The independent labour federation Podkrepa is one of the original partners within the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), the opposition coalition which won 144 of 400 seats in the Bulgarian parliament during the June 1990 elections. Podkrepa has since split with the UDF and maintains only observer status in the coalition. It took no parliamentary seats with it when it left the UDF.

Podkrepa's chairman is Konstantin Trenchev and the union's goals include economic and political reforms. At the time of the June 1990 elections, Podkrepa had a membership of approximately 200,000, which has since reportedly grown to about 500,000 (The New York Times 27 Nov. 1990). Podkrepa's chief role as a defender of workers' interests, created the rift between it and some of its UDF allies, which led to its exit from the UDF (FBIS-EEU-91-025, 6 Feb. 1991, P. 13). A 17 January 1991 report from the government-run Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA) indicates that Podkrepa's policies now have more in common with the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CITU) than with its erstwhile allies in the UDF (FBIS-EEU-91-013 18 Jan. 1991, P. 13). CITU is the formerly government controlled umbrella trade union group which has become independent of the government since the fall of Communist leader Todor Zhivkov in November 1989.

On 3 December 1990, the leader of the UDF Petar Beron, resigned after Trenchev accused him of informing for the secret police under the Zhivkov regime. The next day, the Bulgarian parliament, the Grand National Assembly (GNA), asked the Ministry of Interior Affairs to provide information on 71 GNA members who Trenchev had listed as having been informers (RFE, 14 Dec. 1990, P. 40). A Parliamentary Commission was formed to investigate Trenchev's allegations and by 25 January 1991, BTA reports were putting the member of members "involved" at about 30. The Commission was due to present its finding on 20 February 1991, but reports consulted since that date provide no further information (FBIS-EEU-91-018 28 Jan. 1991, P. 8).

Ted Zang, a lawyer with Helsinki Watch in New York, has received numerous anecdotal reports that members of Podkrepa are being fired from their jobs and being discriminated against in hiring practices. Zang says these reports suggest that Podkrepa members "are the first to be fired and the last to be hired." He adds that it is very difficult if not impossible to verify these reports at this time (Zang 25 Feb. 1991). Abigail Abrash of the International Human Rights Law Group in Washington, D.C., adds that "the members of [Podkrepa] will face a lot of problems and already have in terms of job security" (Abrash 19 Mar. 1991).

On 12 September 1990, Trenchev was charged with inciting arson in association with the burning of the headquarters of the Bulgarian Socialist Party on the evening of 26 August 1990 (FBIS-EEU-90-183 20 Sept. 1990, P. 8). Trenchev has been under a travel ban but was granted permission on at least one occasion to travel to the United States (FBIS-EEU-90-185 24 Sept. 1990, P. 18). In early March 1991, a legal investigation against Trenchev was completed. According to Ted Zang, the Chief Prosecutor now has several months in which to decide whether to proceed with an indictment. Zang believes that the prosecutor's office will wait as long as possible before proceeding. In this way, Trenchev's credibility will remain in doubt and the government can avoid international criticism for what could be seen as a political trial, Zang says (Zang 8 Mar. 1991).
Bibliography

Abrash, Abigail. 19 March 1991. Staff member with the International Human Rights Law Group, Washington, D.C.. Telephone Interview
FBIS-EEU-91-025. 6 February 1991. "Podkrepa TU Supports Price Control" in BTA [Sofia, in English], 5 February 1991.
FBIS-EEU-91-018. 28 January 1991. "Evidence Implicates 30 MP's as Informers" in BTA [Sofia, in English], 25 January 1991.
FBIS-EEU-91-013. 18 January 1991. "Trade Union Leader Optimistic About Peace Pact" in BTA [Sofia, in English], 17 January 1991.
FBIS-EEU-90-185. 24 September 1990. "Chief Prosecutor Permits Trenchev To Go Abroad" in BTA [Sofia, in English], 21 September 1990.
The New York Times. 27 November 1990. Sudetic, Chuck. "Bulgarians Strike to Oust Leaders."
Radio Free Europe. 14 December 1990. Vol. 1, No. 50, Report on Eastern Europe. "Weekly Record of Events."
Zang, Ted. 8 March 1991. Staff member with Helsinki Watch, New York, New York. Telephone Interview.
_____. 25 February 1991. Staff member with Helsinki Watch, New York, New York. Telephone Interview.