Bulgarians paid tribute to the 64th anniversary of the rescue of the
country’s Jewish population from the Nazis. Bulgarians laid flowers Thursday at the memorial
plaques near Saint Sofia Cathedral in honor of those who supported the Jews. Parliamentary Chief Georgi Pirinski laid flowers at a plaque
near the National Assembly in Sofia, recalling the valor of parliamentarians during World War II who stood up for Jews.Although aligned with Germany
during World War II, Bulgaria refused the Nazi order to deport any of its 50,000 Jews to
death camps thanks to the efforts of the government, the Orthodox Church and
especially King Boris III. The government’s final decision to reject the Nazi
demand was made March 10, 1943. The current government set March 10 as
the Day of Holocaust Victims. The Jewish
organization in Bulgaria Shalom, Etnopalitra Foundation and the Association for
Friendship and Collaboration between Bulgaria and Israel also organized
ceremonies in Sofia.
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