Doc. 8477
13 July 1999

Violation of the human rights of the Bulgarian national minority in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Toshev and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and only expresses the views of the members who have signed it

The Assembly:

i.       considering the periodical reports by the special rapporteurs of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights for former Yugoslavia, the resolutions of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on these reports over the period from 1993 to 1999, which describe the deteriorating situation of the Bulgarian minority, Resolution 51/116 adopted in December 1996 and Resolution 53/163/Dec.1998 of the UN General Assembly on these matters;

ii.       in view of the fact that during the Kosovo crisis the authorities considerably stepped up their pressure on the representatives and supporters of the organisations of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia;

iii.       rejecting as unacceptable the mobilisation of the leaders of the Democratic Union of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia and of the "Tsaribrod" Culture and Information Centre and their posting to the Yugoslav army in Kosovo;

iv.       condemning the arrest of the leader of the Democratic Union of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia, Dr Marko Chukarev, and his imprisonment for eight months for deserting for 24 hours in order to seek medical assistance,

1.       Opposes the legal proceedings brought against Dr Marko Chukarev for organising a celebration of the feast-day of St Cyril and St Methodius on 24 May 1998, with participation by a group of Bulgarian performers, without police authorisation, as well as the unlawful dismissal of the Bulgarian-speaking inspector, Mr Pene Dimitrov, of Bossilegrad;

2.       Condemns the campaign organised by the authorities against the activists of the Helsinki Committee for the defence of the rights and freedoms of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia;

3.       Makes an urgent appeal

i.       to the authorities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to guarantee respect for the rights of the Bulgarian national minority as set out in the Constitution of Serbia and Yugoslavia and as enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

ii.       to the competent authorities to discontinue proceedings against the activists, members and supporters of the Democratic Union of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia, the "Tsaribrod" Culture and Information Centre and the Helsinki Committee for the defence of the rights and freedoms of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia;

4.       Decides to monitor closely the situation of Bulgarians in Yugoslavia.

Signed : ¹

Toshev, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Akçali, Turkey, EDG

Columberg, Switzerland, EPP/CD

Dokle, Albania, SOC

Eversdijk, Netherlands, EPP/CD

Gligoroski, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", EPP/CD

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Ivanov, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Kitov, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Loutfi, Bulgaria, LDR

Poptodorova, Bulgaria, SOC

Simonsen, Norway, NR

Stoyanova, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group