SERGEY MANASARYAN: RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN THE BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT IS A MATTER OF TIME

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

It’s hard to imagine the discussion of the issue of recognition of
the Armenian Genocide in the Bulgarian National Assembly until the
Turkish "Movement of Rights and Freedoms" Party remains the second
an influential political force in the legislative body of Bulgaria.

Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria
Sergey Manasaryan told a press conference today that recognition of
the Armenian Genocide in Bulgaria is a matter of time, but the ethnic
Turkish Party is economically powerful and well-organized. Their
resistance is very strong.

The voting on the draft resolution on the Armenian Genocide in the
Bulgarian Parliament in April caused anxiety among the Turkish lobby,
since the number of "pro" votes was rather great, although the bill
failed to pass. The Ambassador is assured that Bulgaria’s entry into
the European Union will simplify the discussion of the issue.

Mr. Manasaryan noted also that the attitude of the society toward the
power of the Turkish political party is not simple in the country: it’s
a serious problem and source of tension among the Bulgarian society.

600-800 thousand Turks reside in Bulgaria. The Armenian community
counts 30 thousand. Another 30 thousand RA citizens live in different
cities of Bulgaria. There is only one Deputy of Armenian origin in
the Parliament. According to the Ambassador, the relations between
the Armenian and Turkish communities are normal.