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BULGARIAN OPPOSITION PROTEST OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
BIRN, Serbia -
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
http://www.birn.eu.com/en/82/15/2740/
May 2 2007
02 05 2007 Sofia_ Bulgaria's opposition parties left the assembly in
protest on Wednesday, after the ruling coalition declined to discuss
a proposal for the official acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide.
The move was initiated by the right-wing nationalist Ataka party,
which had called for a debate on a declaration criticising Turkey's
actions towards its Armenian minority in 1915 - which is said to have
led to the death of more than one million Armenians - and acknowledging
those actions as genocide. The move, however, may be another attempt
on Ataka's part to anger one of the ruling coalition partners, the
Movement for Rights and Freedoms, which represents Bulgaria's ethnic
Turkish minority.
The remaining opposition's contempt seemed more to do with their
perception of having been denied a voice than with the actual
declaration. "After today's event, it turns out that the only chance
that the opposition has to propose the agenda - which has always been
the first work day of every month, has in effect disappeared," Veselin
Metodiev, a Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria MP, told Balkan Insight.
The motion, rejected by 95 to 48 votes, was made during parliament's
first session this month, in which all parties are entitled to propose
points for the agenda on a rotational basis.
Maya Manolova of the Bulgarian Socialist Party from the ruling
coalition opposed the proposal on the grounds that it had already
been made, and turned down, in May of last year. And according to
parliamentary rules such proposals cannot be reconsidered.
Manolova commented for Balkan Insight that she did not oppose the
initiative in principle but stated that "common rules have to be
observed", explaining that once such a proposal has been dismissed -
as this one was on May 10, 2006 - it could be resubmitted only if
changes have been made to it, a regulation which was not complied
with in this case.
"In order not to offend their coalition partner - the MRF, the BSP
held onto this technicality as an excuse," Desislav Chukolov, an Ataka
MP, told Balkan Insight. He added that while the motivation for the
proposal had been changed, the proposal itself could not be changed,
as it still called for the same measure, namely: a statement condemning
Turkey for the genocide it committed against the Armenians.
After the vote, deputies from Ataka and all the other opposition
parties walked out in protest. "This is a precedent and a shameful
act for those in power. In the regulations of the national assembly
it is written that this is a day for the opposition to propose the
agenda - be it convenient or inconvenient for the majority," Ekaterina
Mihailova, deputy head of the DSB, told the assembly.
Wednesday's walkout followed a similar recent event. On April 25,
MPs from the MRF walked out in protest when the assembly observed a
minute's silence to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the killings,
citing opposition to the term genocide. The move was suggested by
Rupen Krikorian, an MP from the National Movement Simeon II party,
also from the ruling coalition.
The parliamentary squabbles resurfaced again on Wednesday, almost a
year after the same proposal was first made by Ataka. Then, all the
opposition parties and some MPs from the ruling coalition supported
the move, but it ultimately failed due to the MRF's strong opposition,
backed up by its coalition partners.
The Armenian genocide has been subject of heated debate worldwide.
Historical accounts state that between hundreds of thousands and
over a million Armenians were killed and forcibly deported from the
Ottoman Empire in 1915.
According to the BBC, "Armenians say 1.5 million of their people were
killed in this period, either through systematic massacres or through
starvation. They allege that a deliberate genocide was carried out by
the Ottoman Turkish empire". Turkey acknowledges that many Armenians
died, as massacres were committed on both sides, but says there was
no genocide. The international community is also divided on the issue
and while some countries recognise the genocide as such, others -
such as the US, the UK and Israel - use different terminology.
BIRN, Serbia -
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
http://www.birn.eu.com/en/82/15/2740/
May 2 2007
02 05 2007 Sofia_ Bulgaria's opposition parties left the assembly in
protest on Wednesday, after the ruling coalition declined to discuss
a proposal for the official acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide.
The move was initiated by the right-wing nationalist Ataka party,
which had called for a debate on a declaration criticising Turkey's
actions towards its Armenian minority in 1915 - which is said to have
led to the death of more than one million Armenians - and acknowledging
those actions as genocide. The move, however, may be another attempt
on Ataka's part to anger one of the ruling coalition partners, the
Movement for Rights and Freedoms, which represents Bulgaria's ethnic
Turkish minority.
The remaining opposition's contempt seemed more to do with their
perception of having been denied a voice than with the actual
declaration. "After today's event, it turns out that the only chance
that the opposition has to propose the agenda - which has always been
the first work day of every month, has in effect disappeared," Veselin
Metodiev, a Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria MP, told Balkan Insight.
The motion, rejected by 95 to 48 votes, was made during parliament's
first session this month, in which all parties are entitled to propose
points for the agenda on a rotational basis.
Maya Manolova of the Bulgarian Socialist Party from the ruling
coalition opposed the proposal on the grounds that it had already
been made, and turned down, in May of last year. And according to
parliamentary rules such proposals cannot be reconsidered.
Manolova commented for Balkan Insight that she did not oppose the
initiative in principle but stated that "common rules have to be
observed", explaining that once such a proposal has been dismissed -
as this one was on May 10, 2006 - it could be resubmitted only if
changes have been made to it, a regulation which was not complied
with in this case.
"In order not to offend their coalition partner - the MRF, the BSP
held onto this technicality as an excuse," Desislav Chukolov, an Ataka
MP, told Balkan Insight. He added that while the motivation for the
proposal had been changed, the proposal itself could not be changed,
as it still called for the same measure, namely: a statement condemning
Turkey for the genocide it committed against the Armenians.
After the vote, deputies from Ataka and all the other opposition
parties walked out in protest. "This is a precedent and a shameful
act for those in power. In the regulations of the national assembly
it is written that this is a day for the opposition to propose the
agenda - be it convenient or inconvenient for the majority," Ekaterina
Mihailova, deputy head of the DSB, told the assembly.
Wednesday's walkout followed a similar recent event. On April 25,
MPs from the MRF walked out in protest when the assembly observed a
minute's silence to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the killings,
citing opposition to the term genocide. The move was suggested by
Rupen Krikorian, an MP from the National Movement Simeon II party,
also from the ruling coalition.
The parliamentary squabbles resurfaced again on Wednesday, almost a
year after the same proposal was first made by Ataka. Then, all the
opposition parties and some MPs from the ruling coalition supported
the move, but it ultimately failed due to the MRF's strong opposition,
backed up by its coalition partners.
The Armenian genocide has been subject of heated debate worldwide.
Historical accounts state that between hundreds of thousands and
over a million Armenians were killed and forcibly deported from the
Ottoman Empire in 1915.
According to the BBC, "Armenians say 1.5 million of their people were
killed in this period, either through systematic massacres or through
starvation. They allege that a deliberate genocide was carried out by
the Ottoman Turkish empire". Turkey acknowledges that many Armenians
died, as massacres were committed on both sides, but says there was
no genocide. The international community is also divided on the issue
and while some countries recognise the genocide as such, others -
such as the US, the UK and Israel - use different terminology.