NID: BULGARIA: TALKS WITH OPPOSITION ANNOUNCED

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe: A 30-Year Legacy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06826829
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2019
• Publication Date: December 16, 1989

Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826829
I-I -I 1 -I I
1_1 -1 n I
BULGARIA: Talks With Opposition Announced
Communist Party leaders yesterday agreed to open roundtable talks
with dissident groups next week as 10.000 peoole ignored warnings
and demonstrated against the regime. The National Assembly closed
yesterday after voting unanimously to name Petur NIladenov
Commander in Chief of the armed forces to replace ousted leader
Zhivkor. It also promised action next month to repeal the
constitutional provision guaranteeing the party .5 leading role and
laws restricting demonstrations and the formation of independent
groups. The Assembly also repealed II parts of the penal code on
crimes against the state and announced the rcicase of more than
SO political prisoners. The legislature's chairman, however, called
on the Ministry of Interior to prevent�legally--a repetition of
�violations of public order during mass events.'
Comment: The government's sudden willingness tc meet with
the opposition indicates the regime was shaken by the raucous
demonstration Thursday against postponing elimination of the
Communist monopoly on power. Efforts by some dissident leaders to
control future demonstrations may fail if the government appears to
be using the talks to stall the reform process. The mandate the
National Assembly chairman gave the Ministry of Interior increases
the risk of confrontation between the demonstrators and the riot
police.
NR Record
8
TCS 2991/89
16 December 1989
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826829