The elections for the Grand National Assembly were held on 27 October 1946. Despite widespread terror, numerous arrests of opposition activists, and massive election fraud, the legal opposition managed to win 101 out of 465 seats. This allowed them to form two parliamentary opposition groups:
BZNS-Nikola Petkov: The Bulgarian Agrarian People's Party, led by Nikola Petkov.
BSDP: The Bulgarian Social Democratic Party.
Post-Treaty Repression
Following the signing of the Peace Treaty with Bulgaria on 10 February 1947 in Paris, the Communist Party intensified its repression against opposition leaders and members. On 5 June 1947, Nikola Petkov, the leader of the united opposition, lost his parliamentary immunity. He was sentenced to death and executed in Sofia Central Prison.
International Reaction
On 16 September 1952, U.S. President Harry S. Truman made a statement regarding the fifth anniversary of Nikola Petkov's execution:
"The American people and many other nations will never forget the prosecution and the murder of Nikola Petkov in 1947. His courageous struggle against communist totalitarian rule in Bulgaria will never be forgotten. His death made the meaning of the struggle he waged against tyranny much clearer to the entire world."
Surveillance and Suppression of Opposition
According to Bulgarian State Security records, all opposition party activists were placed under surveillance starting in September 1947. By October 1947, the leaders of the so-called bourgeois parties had been expelled from Sofia and were being monitored by State Security agents Istanbul Day Tour. The individuals affected included:
Nikola Moushanov
Stoycho Moushanov
Alexander Ghirghinov
Prof. Venelin Ganev
Atanas Burov
Petko Staynov
Christo Manafov
Slavi Chorbadzhigoshev
Stefan Gubidelnikov
Boris Panchev
Dimiter Vurbanov
Georgi Panayotov
Throughout 1947, a total of 721 members of opposition parties were sent to forced labor camps.
The period following the 1946 elections was marked by severe repression against political opponents. The execution of Nikola Petkov and the extensive surveillance and imprisonment of opposition figures demonstrated the communist regime's determination to eliminate any challenges to their authority. International reactions, such as President Truman's statement, highlighted the global awareness of and condemnation for these repressive actions.
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