NID: BULGARIA: PROSPECTS FOR ROUNDTABLE TALKS

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe: A 30-Year Legacy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06826850
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2019
• Publication Date: January 16, 1990

Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826850
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BULGARIA; Prospects for Roundtable Talks
Roundtable talks between the Communist Party, the Agrarian Parry,
and opposition groups open today in the wake of a large prodemocracy
demonstration and the repal o � utional clauses guaranteeing the
leading role of the party.
The Union of Democratic Forces, the umbrella opposition group.
will demand that the government postpone general elections until
November. It also will demand
new election laws, elimination of party organizations in enterprises,
a go % crnment-provided headquarters building, and equal access to
media.
The National Assembly closes its two-day session today. It already
has granted amnesty to 60 political prisoners and backed the
Mladenov regime's recent decision to reverse the assimilation
campaign against the Muslim minority. The Assembly is also
reviewing crimes of the ousted Zhivkov regime. .4 member of the
legislative commission probing corruption under the former regime
has announced that Todor Zhivkov will be brought to trial�possibly
as early as next month�on charges of abusInapowcr, diverting state
funds, and violating human rights.
Comment: The new regime, under continuing pressure from the
opposition and the public, is likely to bow to at least some of the
opposition's demands during this first session of roundtable talks. It
is likely to give way eventually on the key issue of delaying general
elections: the opposition needs more time to organize and compete
for control of the legislature.
The concessions arc not likely to weaken the Communist Party's
efforts to cling to power or to calm political tensions. It will maintain
its efforts to obstruct opposition forces by such measures as limiting
media access. Local conservative party leaders also probably will
continue to try to exploit anti-Turkish feelings�the one issue on
which they can appeal for popular support among some segments of
the population�and anti-Turkish demonstrations are likely to break
out sporadically in provincial areas populated by cthnic Turks and
Muslims. The opposition, for its part. may be able to exploit a
Zhivkov trial to incriminate members of the current leadership and
appears to have momentum on its side.
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TCS 2712/90
16 January 1990
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826850