Document #1316468
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
In a telephone interview on 2 May 1997, the
Bulgarian desk officer with the Department of State in Washington
provided the following information, which represents the
Department's position. Page 884 of Country Reports 1996
correctly states that the instances of violence against women were
committed during a two-year period. The 1 August 1996 BTA News
Agency incorrectly states a two-week period.
In a telephone interview on 13 May 1997,
the chairman of the Bulgarian Helsinki committee in Sofia provided
the following information, which represents the chairman's
position. Page 884 of Country Reports 1996 correctly
states that the instances of violence against women were committed
during a two-year period. The 1 August 1996 BTA article incorrectly
states a two-week period.
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.
References
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Sofia. 13
May 1997. Telephone interview with the chairman.
Department of State, Washington. 2 May
1997. Telephone interview with the Bulgarian desk officer.
For a reference to an insurance and
security firm called Club 777, please consult the fourth to last
paragraph of the first page of the 8 March 1996 Reuters attachment.
Additional information on Club 777 could not be found among the
sources consulted by the DIRB. However, for information on security
or protection agencies, please consult the 12 November 1995 Agence
France Presse (AFP) attachment and the 9 June 1995
Transition attachment. According to the 12 November 1995
Agence France Presse (AFP) attachment, "Some of the racketeers have
acquired legal standing by forming private security agencies which
then branch out into insurance, in a new twist to old-fashioned
protection rackets." For information on an insurance firm called
Zora ins, please consult the 9 August 1996 Transition
attachment.
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
additional sources consulted in researching this Information
Request.
Reference
Agence France Presse (AFP). 12 November
1995. Vesela Sergeva. "Thick Necks' Terrorise Bulgarians."
(NEXIS)
Attachments
Agence France Presse (AFP). 12 November
1995. Vesela Sergeva. "'Thick Necks' Terrorise Bulgarians."
(NEXIS)
Reuters. 8 March 1996. BC Cycle.
"Bulgaria Central Bank Closes Two Banks." (NEXIS)
Transition: Events and Issues in the
Former Soviet Union and East-Central and Southeastern Europe.
9 August 1996. Vol. 2, No. 16. Victor Gomez. "An Underworld of
Wrestlers in Bulgaria," p. 2.
_____. 9 June 1995. Vol. 1, No. 9.
Victor Gomez. "Bulgaria: Wrestling with Organized Crime," p.
25.
Additional Sources Consulted
Amnesty International Report.
Yearly.
CSCE Digest [Washington].
Monthly.
DIRB country file on Bulgaria.
DIRB databases.
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
(FBIS) Daily Reports.
Human Rights Watch World
Report. Yearly.
News from Helsinki Watch [New
York]. Monthly.
Transition [Prague]. Twice
monthly.
Uncaptive Minds [Washington].
Quarterly.
On-line search of media sources.
Unsuccessful attempts to contact oral
sources.