crimes committed by totalitarian regimes - Ministrstvo za pravosodje

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Crimes committed by totalitarian regimes books like Bulgaria in the Secret Archive of Stalin, Over Glowing Coal, The Communist Legal System and many others. A significant number of repressed persons published their stories in the press and books, describing their lives. Numerous organizations of repressed persons were registered in Bulgaria with the main goal to inform the society about the lives of known dissidents and repressed persons and their support. Regular debates and commemorations were organized and one of the last monuments was opened at the place that became notorious for repressions – the camp in Belene. 4. Foreign experience lessons At this stage, the long way of Bulgaria to reconciliation could be positively evaluated. The admission immediately after the changes on behalf of the supreme national institution – the National Assembly, of the misfeasance of the regime defused desires for taking the matters into individual hands and did not permit bloodsheds for revenge. The compensations for repressed persons restored their confidence in the democratic order. The negative experience from this approach should be shared: alleged false witnessing. The release of state financed benefits to persons, who sustained legally stipulated repression due to their criminal offences on the ground of falsified declarations of witnesses, provokes a feeling of injustice in persons, who are aware of how things are. Often, the following question arises: “Should we again have privileged ‘active fighters’?” On the other side is the anger of repressed persons, who feel scorned while the check of the authenticity of facts submitted on their behalf is ongoing. The law’s positive role is the sieving of facts, thus, admitting any repressions as illegal, but remedying only those proven. Unavoidably, the authorities will further face criticism from both sides, as it is hardly possible to avoid the controversy of all incoming demands. In this respect the Roman rule, that settlement by extrajudicial agreement is preferable to resolving disputes by court adjudication, is applicable. Public awareness in this aspect is crucial not only concerning legislative measures, but also concerning their application. Only publicity and explanation could prevent further contradictions between individuals and social groups. Bulgarian experience in revealing the former State Security dossiers is controversial. On the one hand the long period before opening the dossiers allowed a part of them to disappear. On the other hand, namely the length of the elapsed time allowed emotions to fade out and prevent eventual aggressive attacks on behalf of affected close relatives after revealing the persons, whose reporting to the authorities caused their tragedies. Time worked in favour of reconciliation. There is much evidence for reconciliation in Bulgaria – the scope of entitlement of repressed persons was expanded by the Government of the Bulgarian Socialist Party that is identified as the successor of the Communist Party, but is increasingly promoting liberal motions in all aspects of government, including economy. The National Assembly adopted on 9 September 2004 a Declaration on the occasion of the 60 th anniversary of the introduction of the communist regime in Bulgaria that condemns once again the arbitrary acts, violence and mass murders, downtrodden human rights and constitutional principles, repressions of entire ethnic and religious groups. It could not be denied that the Bulgarian society is not evading the solution of the problems related to confrontation between separate groups of the population, but is consequently seeking ways for their solution. Whether the right answers were found is a matter of the check of time. Doubtlessly, the will and the responsibility of the ruling parties to prevent new public controversies should be appreciated. The first prerequisite for a right solution is the acceptance of different opinions. The second prerequisite is learning the lessons of history. Different states, where similar stages of development passed, approached the issue differently: to forgive and forget the past, to achieve national reconciliation, peace and stability (the former “Red Khmers” – President of Pol Pot’s regime – Khieu Samphan), amnesty for the political offenders due to imminent civil war in case of legal actions (the Cambodian Prime-Minister Hun Sen), judicial pursuits (at national and international level) and sentencing those found guilty. Correlated to remedy, reconciliation is a more effective approach as it is centre positioning both – the victim and the doer. Namely the establishment or restoration of a dialogue between the parties in the conflict, the creation of a feeling of responsibility and taking over responsibility on behalf of the doer, the remedy of the damages, the reconciliation of the parties in the conflict, the elaboration of sustainable solutions are the means and the ways to a better future while stigmatizing the mistakes of the past. The role of the EC is to prevent conformism as well revenge from 188
Crimes committed by totalitarian regimes passing over to next generations. Conformism would awake bitter feelings in the souls of persons and their successors, who were repressed for their pro-liberation spirit. Bitterness might trigger renewed wishes for historical revenge that is a vehicle of highly destructive potential. The only rational approach is reconciliation that deserves good will on both sides. 189
Page 1 and 2:
CRIMES COMMITTED BY TOTALITARIAN RE
Page 3 and 4:
TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE Lovro Št
Page 5 and 6:
IV. REMEMBRANCE, RECOGNITION AND PU
Page 7 and 8:
Crimes committed by totalitarian re
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138: Crimes committed by totalitarian re
Page 187: Crimes committed by totalitarian re
Page 239 and 240:
Page 241 and 242:
Page 243 and 244:
Page 245 and 246:
Page 247 and 248:
Page 249 and 250:
Page 251 and 252:
Page 253 and 254:
Page 255 and 256:
Page 257 and 258:
Page 259 and 260:
Page 261 and 262:
Page 263 and 264:
Page 265 and 266:
Page 267 and 268:
Page 269 and 270:
Page 271 and 272:
Page 273 and 274:
Page 275 and 276:
Page 277 and 278:
Page 279 and 280:
Page 281 and 282:
Page 283 and 284:
Page 285 and 286:
Page 287 and 288:
Page 289 and 290:
Page 291 and 292:
Page 293 and 294:
Page 295 and 296:
Page 297 and 298:
Page 299 and 300:
Page 301 and 302:
Page 303 and 304:
Page 305 and 306:
Page 307 and 308:
Page 309 and 310:
Page 311 and 312:
Page 313 and 314:
Page 315 and 316:
show all

crimes committed by totalitarian regimes - Ministrstvo za pravosodje

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?