France, EPP

Jeambrun, France, LDR

Johnston, United Kingdom, LDR

Kalus, Czech Republic, EDG

Karamitro, Albania, EPP

Kelam, Estonia, EPP

Le Grand, France, EDG

Lesein, France, LDR

Lopez Henares, Spain, EPP

Loutfi, Bulgaria, LDR

Mignon, France, EDG

Pollo, Albania, EPP

Pulgar, Spain, EPP

Ragnarsdottir, Iceland, EDG

Raskinis, Lithuania, EPP

Ruffy, Switzerland, SOC

Schwimmer, Austria, EPP

Seitlinger, France, EPP

Spahia, Albania, EPP

Suchocka, Poland, EPP

Urbain, Belgium, SOC

van der Linden, Netherlands, EPP

Vella, Malta, EPP

Verbeek, Netherlands, LDR

Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP

Zingeris, Lithuania, EDG

_______________

Total = 41

1 ¹       SOC : Socialist Group

      EPP : Group of the European People's Party

      EDG : European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left