SHUMEN

“Nikola Vaptsarov” Foreign Language High School, Shumen, Bulgaria

 

 

Analysis

of the results of the questionnaire studying students’ opinion and knowledge of freedom of thought, speech and information – national part

 

 

 

1. In international aspect how do citizens in the period of new history (i.e. for the last 100 years) express freely their thoughts?

 

Students’ answer:

 

            During the period of new history, the right of speech has developed and has had its own barriers. In countries from the Eastern European bloc, where government was based on COMECON and Warsaw Pact, the right was restricted by the state and the political apparatus. The press and media was censored, books that discredited and lowered reputation of party ideology were forbidden and destroyed. People who expressed their ideas and criticism about the regime and its apparatus were repressed.

In Western Europe freedom has other dimensions. Of worldwide importance is the Charter of human rights which regulates the right and is a manifestation of the self-conscious society. After the changes in 1989 former socialist countries take the road of the democratic development and government which guarantee the freedom of thought and speech.

 

2. In national aspect how do citizens in the period of new history (i.e. for the last 100 years) express freely their thoughts?

During the period 1946 – 1989 Bulgaria was part of the Eastern European Bloc and did not differ from the other states of that kind. Within the state class-party ideology assumed power over information through censorship. A department called “Propaganda and agitation” was established at the Central Committee (CC) of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP). It served as “purity” in the field of science, education, culture, radio and television. Some books are forbidden and confiscated; others are censored and then reached the readers.

After 1989 political censorship was removed, rapid progress came to the front; new laws were voted which guaranteed freedom of speech and information.

 

3. Give examples of dissident movements in Bulgaria.

“Social committee for ecological protection of Ruse”, Independent association “Ecoglasnost”, “Club for supporting publicity and reconstruction of Bulgaria.”

 

4. Who are the most significant dissents in Bulgarian history?

Zhelyo Zhelev – a philosopher, Georgi Mishev, Blaga Dimitrova, Stefan Tsanev, Radoy Ralin – writers, Petar Slabakov – an artist, Sonya bakish, Georgi Markov – journalists.

 

5. Who are the most significant dissents in international aspect?

Aleksandar Solzhenitsyn, Genadiy Gerasimov, Andrey Saharov and others.

 

6. What follows when as side of International Agreement (Charter of Human rights, etc.) Bulgaria has signed a document, clauses contrary to the Constitution of Republic of Bulgaria?

According to article 5, paragraph 4 of the Constitution of Republic of Bulgaria, International agreements ratified, published and came into force are part of the internal right of the country. They have priority over those regulations of the internal legislation which are contradictory.

 

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