February 1 - day of remembering the victims of the Communist regime in Bulgaria

February 1 is an official Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria. On this date in 1945, death sentences were handed down by the so-called People’s Court established at the time. Those condemned included regents, royal advisers, cabinet ministers, and members of parliament, accused of responsibility for Bulgaria’s third national catastrophe and for “crimes against the Bulgarian people during their rule in the service of pro-German imperialism.” In the meantime, thousands of Bulgarians were killed or sent to labor camps and prisons.

In memory of the victims, a procession will take place in Sofia today, starting at 4:00 pm from the St. Nedelya Cathedral. Earlier in the day, citizens and politicians gathered at the Memorial to the Victims of the Communist Regime near the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in central Sofia.

With a memorial service and the laying of flowers at the monument, the anniversary of the executions of intellectuals, politicians, and public figures carried out by the People’s Court was commemorated once again this year.

Ceremonies of remembering the victims of the Communist regime in Bulgaria were carried out in many places across the country.

In 1996, Bulgaria’s Supreme Court overturned the sentences issued by the first panel of the People’s Court, effectively rehabilitating those executed by its decisions. In 2000, the 38th National Assembly declared the communist regime criminal by law.

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Edited by R. Petkova