According to the Open Media Research Institute's Daily Digest of 20 April 1995, a neo-nazi organization termed Brannik stated that it was responsible for the desecration of a Russian military cemetery in the town of Ruse.

In a telephone interview on 18 September 1995, the Chair of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee in Sofia provided the following information. There was a "moderately fascist" youth organization called Brannik that was established by the Bulgarian government during World War II in order to unite Bulgarian youth. The Chair has not heard of any reports indicating that Brannik has reappeared or is currently active.

Information on the response of the police towards the activities of Brannik could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Sofia. 18 September 1995. Telephone interview with Chair.

Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague]. 20 April 1995. Vol. 1, No. 78, Part 2. Stefan Krause. "Anti-Semites Deface Bulgarian Synagogue." (Internet mailing list: LISTSERV@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU)

Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague]. 20 April 1995. Vol. 1, No. 78, Part 2. Stefan Krause. "Anti-Semites Deface Bulgarian Synagogue." (Internet mailing list: LISTSERV@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU)

Amnesty International Report. Yearly.

DIRB country file on Bulgaria.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. Daily.

News from Helsinki Watch [New York]. Monthly.

On-line search of media sources.

Other oral sources.

Revue européenne des migrations internationales [Poitiers]. Tri-Annually.

RFE/RL Research Reports [Munich]. Weekly.

Uncaptive Minds [New York]. Quarterly.